Wellness, Connecting with Nature, and a “Grand” Stay in Mie

Written by Lauren Shannon

Mie is a prefecture with diverse natural landscapes that are great for exploration and adventurous activities. On this wonderful day I was able to visit Taiki Town and connect with a local yoga program that offers so many different types of yoga in three different, beautiful locations. This type of natural yoga, near the sound of the waves and the green forests is so different from yoga in a studio and relaxing while healing. The local team in Taiki welcome you to open your heart and mind to the warm hospitality in their unique yoga program. This program is flexible for anyone from yoga experts and enthusiasts to beginners.

Beginning with a simple yoga program on the beach opens up your senses to the sights and sounds of the ocean. After changing into comfortable clothes for stretching and activity the local team welcomes you to a pavilion built on the waters edge where you can try different yoga poses with the kind direction of your instructor. The wonderful landscape and sea breezes help to calm the mind and open the heart.

Next a new challenge SUP Yoga (stand up paddle board style) 

When you are relaxed and in tune with the waves it might be time for a challenge., We then changed our location from being on the beach at the water's edge to bringing balance to our practice actually in the ocean for a SUP Yoga Class.

What is SUP YOGA? Simply put, SUP yoga (stand up paddle board yoga) is practicing yoga on a stand up paddle board in the middle of a body of water. SUP yoga is best practiced on calm bodies of water like lakes, bays or like here in Taiki, calm harbors. This experience really opened my thinking to the benefits of balance and beauty as I stretched and floated in the gentle rocking waves.

Again, our calm and cool teacher made this activity (quite new for me) less intimidating as I tried my best yoga poses as I followed along with her easy instructions.

SUP yoga is a great cardio workout. It is harder than it looks from the safety of the shore. You will burn a lot of calories but still feel peaceful. This type of yoga is a great stress reducer. The water has been known to have a relaxing effect on the human mind and body. I really connected with the instructor and made new friends in Taiki during this session.

Now it was time to try the third type of yoga program in Taiki, “Forest Yoga.” We headed into the mountains and woods for our last session of stretching our minds and hearts

Spending time in the woods and slowing down to enjoy the feel of fresh air on our skin—all these things replenish our souls so the woods make another excellent natural studio for Yoga Practice. Forest Yoga in Taiki for me, was an excellent way to decompress from the stresses of modern urban living and traveling in big city locations.
The Yoga area was set up in the midst of towering trees with small platforms and yoga mats that were perfect for our next session of stretches, deep breathing and poses. With your own space in clear view of the teacher it was easy to slow down and take note of bird song and the wind in the branches above us.

I followed along and felt the day's activities soak into my soul. It was wonderful to feel a part of the world while experiencing the calming health benefits of this third (and maybe my favorite) Yoga location. It was easy to see the effects when we finished. I felt refreshed, relaxed and yes a bit HUNGRY too!

Lucky for me the Taiki Cho Yoga plan included an amazing open air, camp-style lunch! It was fun to see all the preparations of local fish, produce and yummy treats that we could cook and enjoy together.

Having worked up a healthy appetite after our 3 types of Yoga I was ready to try all that was on offer. The river fish simmered in olive oil tomatoes and garlic was so delicious and the vegetable skewers cooked over the camp stove were healthy and tasty!

Then it was time to have fun creating our own unique pizzas to cook in the portable wood fired oven. Everyone tried different combinations and we enjoyed being creative

We all felt ours was the most delicious so it was a bit of a competition to see if we could create the best combination and we shared it with our new yoga friends and our instructor. We enjoyed laughing and relaxing together after a day full of mindfulness and exercise. We earned it and it was a great meal.

Full in mind, body, and spirit it was time to say goodbye to our new friends in Taiki and head to Taki town.

While in the area I recommend staying at the new VISON hotel and resort area. This gorgeous hotel is seamlessly blended into the natural landscape and features a wonderful onsen (hot spring). There are interesting shops, food stalls, cafes, and local craft products. This modern complex is stylish and there are 360 degree, gorgeous views of nature in all directions.

The rooms feature beautiful furniture, and each has well thought out details and luxurious amenities. The bedding was first class and I loved the misty mountain view from my room.

There is an onsite bar and restaurant as well as stunning modern art and furnishings in the common areas.