Most of us spend our days surrounded by people, messages, and information, and still feel strangely alone.
Conversations are interrupted.
Attention is divided.
Time together is planned, measured, and quickly passed through.
We're rarely *with* one another in the simple sense of the word.
Here, Together was designed as a response to that.
Not as a solution.
Not as a method.
But as a week where people can slow down enough to remember what shared time actually feels like.
Without Phones, Without Rushing
This retreat isn't about silence, productivity, or improvement.
It's about spending real time together, without phones, without rushing, and without trying to optimize anything.
When phones are put away, something subtle changes.
Moments stretch.
Boredom appears.
Laughter comes more easily.
Conversations wander.
Stories get told all the way through.
Nothing dramatic needs to happen.
The shift is quiet, but noticeable.
Not a "Retreat Person"? That's Fine
You don't need to be quiet.
You don't need to be spiritual.
You don't need to be "into retreats."
Here, Together is for people who are curious about connection: with themselves, with others, and with their surroundings.
Some people arrive alone.
Some come with a partner, a sibling, or a friend.
What matters isn't who you come with, it's the willingness to be present once you arrive.
A Week Lived Simply
Life during the retreat is intentionally uncomplicated.
Days include:
- spending time outside
- moving the body gently
- shared meals and everyday rituals
- activities done alone, in pairs, and in small groups
- space for conversation, laughter, and rest
- moments of quiet without pressure to fill them
There is structure, but it's flexible.
Plans adapt to weather, group energy, and what feels right.
The point isn't to follow a schedule.
It's to live together for a while.
The Role of Bodywork and Movement
Connection isn't only something that happens through words.
During the retreat, participants are guided by a professional massage therapist and a yoga teacher who introduce simple bodywork and movement practices.
These sessions focus on:
- presence
- awareness
- noticing how the body holds tension and ease
- how attention moves through the body
The practices are gentle and accessible.
They are not therapy, and no prior experience is needed.
Movement and bodywork are offered as ways to settle attention, so connection doesn't have to be forced.
Art, Tradition, and Place
A Japanese art professional joins the retreat to offer creative moments rooted in process, play, and curiosity.
These are not lessons or performances.
They are invitations to explore, make, and notice.
We also share elements of Japanese tradition (including a traditional tea ceremony, 茶道), not as cultural spectacle, but as a way of slowing down and paying attention together.
The rural Hokkaido setting does a lot of the work on its own.
Nature sets the pace.
Weather shapes the day.
Seasonality becomes part of the experience.
What This Retreat Is, and Isn't
Here, Together is not:
- therapy
- a spiritual program
- a productivity reset
- a social performance
It's a week of being human together, with fewer distractions and fewer demands.
Some people leave with new friendships.
Some with clearer perspective.
Some with a renewed sense of ease.
Often, it's something quieter than that.
Leaving, Gently Changed
Most people don't leave with big revelations.
They leave remembering:
- what it feels like to share meals without screens
- how good it is to move and rest in the same day
- how conversations deepen when they aren't rushed
- how connection grows when there's time for it
That's the work of Here, Together.
If you're curious about joining us for this retreat, you can read more details here: