Tokyo Meditation Meetup

🌲 Hike & Meditate in Nature: Ome Trail (Weekday Edition)

Wed, Sep 16 · 8:40 AM JST

Shinjuku Station, 3-chōme-38-1 Shinjuku, Shinjuku City, Tokyo, JP

In this weekday edition of our mindfulness hike, we'll be hiking the Ome trail. This is not a national holiday but on a weekday and for those with a flexible schedule or want to take a day off (or for those who find it easier to come on weekdays because of kids or other obligations!).

We meet at 8:45am at Shinjuku station on Wednesday, Sep 16th! Full description below:

Hey all 🌞 It’s a beautiful time to get together, hike, and meditate in nature. This time we’ll be on one of my favorite trails—the Ome Hills Hiking Course, just 1.5 hours from Shinjuku.

🌿 What we'll be doing:

Many of us have forgotten how to truly listen, feel, and sense the natural world—and why it’s vital to our humanity. Unlike being indoors, meditating in the wild lets you use all of your senses and the living environment itself as a support for presence.

I’ll guide:

• Short nature-based meditations
• Somatic practices (mindful movement, breath, body awareness)
• Group sharing to integrate the experience

This is an easy-to-moderate hike, about 3 hours total, with a stop for bento lunch and meditation. Optional onsen after 🛁

🚫 Digital Detox:

This is a phone-free experience. Please plan to be offline for a few hours. I’ll carry phones in a locked bag and take a few photos for everyone, so you can fully drop into presence.

🕑 The schedule:

• 8:45 am – Meet at Shinjuku Station, South Exit Gate (新宿駅南口). Look for the flower shop (Here's a picture) in front across from a small konbini—I’ll be wearing a black cowboy hat OR a white baseball cap, depending on how I'm feeling that day 🤠
• 9:07 am – Train departs
• 10:00 am – Arrive at Ome and begin hike
• 1:00 pm – Lunch (bring your own bento) + guided meditation & sharing
• ~3:00 pm – Finish hike
• 5:00–6:00 pm – Back in Tokyo
• Optional: Onsen at Kabe Station (2 stops away) before heading home

💴 Price: 3,000 yen. Please bring cash or paypay.

🎒What to bring:

• Comfortable walking shoes 👟
• Warm jacket 🧥
• Water bottle 💧
• Blanket (optional for sitting)
• Your own bento + snacks 🍱
• Hat / sunscreen 🧢
• Change of clothes (if joining onsen)
• A smile 🙂

📞 Contact
If you have any issues day-of, call me at 090-8013-7249. See you then!

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7pm Mindfulness Meditation and Connection Circle (Biweekly)

Thu, Sep 17 · 7:00 PM JST

California Bliss Dept., 5-39-10 Naritahigashi, Suginami, Tokyo 166-0015 4F, Tokyo, JP

After a long break, our recurring mindfulness sessions are back! Come join us every other Thursday for mindful connection and honest conversation, in a new location :)

Life is busy, and sometimes it’s a lot. These sessions are a chance to slow down, reconnect with yourself, and practice being present with whatever is actually here.

They’re also a rare opportunity to connect with others in a warm, nonjudgmental space where you don’t have to perform, impress anyone, or have it all figured out.

Whether it’s your first time meditating or you’ve been practicing for years, you’re very welcome here.

📍 Details:

• Location: California Bliss Yoga Studio, Minami-Asagaya
• Time: Doors open at 7pm. We start at 7:10pm and finish at 8:45pm.
• Price: 2,000 yen

Important: Please do not arrive early or hang out in the hallways as the neighbors have been known to complain. Please come up at 7pm sharp and we get started at 710pm. If you arrive early, please wait downstairs on the 1st floor until 7pm.

What to Expect:

• Mindful movement and stretching
• Guided meditation (20-30 minutes)
• Short talk
• Authentic relating / mindful connection exercises
• Sharing circle, tea and open conversation

Sharing is always optional. You’re welcome to speak, listen, or simply be there.

🎒 What to bring:

• Water bottle
• Comfortable clothes to sit on
• Bring whatever else you need to be comfortable.

FYI, cushions are provided!

💴 Payment: Our regular sessions are 2,000 yen. Pay cash or PayPay at the end of the session.

🙏 RSVP: Please be serious about reserving a spot, and unRSVP as soon as you have decided you're not going to make it.

Even if it’s your first time meditating, come give it a try. You don’t need to be “good” at meditation to join. I provide guidance and we also do a range of straightforward practices to connect that aren't your typical meditation practices.

See you there!

🌱 About Your Teacher

Misha Yurchenko is a Tokyo-based certified, trauma-informed meditation teacher with 10+ years of experience. He has spent time on retreat around the world and practiced a range of techniques.

After experiencing extreme burnout from his venture-funded startup, he founded Tokyo Mindfulness to help people slow down, reconnect with themselves, and work with the deeper patterns beneath stress, striving, and self-judgment.

His approach is practical and integrated, combining meditation, breathwork, nervous system awareness, and inner healing work.. He is the author of Beyond Calm and lives in Nerima with his family.

💌 Stay Connected

Soin our Substack community to get updated with new events, talk to other members and get access to exclusive content.

Connection Retreat — Half Day in Tokyo

Wed, Sep 23 · 1:00 PM JST

Nerima Lifetime Education Center, 6 Chome-8-1 Toyotamakita, Nerima City, Tokyo 176-0012, Tokyo, JP

If you’ve enjoyed our eye contact and mindfulness events, I’m excited to invite you to a half day of practices to connect at a deeper level on Sep 23rd (autumn equinox/national holiday)!

This is a chance to slow down, let go of fixing, practice being rather than doing, discover more about yourself, and connect with others in a more honest and meaningful way.

We’ll move through a variety of experiential practices, with some short explanations along the way. I’ll also provide a handout so you can take the ideas and practices into your relationships, friendships, work, and daily life.

No prior experience is required — just a willingness to be present, try something a little outside your comfort zone, and share honestly.

📍 Details:

• Location: Location: Nerima Life Center — large tatami room, second floor
• Time: 1:00–6:30 PM (please arrive at 1230pm for check in)
• Cost: ¥5,000 (cash or paypay on the day of)
• Max: 30 people

👁️ What we’ll do

• Eye contact
• Gratitude practice
• Compassion Chair exercise
• Mirroring practices
• Authentic conversation
• Mindfulness meditation
• And more

🫶 Agreements
Please read the group agreements beforehand. These help us create a space where everyone can participate at their own pace and feel respected.

🎒 What to bring

• A snack
• Water bottle
• Comfortable clothes
• Journal and pen, if you’d like to take notes

🌱 About your guide
Misha Yurchenko is a Tokyo-based certified, trauma-informed meditation teacher with 10+ years of experience. He has spent time on retreat around the world and practiced a range of techniques, including a 2-year training with Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach.

After experiencing extreme burnout from his venture-funded startup, he founded Tokyo Mindfulness to help people slow down, reconnect with themselves, and work with the
deeper patterns beneath stress, striving, and self-judgment.

His approach is practical and integrated, combining meditation, breathwork, nervous system awareness, and inner healing work.. He is the author of Beyond Calm and lives in Nerima with his family.

💌 Stay Connected
Join our Substack community to get updated with new events, talk to other members and get access to exclusive content.

Beyond Calm: A Mindfulness Retreat in Okinawa 🌴🐠

Mon, Apr 26, 2027 · 12:00 PM JST

Le Lotus Bleu Ishigaki, 148 Shiraho, Ishigaki, Okinawa 907-0242, Ishigaki, JP

Come join us for our yearly retreat to Okinawa! See the full description, schedule and all the details here. To RSVP, you have to submit your application here and make the deposit here.

This time, the theme is Beyond Calm: six days on Ishigaki Island to work with your emotions, find deeper presence, understand the patterns that keep repeating in your life, and let go of some of what you’ve been carrying.

We’ll spend the week combining mindfulness meditation, somatic practice, attachment and parts work, yoga, authentic connection, sound, and inquiry — with plenty of space to rest, swim, explore the island, and enjoy being together.

Our home for the week is Le Lotus Bleu in Shiraho, Ishigaki — a peaceful retreat space just five minutes from the beach, with easy access to beaches, nature, and the laid-back rhythm of island life.

This is not a silent retreat. It’s an intimate, experiential week for people who want to go a little deeper than simply calming the mind.

📅 Dates: April 26 – May 1, 2027
📍 Location: Le Lotus Bleu, Ishigaki, Okinawa
🌊 Length: 5 nights / 6 days
👥 Group: Maximum 12 people
🏡 Rooms: Shared tatami rooms
🍽️ Included: 3 meals/day, retreat sessions, morning yoga, sound bath, snorkeling tour, jungle trek, island activities, local transport + airport pickup/drop-off

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🏝️ What We'll Do

• Snorkeling in the clear waters around Ishigaki
• Swimming and beach time
• Jungle trekking and exploring a waterfall
• Morning yoga and mindful movement with a certified yoga teacher
• Sound bath meditation / deep relaxation
• Exploring the island together
• Shared meals and unstructured time to rest, read, journal, or connect
• Plenty of time simply enjoying the ocean, nature, and slower rhythm of island life

🧘 Meditations and Practices
Over the six days, we’ll explore a mixture of traditional meditation and more relational, psychological, and embodied practices, including:

• Mindfulness of mind, body and heart
• Somatic awareness and nervous system regulation
• Parts work and working compassionately with difficult emotions
• Attachment patterns and relationships
• Loving-kindness and compassion practices
• Breathwork and embodied meditation
• Authentic relating and partner practices
• Eye contact, mirroring, and mindful communication
• Journaling and reflection
• Practices around letting go, gratitude, connection, and presence

💴 Pricing:
We offer a lower rate for Japan residents to keep the retreat more accessible to our local community. International pricing reflects the standard retreat rate, while the local rate is subsidized for people living and earning in Japan.

Japan residents

• Pay in full: ¥176,000 before Dec 1st
• Early Bird: ¥186,000 until Dec 1
• Regular: ¥238,000 after Dec 1

International guests

• Pay in full: $2,100 before Dec 1st
• Early Bird: $2,250 until Dec 1
• Regular: $2,600 after Dec 1

The retreat is by application which takes 5 minutes. For those new to our retreats I have a quick call with everyone beforehand to sure the group and timing feel like a good fit.
👉 Apply here: https://tally.so/r/jaYBjQ

Applying takes about two minutes and doesn’t commit you to anything.

📩 Questions?
Message Misha on Meetup directly or email at misha@tokyomindfulness.com

👤 About your teacher:
Misha Yurchenko is a Tokyo-based certified, trauma-informed meditation teacher with 10+ years of experience. He has spent time on retreat around the world and practiced a range of techniques. After experiencing extreme burnout from his venture-funded startup, he founded Tokyo Mindfulness and is dedicated to helping others break free from themselves. He takes an integrated and practical approach combining meditation, breathwork, and nervous system healing to help people let go of the ego, release old habit patterns and find inner freedom. He is the author of Beyond Calm and lives in Nerima with his family.
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