Your Step Into Clarity: A Half-Day Retreat in Nihonbashi

Photos by Monika Sadkiewicz

Tokyo is a city that rarely slows down. At its heart lies Nihonbashi, a district built on connections and whose very name means “Japan Bridge.”’ Once the heart of Edo, it connected travelers to every corner of Japan. Today, it’s where suited professionals hurry between corporate towers and glass buildings reflecting the speed of modern life. But tucked away in an alley is a door that leads back in time to a 92-year-old kominka, a traditional wooden folk home that has stood quietly since 1928. 

Surviving war and waves of urban change, it offers something rare in the city; a paused moment in time untouched by urbanization. Once inside, the tempo shifts as tatami softens the floor, wood beams carry nearly a century of stories and the city outside suddenly feels distant. 

On September 27, this kominka will become the setting for a half-day retreat hosted by Rocklit — a boutique leadership development company that helps leaders activate a vision that moves them and build the emotional intelligence to live it every day. Through coaching, training and carefully designed experiences, Rocklit blends imagination with embodiment as well as cultural wisdom with modern science, creating spaces where clarity and connection can take root.

Why Join This Retreat?

This retreat weaves the wisdom of ancient Japanese traditions with practices supported by modern neuroscience. You will:

• Leave feeling calmer, clearer and more aligned with your vision
• Experience the power of sound therapy to unwind, go inward and find clarity
• Gain insight on your next steps through guided visualization & embodiment
• Anchor your goals with a take-home Daruma doll as a tangible reminder
• Connect with like-minded individuals in an intimate community setting

This event is catered for those who sense that “something more” is calling, but whose daily lives leave little space to hear it. Whether you’re in transition, realigning with your goals or simply longing for pause, this retreat offers tools, rituals and community to support your journey.

Yoshuku: Celebrating the Future in Advance

In Edo times, farmers gathered beneath cherry blossoms to celebrate a harvest before planting had even begun. This was yoshuku, the practice of expressing joy to manifest an abundant harvest.

Modern science now explains the meaning behind this tradition. Pre-celebration sparks dopamine, sharpens attention and helps us recognize opportunities that are aligned with our vision. Embodiment exercises strengthen new neural pathways, making possibilities feel closer and more natural. At the retreat, you’ll practice yoshuku by toasting your future as if it has already arrived. 

Alongside yoshuku, the Daruma ritual brings this vision into form. By painting both eyes of a Daruma doll, you turn an intention into something tangible. It becomes a reminder that your vision is not just imagined—it is already alive in your hands, ready to be carried forward.

Combined with the physiological effects of sound therapy—calming the nervous system and guiding the body out of stress—and anchored by the Daruma ritual, these practices promote a powerful transformation. Together, they help you leave calmer, clearer and more connected to themselves.

The Retreat Journey

The afternoon gently unfolds:

• Arrival & Connection – Settle into the kominka and join guided peer conversations to create a safe and welcoming circle.
  
• Sound Bath Centering – With Tibetan singing bowls, Nanako Aramaki, a sound therapist from Zensō, guides participants into deep rest. The vibrations bypass the busy mind, soothing the nervous system and preparing you to go inward.
  
• Inner Vision Activation – A guided visualization led by Lana Iwabuchi, a coach at Rocklit, helps you manifest your inner vision and brings it into focus with clarity.
  
• Embodiment Practice – Through a playful exercise, you step into this future version of yourself as if it’s already real, sharing your story in the present tense with others. This simple shift helps the brain open to new possibilities.
  
• Celebration & Sharing – With gratitude and sparkling bubbles, you celebrate the visions you’ve uncovered and raise a glass to what’s ahead.
  
• Daruma Eye Painting Ritual – Closing with a bold gesture, you paint both eyes of a Daruma doll—anchoring your commitment and gratitude. Your Daruma becomes a reminder that your vision is already alive in your hands, ready to be carried forward.

Each step is modern and timeless as well as scientific and sacred. Neuroscience tells us that visualization and celebration activate the brain’s systems for motivation and focus. Tradition reminds us that celebrating in advance opens pathways for abundance. Together, these practices create a reset for clarity and possibility.

Meet the Facilitators

Lana Iwabuchi once led teams at Mitsui and Amazon and reached the peak of her career feeling lost and disconnected. By listening inward, she uncovered a truer path. Today, as a coach and leadership facilitator, she helps individuals and teams align success with authenticity. She guides them through workshops, one-on-one coaching and her signature Daruma visualization method.

Nanako Aramaki was once an agency COO who experienced burnout firsthand. Her journey led her to sound therapy where she found both healing and a calling. A certified therapist and wellness coach with a background as a professional flamenco dancer, Nanako brings a unique blend of global outlook and embodied rhythm to her work, supporting others to relax, restore balance and reconnect with themselves.

Together with Monika Sadkiewicz, Director of Community & Strategic Partnerships at Rocklit, they have designed a retreat where each participant feels safe, supported and seen.

What’s Included

• Refreshing drinks and snacks (arrive after a light lunch — hara-hachibunme, 80% full)
• Celebratory bubbles (alcohol & non-alcohol options)
• A mini-Daruma to take home
• A guided workbook to deepen your experience

This is a unique gathering where ancient traditions, modern practices and human connection meet.

Participants may arrive as strangers, yet they will leave as a small community connected by the quiet charm of a 92-year-old kominka and the journey they’ve shared. Together, they will have stepped into their future selves, supported one another along the way and returned to the city carrying both clarity and community.

Reserve your place → here

If September 27 passes you by, the doors of the kominka will open again, on October 18 (in English) and October 26 (in Japanese), welcoming you to pause, connect and share in the same circle of stillness and community. Follow our Rocklit page on LinkedIn for more updates. We look forward to sharing this journey with you and seeing you there.

FAQ

What is a kominka? A kominka is a traditional wooden folk home in Japan. This particular one has quietly stood for 92 years in Nihonbashi, Tokyo, offering a rare point of stillness in the city.

What will I experience at the retreat? The half-day retreat unfolds with a gentle schedule that includes a sound bath, guided visualization, an embodiment practice, a celebration, and a Daruma eye-painting ritual. The event is designed to help you leave feeling calmer, clearer, and more aligned with your vision.

What is the Daruma ritual? The Daruma ritual is a powerful gesture to anchor your commitment and gratitude. You will paint the eyes of a Daruma doll as a reminder that your vision is already alive and ready to be carried forward.

Why are ancient wisdom and modern science combined in this retreat? The retreat weaves ancient Japanese traditions, such as yoshuku (the art of pre-celebration), with modern neuroscience. The practices release dopamine, activate the brain’s Reticular Activating System (RAS), and strengthen neural pathways to make new possibilities feel closer and more natural.