Treeful Treehouse

Treeful Treehouse is set on the north side of Okinawa Island on the banks of the Genka River. It was born from Satoru and Maha Kikugawa’s fantasies. Both Satoru and Maha, a father-daughter duo, spent most of their childhood surrounded by nature, exploring the mountains, rivers and oceans. They created a very very small 2 room private nature retreat for those who need a holistic hideaway from the hustle and bustle of the contemporary life, beside a waterfall and a river in the middle of a jungle.

Rooms: 2

Opening year: 2021

Last renovation: constant as trees grow

Sustainability:

• Treehouse itself is carbon negative, which means it absorbs more carbon-dioxide than it produces, since the treehouse is built on a living tree
• Solar energy panels create more electricity than used
• Treehouse and an AeroHouse are built higher from the ground in order for the sunlight to reach the ground to let the plants grow and to let animals, micro-organisms live and move around underneath
• Using EcoCute (using surplus electricity at night to boil water in a tank during the night and store it in the daytime. The hot water is used during the day) to make effective use of electricity. The water used in this facility is drawn from the well, water provided by the Genka River that is flowing in front of the treehouse, and the water is sterilized by ultraviolet rays instead of chlorine, so it can be consumed safely

Community interactions:

• Reinstating a water mill at the site of the Shizogumui waterfall which was last home to a mill over 100 years ago and a pond for local children to swim, by getting rid of tons of concrete blocks from the area and bringing the nature back

• The owner purchased the land in Higashi village only to protect endangered Ryukyu mountain turtles. Treeful holds adventure tours in that cape for guests to enjoy the nature and learn about the turtles

Certifications: not yet

Management: international owner, local management