Tokushima: British Man to Open Guesthouse in Nostalgic Port Village in Tokushima; Tebajima Island Has Charms of Quaint Fishing Village

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:42 JST, July 5, 2025

MUGI, Tokushima — A British man is preparing to open a guesthouse on an island in Tokushima Prefecture that still has the traditional landscape of a fishing village from the 19th to early 20th centuries.

Nicholas Russell, 59, who runs an English conversation school in Hyogo Prefecture, came to Japan in 1988. He fell in love with Tebajima Island when he visited in the summer of 2013. “Everyone is warm, it’s quiet and nature is abundant,” Russell said.

The island once thrived on fishing and is designated as an important preservation district for groups of traditional buildings. According to the local authorities, there are 150 private houses on the island, but about 70 of them are vacant. That does not mean the rest of the houses are always inhabited. Only about 40 people live there, occupying about 30 houses.

Russell purchased an over 100-year-old house in 2014. He commutes to the island every other week and renovates the house by himself. In addition to the house, he purchased a two-story wooden house at auction in the spring of 2023 and decided to turn it into a guesthouse.

In March, a cafe called Kaizokuchaya (Pirates cafe) opened on the first floor. Russell aims to open the guesthouse, called Tebajima-so, in September on the second floor and part of the first floor. It is comprised of five rooms of various sizes, and newly equipped with a shower room and kitchen to accommodate long-term stays.

“It’s a shame that this wonderful island is becoming deserted,” Russell said. “I want to attract foreign pilgrims and other visitors.”

He plans to introduce Japanese culture, such as tea ceremony and flower arrangement, to foreign guests and get them interacting with locals.