About "BeeCamp Hachimitsu"
What Is BeeCamp, Anyway?
BeeCamp began when Maria and Daniel moved from the United States to Matsuyama, Shikoku, in the spring of 2023 and started keeping honeybees.
With the support of Izumi Farm, a natural farm in Nishitani, Hojo, Matsuyama, practicing chemical-free, fertilizer-free farming, we began our journey of living alongside Western honeybees.
In the spring of 2024, we opened our own BeeCamp base in Horie, Matsuyama.
Surrounded by mountains and the sea, with seasonal flowers blooming and honeybees flying all around us, we realized that what we wanted to create was more than just a place to make honey.
We wanted to create a place where people could discover nature through honeybees, experience the changing seasons, and come together to learn, share, and enjoy time in nature.
A place where new encounters happen, and connections between people can grow.
That is the lifestyle community we hope to build, little by little.
For people who love spending time in nature.
For those interested in farming and food.
For those who want to learn more about honeybees.
For children and adults alike.
A place where everyone can take part in their own way, have fun, and feel a deeper connection with nature and with one another.
That is the BeeCamp we envision.
The honey we make at BeeCamp is one of the seasonal gifts that comes from this place and from living alongside our bees.
Making honey is not the ultimate goal.
Honeybees are our starting point—a way to bring people closer to nature, and people closer to one another.
The honey we make at BeeCamp is one of the things that grows from that journey.
The mission of "BeeCamp Hachimitsu"
BeeCamp’s Mission
Through Nature-Based Beekeeping,
we nurture a future where people connect with nature,
connect with one another,
and live richer, more fulfilling lives.
BeeCamp aspires to become a lifestyle community rooted in this vision.
To make this vision a reality, we practice sustainable beekeeping with respect and gratitude for honeybees and the natural world.
Why Beekeeping?
Honeybees fly from flower to flower, helping pollinate plants and supporting much of the food we eat.
When we begin to understand honeybees, we start to see how flowers, plants, farming, food, and our own lives are all connected.
At the same time, honeybees face many challenges, including agricultural chemicals, parasitic mites, and changes in climate and the environment.
That is why we began by learning about honeybees.
Beekeeping is a gateway to understanding nature.
Through that gateway, we hope to create opportunities for people to connect with nature, meet one another, and imagine new ways of living.
We believe that an environment where honeybees can thrive can also be a richer, more welcoming place for people.
From a landscape filled with honeybees,
we hope to create a place where people can feel a little richer in spirit.
This is the place we hope to nurture, together with you.
The future vision of "BeeCamp Hachimitsu"
As early as possible, "BeeCamp Hachimitsu" aims to be a place where you can not only enjoy taking care of bees but also engage in various activities.
For example:
Early morning yoga, then breakfast. Then it's time to tend to the bees, organic farming in the fields, caring for the healing cows (for milk) and goats (responsible for grass cutting), and looking after the chickens responsible for laying eggs. Occasionally, we make ghee or go for a walk in the mountains to gather bamboo shoots or wild vegetables, or tend to shiitake mushrooms. For lunch, we have onigiri in the fields. In the early afternoon, we quit and get into a sauna session. In the evening, we cook with the harvested herbs and vegetables or bake handmade pizzas in the oven. After dinner, we gather around a campfire for music. It's also possible to watch movies outdoors or make mead cocktails. It would be great if we could provide tent camping spaces as well.
We want to create a place where people from all generations, with diverse experiences and backgrounds from around the world, can connect by sharing the experience of building such a space together. Would you like to join us?
BeeCamp Founding Members
Maria
Maria has an engineering graduate degree from the University of Michigan. She met Daniel in Los Angeles and they initially lived near Nagoya for about a year after getting married. They later relocated to Michigan. Maria has been actively involved in promoting an exchange student program between the local middle school and Nagahama City. She has also served as the chairperson of the Board of Education and was an active member of the Rotary Club during their four-year stay in the UK.
Daniel
Daniel, Japanese born in the US and grew up in Nagoya, graduated from Rikkyo University and Arizona State University's Thunderbird School of Global Management MBA program. He worked for a Toyota-affiliated company and was assigned to the states for a plant start-up project, then he had a long career in business development and sales roles at a US automotive company.
In Matsuyama
In February 2023 Maria and Daniel left Detroit and returned to Japan after 34 years. They settled in Matsuyama, Shikoku, a completely new place where they had no acquaintances or relatives except “Ohenro” walking through Ehime. However, as they gradually found their place in the community, they encountered amazing individuals and kickstarted BeeCamp Hachimitsu. They are enjoying every day of their new life.
Their two wonderful grown up children are thriving in Colorado and California. First grandkid in 2025!!