YAWN YARD Kouri Island, a private resort hotel nestled in the natural landscape of Kouri Island in northern Okinawa, is launching a new ongoing project called "Tsunagaru Niwa" (Connected Garden) — a platform where artists, creators, guests, and local community members can meet and connect.
The project expands on the hotel's founding concept of "a garden you can stay in," opening it up beyond overnight guests to nurture a space where people and creative expression intersect. The first edition features a two-day exhibition and sales event by Okinawa-based illustrator MIREI.
About the "Connected Garden" Project
"Tsunagaru Niwa" is a continuing project designed to bring together makers — artists, craftspeople, chefs, and other professionals with a distinct perspective — with travelers and local residents. With no boundaries on creative genre, participants are invited to express their sensibilities using YAWN YARD as their stage. The aim is to cultivate a "garden" where connections accumulate and grow organically over time.
First Edition: An Exhibition by Illustrator MIREI
The inaugural edition features an exhibition by illustrator MIREI, who is based in Okinawa. The show will bring together new and existing works arranged to resonate with the time and space of YAWN YARD. Visitors can enjoy a special environment where the hotel experience and art overlap. MIREI will also be present at the venue throughout the event period, available for direct conversation about the stories behind her work.
YAWN YARD Original T-Shirt Sales and Custom Order Event
At the venue, a YAWN YARD original illustrated T-shirt — created exclusively for this event by MIREI — will be unveiled and sold on-site for the first time.
A custom T-shirt order session will also be held under the name "MIREI illustration T-shirts Order at YAWN YARD," allowing visitors to select their preferred illustration and T-shirt style on the spot to create a one-of-a-kind piece. Orders will be shipped to customers' homes after the event.
About YAWN YARD Kouri Island
YAWN YARD Kouri Island is a private resort hotel with eight villa-style rooms that blend into the rich natural surroundings of Kouri Island. The property is divided into two areas — (sea) and (hill) — each featuring "gardens" that make the most of ocean and hillside views, offering stays where guests can experience nature with all five senses in semi-outdoor private spaces.
For this event, the hotel is welcoming not only overnight guests but also local residents, offering everyone the chance to experience the creator's world in a space where the boundaries between architecture and garden dissolve.
Event Details
Event Name: Tsunagaru Niwa vol.1
Dates: Saturday, April 18 and Sunday, April 19, 2026 / 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM both days
Venue: YAWN YARD Kouri Island (hill) / 1792-1 Kouri, Nakijin-son, Kunigami-gun, Okinawa 905-0406
(Note: The property is split into (sea) and (hill) areas — please head to the (hill) area.)
Admission: Free (no reservation required; open to all, including non-hotel guests)
Parking: Free parking available
Contents: Artwork exhibition by illustrator MIREI, illustrated T-shirt order session, YAWN YARD original T-shirt sales, merchandise (objet, stationery, grocery items, and more)
Official Website: https://www.kouriisland.yawnyard.com/
About the Artist: MIREI
Born and raised in Okinawa, MIREI draws inspiration from the island's rich natural environment and everyday life to create a wide range of work. With illustration at the core, she also produces artwork, design, and collaborative objet pieces with pottery manufacturers. In 2013, she opened gallery and shop RENEMIA together with her husband, carrying products she has been involved in designing, craft and artist works rooted in Okinawa, and domestic and international products.
