Vashon Island Day Retreat – Summer 2025
Hatha Yoga Day Retreat, Mukai Farm & Garden on Vashon Island, WA
Sunday, August 10, 2025
Experience a day of relaxation and rejuvenation on the emerald island of Vashon. Our summer Hatha yoga day retreat will take place at the historic Mukai Farm & Garden, founded by Issei pioneer B.D. Mukai in 1926 as a strawberry farm. Today Mukai Farm & Garden is on the National Register of Historic Places with its rare heritage home, Japanese Garden, and Barreling Plant. The Mukai Garden, where our yoga sessions will take place, is the only known surviving garden in the U.S. designed by a first-generation Japanese woman, Kuni Mukai.
“This remarkable garden showcases traditional Japanese garden design adapted to an American landscape and serves as a tangible expression of the resiliency of Japanese immigrants’ cultural traditions.”
Be inspired by this unique location as the backdrop of our yoga retreat. Together, we will celebrate Vashon Island’s Japanese American heritage and agrarian heritage. In addition to our yoga practice, we will enjoy a healthy organic lunch, seated in a large tented area. Lunch will be followed by a fun activity (TBD). Our retreat day also includes Shinrin-yoku, the art of “Forest Bathing”. Developed in Japan in the 1980s, Shinrin-yoku is simply walking in the forest and immersing all of our senses in the healing forest. This mindful practice benefits us physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Our hiking trail is accessible on foot from Mukai Farm & Garden. We will end our day retreat with a deeply relaxing yin yoga session. On this day, nature will be our healer. All yoga sessions will be held outdoors (shade available). The yoga sessions accommodate multi-levels of yoga experience.
A portion of the retreat’s proceeds will be donated to Mukai Farm & Garden restoration fund.
Schedule
- 9:30 – 10:00 am Meet and Greet.
- 10:00 am – Noon Hatha Yoga in the garden
- 12:00 – 1:00 pm Organic lunch made with fresh, seasonal, organic ingredients by Karen Biondo. Both vegetarian and non vegetarian options provided. We can accommodate your dietary needs.
- 1:00pm – 2:00 pm Japanese inspired workshop or activity TBD
- 2:15-3:15pm Shinrin-yoku Forest Bathing. We will walk the Island Center Forest trail, walk to Mukai Pond and back, breathing deeply and immersing all our senses in the healing forest. Easy to moderate level hiking/walking
- 3:30 – 5:00 pm: Yin Yoga and Mitras (Back Mitra, supplied by Fran, is a prop used to help release shoulder tension.) This session is deeply relaxing. Fran will end the session about 10 minutes before the hour so that those taking the ferry back to Seattle will make their scheduled ferry.
Registration Information
COST: $185 per person. Includes two yoga sessions (Hatha Yoga in the morning and Yin Yoga in the afternoon), a delicious organic lunch, a Japanese-related cultural activity/workshop, guided forest walk, and live music for the afternoon session (if available). Maximum 18 participants. Registration now open. Payment in full holds your space. All Yoga Sessions will take place outdoors. Fee does not include ferry ride.
PAYMENT DUE: June 20, 2025. Payments are non-refundable after Payment Due Date unless your space can be filled by someone on the waiting list. In case of rain, we will be able to hold our sessions in the main house or under the tented areas outdoors.
HOW TO PAY Registration now open! Payments may be made via Venmo @FranGalloYoga, PayPal paypal.me/FrancescaLGallo, Zelle Quick Pay (from your bank to mine), or by personal check. Please contact Fran for payment option details. Thank you, Fran Gallo
What to Bring
- Yoga Mat
- Two blocks and one strap (7′ Strap recommended)
- One blanket for the Yin Yoga
- Comfortable walking shoes for the hiking trail.
- Sun hat, sunglasses, sunblock (you can be in the sun or in the shade for your yoga practice)
- Water bottle
Getting There
Address for Mukai Farm & Garden 18017 107th Ave SW
Vashon, WA 98070
A few weeks before the start of the retreat, Fran will put you in touch with other retreat participants for carpooling options. Fran will also send suggested ferry times for participants coming over from Seattle.
Learn more about the history of Mukai Farm & Garden
It was an awesome day for me. I loved everything about the day. I loved bending, twisting, and stretching in ways I had not done in years or at all! I love your skill, your demeanor, your grace and your encouragement. ~ Karen
What a wonderful Yoga day with you! I always feel so good during and after. My old bones rejuvenate, and I feel great. I love your demeanor, your friendly, easy style, your deep knowledge of yoga, physical and spiritual side, your acceptance of us all. You make us feel good about ourselves. You are such a gift, Fran. ~ Dunja
