ÉLANOURA
RETREAT JAPAN
October 10-18, 2026
A Volunteering Retreat for Women Leaders
Join a small circle of thoughtful women leaders for a week of reflection, cultural immersion, and meaningful service in Japan, designed to support the clarity and momentum needed to shape and launch what’s next for you.
Japan offers a rare balance of beauty, intention, and reflection, where everyday life honors presence, craftsmanship, and care. From temple gardens and tea rituals to the details of everyday life shaped by craftsmanship and intention, it invites a slower, more considered way of seeing and experiencing the world, one that naturally supports reflection on what matters and what you want to create next.
Introducing the Fifth Annual
ÉLANOURA
RETREAT IN JAPAN
The Élanoura Retreat Japan is designed to give women the space, structure, and support to step away, think clearly, and move forward with building what you envision for your life and work.
Cultural Immersion
Temples, night markets, tea ceremony, meditative calligraphy, and incense-making, rooted in Japan’s traditions, practices, and rhythms.
Restoration
Time to reflect and walk, taking in lakeside views of Mt. Fuji, with nourishing meals, meditation, onsen hot springs, and sound bath experiences.
Reflection
Guided workshops and excercises focused on clarifying your direction, reconnecting to purpose, and shaping a clear vision for what you’re building.
Connection
A small group of thoughtful women navigating meaningful questions around creating influence, legacy and impact.
Service
In-person volunteering with a local organization supporting girls and women in the community.
A portion of each retreat investment is also contributed to support our local nonprofit partner and their impact initiatives.
Our 8-Day Itinerary & Activities in Japan
Across the energy of Tokyo, the natural beauty of Hakone, and the charm of Kyoto, this one-of-a-kind experience invites you to slow down and get present. Every detail has been crafted to engage your senses and open your mind, body, and spirit, guiding you toward deeper clarity, renewed inspiration, and a powerful connection to what you’re ready to create next.
October 10, 2026
Day 1 — Arrival in Tokyo: The Energy of A New Beginning
- Arrive in Tokyo and check in at Shiba Park Hotel, your home for the first part of the journey.
- Gather for a welcome tea experience with traditional sweets to settle in and connect.
October 11, 2026
Day 2 — Tokyo: Culture and Contrast
- Enjoy breakfast before departing for a Shibuya Guided Tour, including Shibuya Crossing, Meiji Jingu Shrine, and Omotesando.
- Experience the contrast of Tokyo’s vibrant energy and serene spiritual spaces.
- Enjoy a modern Japanese lunch in Omotesando.
- Return to the hotel for time to rest or explore.
- Participate in a traditional Tea Ceremony, learning the philosophy of presence and intention.
- Gather for a welcome dinner featuring seasonal sushi.
October 12, 2026
Day 3 — Tokyo: Connection and Community
- Begin the day with breakfast at the hotel.
- Volunteer at a local nonprofit supporting women or children for a meaningful cultural and community exchange.
- Enjoy a Japanese lunch before returning to the hotel for free time.
- Explore the city on a guided Shinjuku Night Tour, including hidden alleys, local food, and cultural insight.
- Continue the evening at your leisure with optional karaoke or drinks.
October 13, 2026
Day 4 — Hakone: Restoration and Reset
- Travel from Tokyo to Hakone via bullet train and private transfer, transitioning from city energy into nature.
- Arrive at the creekside Hotel Indigo Hakone Gora, featuring private in-room onsen (hot springs bath).
- Experience a Singing Bowl Sound Bath designed to relax the nervous system and restore balance.
- Enjoy a firewood cuisine dinner at the hotel.
October 14, 2026
Day 5 — Hakone: Reflection and Refinement
- Begin the day with breakfast followed by Workshop Session 1 focused on your bigger picture purpose and individual life path.
- Visit a Zen temple for a guided Zen Meditation and Calligraphy Experience, practicing stillness and focus.
- Return to the hotel for time to rest, enjoy the onsen, or reflect.
- Gather for dinner at the hotel.
October 15, 2026
Day 6 — Hakone: Views and Visioning
- Explore Hakone’s natural landscape, including a Hike with Mt. Fuji views along Lake Ashi, the ropeway, and Owakudani Valley.
- Return to the hotel for Workshop Session 2, focused on setting your new direction and next chapter.
- Enjoy free time to rest, reflect, or experience the onsen.
October 16, 2026
Day 7 — Kyoto: Craft and Identity
- Travel to Kyoto via bullet train and settle into The Hotel Higashiyama.
- Enjoy a local Japanese lunch in the neighborhood.
- Visit Arashiyama for a personalized Incense-Making Workshop to take your very own signature fragrance home with you.
- Return to the hotel for free time.
- Gather for a tempura dinner in Kyoto.
October 17, 2026
Day 8 — Kyoto: Appreciation and Authenticity
- Begin the day with breakfast at the hotel.
- Experience a traditional Kimono Photoshoot while exploring Kyoto’s historic streets.
- Enjoy free time to explore or rest.
- Close the retreat with a Farewell Dinner.
October 18, 2026
Day 9 — Departure: Onto Building What’s Next
- Enjoy breakfast before departing for the airport.
- Leave with renewed clarity, meaningful connections, and a vision for what you’ll build and launch in the coming months.
Japan Retreat + Coaching to Build & Launch
Part 1: Retreat
Nine days of mind, body, and soul exploration in Japan through cultural, wellness, and service activities that engage all the senses with a curated group of powerful women leaders.
- Time away from responsibility and constant input
- Ability to be fully present – all the details are taken care of care for you
- Space to listen, reflect, and recalibrate
You begin to experience a shift in perspective, creating space for renewed energy and a deeper connection to what matters most.
Part 2: Clarify
During the retreat, we’ll gather for two expert-led purpose-focused visioning workshops to define your next big thing and beyond.
- Naming what wants to emerge next
- Identifying what no longer fits
- Articulating a vision that feels aligned and meaningful
Through guided sessions, meditation, visualization, and strategic exercises, you gain clarity about your next chapter, and a stronger sense of purpose, direction, and the steps toward your larger influence and impact.
Part 3: Build
After the retreat, we’ll come back together for six group coaching sessions led by subject matter experts in social media, email marketing, PR, lead generation, SEO, and product or program development.
- Accountability, support, and expert guidance
- Turning insight into something real
- Launching an initiative, offering, or new chapter
You leave not only with ideas, but with momentum, support from other women leaders, connections, resources, and tactics you can carry forward as you build your next big thing.
Who this is for
You may be:
- A founder, leader, or woman others naturally turn to for guidance and direction
- Wanting more meaning, depth, and alignment in your work and life
- Craving space to think clearly, away from the pace and demands of daily life
- Drawn to thoughtfully curated, women-focused travel where every detail is handled so you can be fully present
- Valuing wellness, mindful eating, and experiences that support how you want to feel in your body and mind
- Seeking support, thoughtful perspectives, and meaningful connection with other women
- Ready to shape, build, and launch a new initiative or next chapter
If you’ve been craving more meaning in your work, life, and relationships,
this could be exactly what you’ve been asking for.
What’s
Included
Join an international, multi-city retreat that includes:
[ 01 ]
Three distinct locations in high-demand destination: Tokyo, Hakone, and Kyoto, with high-speed rail and seamlessly coordinated transportation throughout
[ 02 ]
Shared accommodations (or single upon request) at Hotel Shiba Tokyo, Hotel Indigo Hakone (including in-room onsen bath), and Hotel Higashiyama Kyoto
[ 03 ]
Cultural experiences: guided tours, tea ceremony, calligraphy, incense making, and kimono photoshoot, with translators
[ 04 ]
Wellness experiences such as meditation, sound bath, and a nature hike designed to support rest and renewal
[ 05 ]
Most meals included, with curated Japanese dining experiences centered on fresh, nourishing, and mindful eating
[ 06 ]
In-person volunteering with a local organization, plus donation
[ 07 ]
Facilitated purpose and vision-focused leadership sessions and workshops
[ 08 ]
Six optional post-retreat group coaching sessions and access to a trusted network of women-owned business referrals to help you bring your new offering, product, or initiative to life
[ 09 ]
A highly curated, small-group experience for powerful women leaders
Airfare and transportation to/from Airport are not included.
“When you can step away from the day-to-day to a new reality, there’s a magic that occurs: you suddenly gain the clarity and perspective to move forward differently toward what’s calling you forward.”
Erika Brechtel, Founder & Retreat Leader
What Makes the Élanoura Retreat Extra Special
01. Thoughtfully Designed, Not Overfilled
With every detail already taken care of, you’re free to show up fully—experiencing presence and flow without the weight of planning or chaos.
02. A Small, Curated Group
You’re surrounded by thoughtful women who bring depth, perspective, connection, and a trusted network of women-owned business referrals.
03. Guided, Not Prescriptive
You’re supported through conversations and workshops, while still having space to think, reflect, and move at your own pace.
04. More Than Travel
This is not a getaway. It’s an experience designed to support real clarity, aligned decisions, and forward movement.
05. Meaningful Contribution
Through in-person volunteering and local partnerships, your presence contributes to the communities we engage with.
06. Integration Beyond the Retreat
The experience continues with post-retreat coaching, ensuring what begins here is carried forward into real life.
“I went on this trip thinking it was a business trip with the hope of maybe making at least one friend, but what actually ended up happening was I met 9 lifelong friends that I happened to discuss business with.”
“I will be forever grateful to Erika as she curated a group that included such diverse women whom all I could relate to in one way or another and I look forward to watching them all grow and succeed not only in business but their personal life. Anyone would be crazy NOT to attend something Erika puts together.”
SHEENA KEO, FOUNDER OF SMK & COMPANY
“I enjoyed the whole trip! Every day had a lot to offer and was well balanced with workshops and activities. I loved not knowing all the details of the places we visited. To me it added more magic to the experience.”
“Coming in not knowing any of the ladies made me a bit nervous at first. I believe Erika did an amazing job selecting the candidates. Everyone was amazing, kind, supportive and had a lot to offer in terms of business and personal experiences. The place we stayed at was perfect. It felt like home and the food was delicious. There was a great level of attention to detail that elevated the experience. I am so grateful to have been part of this and to all the amazing connections I made. I was looking forward to being part of the Project Soar volunteering opportunity and I think that was an important part of the retreat. Thank you!!”
Oula Siblini, FOUNDER OF OÙ | LA
Explore Our Previous Retreats
2024
Greece Retreat
In Greece, we partnered with The ANKAA Project and Yoga & Sport with Refugees, volunteering with women and girl refugees. Our donation funded two pieces of essential gym equipment for YSR and supported ANKAA’s ongoing programs and community.
2023
Mallorca Retreat
In Mallorca, we partnered with IRES Foundation, supporting women survivors of violence through both volunteering and donation. Through art and shared creative expression, we experienced a sense of connection and positivity that transcended language.
2023
Morocco Retreat
In Morocco, we continued our partnership with Project Soar, volunteering with teen girls facing period poverty and child marriage. Following a devastating earthquake, we also provided emergency supplies and extended support to their girls in need in Syria.
2022
Morocco Retreat
In Morocco, we partnered with Project Soar, volunteering with teen girls facing period poverty and child marriage. Our donation helped fund keeping 255 girls in school for three years, improving their future educational and professional lives and potentially lifting their families out of generational poverty.
PRESENTED BY
Élanoura is a global social enterprise supporting women through education and experiences that combine connection, leadership, and meaningful contribution.
Each retreat is created in partnership with local nonprofit organizations serving women and girls, offering participants the opportunity to engage directly and contribute to the communities we visit.
Through retreats in Morocco, Mallorca, Greece, and now Japan, Élanoura has supported both individual growth and collective impact, directing over $180,000 into local communities and women-centered initiatives.
Our work extends beyond retreats to include masterminds, group coaching, and guided frameworks that support women in gaining clarity, building aligned work, and expanding their impact.
MEET YOUR RETREAT LEADER
Erika Brechtel
Erika Brechtel is an L.A.-based brand consultant who has worked with women leaders and founders for over 20 years. Her work has been featured in Forbes, HuffPost, Thrive Global, and SELF.
She speaks for organizations including UCLA Anderson, Junior League, and Fabletics, and has spent over 30 years volunteering and serving on nonprofit boards focused on empowering women and girls globally.
Born and raised on the North Shore of O‘ahu, Erika now lives in Los Angeles, where she is raising her 17-year-old daughter.
Learn more about Erika here
