Pongyi means “Buddhist monk” in Burmese

I’m Masaki, the representative of Pongyi.

Pongyi means “monk” in Burmese.
The name comes from my two experiences as a monk in Myanmar in 2004 and 2005.

I worked as a banker for 15 years, but I resigned to pursue what I truly wanted to do. I joined a friend’s company, but things didn’t go well, and I experienced failure.

I lost everything—my family, money, and job.

This happened when I was in my mid-40s.

During that time, I met Gayuna Cealo, a high class Burmese monk of Japanese origin. I decided to leave everything behind and go to Myanmar to experience being a monk.

It was truly a life-changing experience.

Note: Pongyi is pronounced “Pong-gee” in Japanese, although it is pronounced “Pon-ji” in Burmese.

　“Making Yourself Your Main Job”: What True Happiness Means

“How can I live by my soul?”

This is the first question I asked Cealo when I became a monk, having always had a sense of emptiness in my heart since I was a bank employee.

“Smash your current mindset with a hammer,” was Cealo’s response.
(Of course, he didn’t mean literally hitting my head with a hammer, but rather to change my thinking, which was rigid with pride and fixed ideas.)

My two experiences as a monk, though only a few months total, were transformative.
Wearing the robes and engaging in selfless service and quiet meditation brought many insights.

Continuing my deep learning from Gayuna Cealo, I realized that “making yourself your main job,” without comparing yourself to others, leads to true fulfillment of the heart.

　The Spirit of Pongyi: May Everyone Be Filled with the Joy of Living

After returning from Myanmar, I worked with an NPO supporting Asia and then moved to Ishikawa Prefecture.

In 2009, driven by the idea of “working for myself and giving back any excess profit,” I opened Kanazawa’s first guesthouse, Pongyi.

Pongyi operates based on the principle of Gayuna Cealo’s words, “May everyone be filled with the joy of living.”
Our staff welcomes guests each day with the aim of working meaningfully and contributing to others’ happiness.

We hope that Japanese guests enjoy the homey atmosphere and the chance to interact, while international guests can experience the beauty of Japan’s everyday culture.

We hope that our guests take home treasured memories from their stay with us.

　Experiencing Acute Myocardial Infarction: Valuing Human Connections

In 2021, I suffered an acute myocardial infarction and lost half of my heart.

Although I have recovered enough to live a normal life, I can no longer move my body as I used to, nor can I carry heavy loads.

However, this experience strengthened my resolve to uphold Pongyi’s core value of “human connection” and continue doing what we hold dear.

Pongyi is a place where this spirit is brought to life.

Now, I no longer feel emptiness in my heart. By “making myself my main job,” I appreciate who I am and live each day fulfilled, cherishing a connections with the people around me in this society.

I hope you can refresh both body and mind at Pongyi and enjoy memorable moments during your stay.

　We Donate a Portion of Our Proceeds to Humanitarian Aid in Asia

Masaki / Representative

<Background>

• Born in 1961 to a diplomat father, spent approximately 15 years of childhood and early adulthood in South America (Paraguay, Brazil).
• Graduated from university in 1985 and worked for 15 years at a foreign exchange specialist bank.
• Retired in 2000 due to a bank merger. Tried entrepreneurship in healing therapy but faced failure after four years. Worked part-time jobs and as a security guard to repay debts.
• In 2005, despite receiving a full-time offer from a major foreign company, started from scratch in Myanmar for a monk experience due to questioning if the current self was satisfactory.
• Upon returning, engaged in activities with an Asian humanitarian aid NPO (living in a depopulated village in Komatsu City, Ishikawa Prefecture, for 2.5 years).
• Founded Pongyi Guesthouse in Kanazawa in June 2009.

Nina / Manager

Hello! I’m Nina. I was born and raised in Ishikawa prefecture. I really wanted to do something for people, that’s why I came to Pongyi.

I started working at Pongyi from 2017 and was assigned to a landlady (manager) of Pongyi on 2019.

I am a laid-back person but a bit worrier, so my heart is pounding when I welcome our guests. In Pongyi, I can meet many guests from all over the world. Everything is new and interesting, so I feel so fulfilled every day.

Pongy is completely different from the modern and stylish guesthouses which are popular in Japan recently. Our house was built about 140 years ago.

The structure of the house is very small on account of Japanese people being shorter in olden times. Tall people often hit their forehead because of the low ceilings and The stairs are very steep. 

However, I love the warm and peaceful atmosphere of this house money can’t buy.

The time I spend with our guests is precious and I will welcome a lot of guests at Pongyi. I am still inexperienced, but I will do my best. I am looking forward to seeing you here.

Thank you very much !