Stake 02 · Backyard Apiary Starter Session
Your first hives, placed with care and kept with calm
Three hours to go from "I'd love to keep bees" to knowing where a hive belongs, what a Hokkaido winter asks of it, and how it feels to open one gently.
What you'll take home
There's a particular quiet that settles over you when you watch a colony at work — the hum, the warm smell of wax, the bees coming home dusted in pollen. This session is about reaching that moment feeling prepared rather than nervous, with a clear picture of the year ahead.
A spot you're sure of
A hive site chosen together, with good reasons behind it.
Hands-on confidence
Your first look inside a hive, guided step by step and at your own pace.
A year mapped out
A seasonal care plan that carries you through to next spring.
Perhaps this sounds familiar
You've been curious about bees for a while. You've read a little, watched a little, and the idea keeps coming back. But questions pile up: what would the neighbours think? Where would the hive go? Can bees really survive months under snow? And what's this notification you're meant to send the prefecture?
Hesitation here is wise, not timid. Bees are living animals, and caring about getting it right is exactly the attitude that makes a good keeper. What's usually missing is simply a knowledgeable person standing beside you, answering the questions as they come.
How we approach a first apiary
Shelter & sun
Morning light, a windbreak, dry footing above the snowline.
Neighbours & paths
A flight path lifted away from footpaths, windows and play areas.
Bee & hive style
Which honeybee and hive design suit long, cold winters.
A nearby drink
A reliable water source so bees don't wander to a neighbour's pond.
Japanese honeybees aren't naturally found in Hokkaido, so we'll talk through working with Western honeybees, and why insulation, winter stores and a sheltered entrance matter so much this far north.
What the afternoon looks like
- First hour
Walking your site
We explore possible hive spots on your land and weigh each one together.
- Second hour
A guided inspection
Suited up in lent gear, you open a hive with us, at your own site if hives are already there or at an apiary arranged beforehand, and lift your first frame at your own pace.
- Third hour
Planning the year
Over tea, we sketch your first season and start on the prefectural notification.
If you know you react strongly to bee stings, please speak with your doctor before booking. We can run the session without opening a hive, and you'll still leave with everything you need to plan. Live inspections take place in the Niigata area or at a Hokkaido site by arrangement; the online version covers siting, winter care and the notification without opening a hive.
Your session fee
Backyard Apiary Starter Session
¥13,800
3 hours · suitable for complete beginners
Protective gear is lent for the day, so there's nothing to buy beforehand. Payment by bank transfer or on the day.
What's included
- Three hours of guided time at the site and the hive
- Protective gear on loan and a calm guided inspection
- A printable hive siting checklist
- A first-year seasonal care plan
- Help preparing the yearly beekeeping notification to the prefecture
- A follow-up call one month later
Why it works, and how you'll know you're on track
In cold regions, a colony's year is largely decided by where it lives and how well it's prepared for winter. By putting most of our attention on siting, insulation and autumn stores, the session focuses on the decisions with the biggest long-term effect.
Simple markers through the first year
- Month one: regular, calm inspections — talked through on the follow-up call.
- Midsummer: a steady brood pattern and stores building in the frames.
- Autumn: the hive reaching winter weight, wrapped and closed.
- Spring: a first cleansing flight on a mild day.
Each colony is different, and some years are harder than others — your care plan explains what to look for at each stage.
Our commitment to you
Your pace, always
Step back from the hive whenever you like. Watching is a perfectly good way to learn.
Weather flexibility
Bees dislike cold, wind and rain as much as we do — we'll reschedule at no cost.
Free first conversation
A no-obligation call to see whether beekeeping fits your place and plans.
Getting started
- 01
Write a few lines about your garden or farm edge and any questions on your mind.
- 02
We'll call to chat it through and suggest a good time of year.
- 03
Sessions with a live inspection run from late spring to early autumn; planning can start any time.
Curious about bees? We'd love to hear from you
Winter is a fine time to plan an apiary — you'll be ready when the first willows flower. Send us a note whenever it suits.
Start the conversation