Member Highlight: Ryan Patrick Barry

Please introduce yourself.

Hello, I'm Ryan Patrick Barry, co-founder of Koguma Benefit Corp, an exploratory collective of American appreciators and Japanese masters of onsen culture. I grew up in the Berkshires as a child opera singer at Tanglewood before moving to New York, where I was an actor for 20 years. A circuitous life journey has led me back to the countryside of New England and deeper into those of Japan. This winter Koguma Benefit Corp. is starting with an invitation-only net-zero rotenburo (露天風呂 - outdoor bath) in Vermont.

Ryan learning from the Kominka Collective in Aiichi

What is your connection to Japan?

Growing up with a mother who fostered a love for Japanese culture, and working with Seiji Ozawa at Tanglewood as a child, laid a deep connection to Japan that would lie dormant for many years. A trip there 10 years ago fueled my vulnerable ego. As a foreigner I felt "special," certainly less disposable than the same seven guys who looked and sounded just like me that I saw daily in every New York casting office. I threw myself into Japanese language study and spent every dollar on trips to Japan. But it was in the quiet countryside, in the stillness after visiting onsen, that something shifted. Like water works on a stone, Japan stripped me of my ego and brought me to a spiritual life grounded in nature.

Rescued bath decor, textiles, and select amenities sourced from across Japan

What drew you to become a member of JSB?

When I left New York I felt the dearth of Japanese culture that's so readily available there. I needed a guide in my new surroundings, one that would bring me closer to my passion for Japan—so joining JSB was a logical step. What was unexpected was the exposure to the Japanese cultural community in Boston and New England at large that JSB offered right from the start. My JSB membership card is perhaps the most significant piece of plastic I carry in my wallet… that and my Pasmo card.

Ryan and his wife and OnsenKoguma's co-founder Ryoko

What gave you the idea to create a Japanese bathhouse in New England?

My wife and co-founder Ryoko and I tried to create an “onsen” in our Brooklyn bathroom with our green teddy bear as the bantō-san (bathhouse master). Admission was a nickel. That magical beginning is actually in our name: OnsenKoguma, where “koguma" (小熊 - small bear; bear cub) written in kana (こぐま) suggests a childlike bear with magic and wonder. Over time we had the realization that I was being too protective about my relationship to Japan instead of sharing this healing culture, and from this, Koguma was born. I consider Hokkaido my second home and have traveled the beautiful mountains in northern Tohoku in winter many times. For me there's a relationship with snow and onsen, a certain quiet. And the mountain gods are powerful in New England just like in Japan.

Bear-san, the bathhouse master

What have you learned through the project?

At the start, I read books on startup culture—disruptors, unicorns, moonshots. That energy led us straight into luxury branding. But returning to Japan for fieldwork, meeting elders and masters, I experienced the concept of on (恩) firsthand—a debt of gratitude so profound it can never be fully repaid. The artists at SomaKosha, our carpentry collaborators on the project, taught me that a building can be an act of reciprocity. I realized OnsenKoguma wasn't a disruption—it was ongaeshi (恩返し), an attempt to repay what I could never repay. That's why we're starting small with just a simple bathhouse and an incredible ofuro (お風呂 - bath) crafted by Kohei Yamamoto-san and Jon Stollenmeyer in Okayama under our 501(c)(3), ProjectKoguma. Luxury will come in time, but it won't be exclusionary. That's not how Koguma wants to live. I have learned that I will always be learning.

Kohei Yamamoto-san crafting OnsenKoguma’s bath

What would you say to somebody who is considering getting involved in the JSB community?

I'm a record collector, and when fellow collectors talk they usually don't start with "what kind of music do you play?"—they start with "what record labels do you like?" I liken JSB to an amazing record label: they're always putting something incredible out because there are humans behind it with lived experience and expertise who act as curators. AI can't do that. Spotify can't do that. You may not buy every album, but you will certainly respect it. That's why I go to JSB—as curators and for the community. They know their audience and are on to some insider stuff. You won't find that unless you're a member. And JSB has no pretension. It's so welcoming. So if you're considering it, pick up the vinyl (membership card). It will enrich your life. It has for me.

Thank you, Ryan, for sharing with us!

And check out our upcoming webinar with OnsenKoguma and Kohei Yamamoto: Green Approaches to Japanese Woodworking and Bath Culture

Interested in becoming a JSB Member? Click here or reach out to info@japansocietyboston.org for more details.