日本の里山体験を楽しむ

[From August Issue 2014]

Deep in the Japanese countryside, it’s possible to see a wild landscape known as “satoyama.” On the border between areas populated by humans and the mountains, it’s an environment in which humans coexist alongside nature. After World War II, people’s lifestyles rapidly changed and most of these areas were lost. However, you can still find such landscape in the Hida district of Gifu Prefecture (in Takayama City, Hida City, Gero City and the village of Shirakawa).
Chura-boshi Company offers guided tours called the “SATOYAMA EXPERIENCE” that highlight the charm of Hida to people from around the world. There have been many successful tours that offer participants the chance to experience the culture and history of this area. All of these tours can be conducted in English.
The name of the area, Hida Takayama, brings to mind images of old-Japanese style houses. Although they rarely see such traditional Japanese-style houses any more, in Hida, visitors can not only see them, but also stay in them. On such occasions, visitors are asked to bring their own futon, alternatively a shop renting futons can be recommended.
In Hida Furukawa it’s still possible to find shops that have been in business since the old days: rice stores with a rice mill, mochi (rice cake) shops, and tofu shops. “SATOYAMA DINING” is a tour that focuses on food; it allows you to get a feel for the relation between the local area and its food. It starts in the morning, bringing you to a local restaurant just when you begin to get hungry. Although the tours are in English only, you can study the history of sake in with “DISCOVER THE SAKE” tour. In addition, participants are taught how to wrap sake bottles with furoshiki (a square cloth) and how to drink sake in the traditional manner.
“HIDA FURUKAWA TOWN WALK” is a walking tour led by a local guide that allows visitors to get to know the town and the surrounding scenery from the point of view of the locals. SHIBA Ryotaro, a well-known novelist in Japan, wrote about Furukawa in his work, “Kaido-o-yuku:” “Because they are unspoiled by tourism, it’s possible to get a sense of the natural behavior, expressions and even the character of the people here.” In this town it’s possible to study a culture and lifestyle that has been handed down from generation to generation.
The most popular tour is “HIDA SATOYAMA CYCLING.” By making this easy trip along the roads between rice fields, you can enjoy the beauty of farming villages in each season. Also, experienced guides give thorough explanations of the culture and history of “satoyama.”
For the “KOMINKA OVERNIGHT TOUR,” held two or three times a year, participants cycle around “satoyama” and stay in old houses. All food provided comes from the natural environment of the area. You can enjoy seasonal ingredients such as, freshwater fish, edible wild plants, and soba (noodles). There are also short two-and-a-half-hour tours and hiking tours through a primeval Japanese beech forest (starting point reached by bicycle). Rental bicycles are available.
SATOYAMA EXPERIENCE[2014年8月号掲載記事]

日本の奥深い田舎には、里山と呼ばれる日本の原風景が見られます。里山とは人の住む里と山の境目にあり、自然と人が長い間共存してきた環境のことです。第二次世界大戦後、生活様式が急激に変わり、このような地域は失われていきました。しかし岐阜県飛騨地方(高山市、飛騨市、下呂市、白川村)には今も残っています。
株式会社美ら地球が企画する「SATOYAMA EXPERIENCE」は世界中から訪れる人達に飛騨の魅力を案内しています。たくさんのツアーがあり、この地に受け継がれてきた文化や歴史を体験できます。ツアーはすべて英語での対応が可能です。
飛騨高山といえば古民家です。今日ではこのような日本の伝統的な家を見かけることはほとんどありませんが、ここでは見ることができるばかりでなく滞在できます。その際には布団を自分で用意するか、またはレンタルの布団屋を紹介してもらいます。
飛騨古川には精米屋、もち屋、豆腐屋など昔ながらの店が今も残っています。「里山ダイニング」は食にフォーカスした、地域と食の関わりが感じられるツアーです。午前中から始まるので、ちょうどおなかが空いてきた頃に地元の食事処に到着します。英語だけのツアーですが、「DISCOVER THE SAKE」はお酒の歴史を知ることができます。また、ふろしきを使った酒瓶の包み方、伝統的な酒の飲み方が学べます。
「飛騨古川タウンウォーク」は地元に住むガイドと歩き、住民の視点から町の背景を知ることができるツアーです。日本ではよく知られている作家、司馬遼太郎は「街道をゆく」で古川町についてこのように述べています。「観光化されていないだけに、取りつくろわぬ容儀(様子)や表情、あるいは人格をさえ感じさせるのである」。町に受け継がれてきた文化と暮らしが学べます。
一番人気のあるツアーは「飛騨里山サイクリング」。田んぼの間の道をのんびりと進めば、季節ごとの農村の美しさが楽しめます。また、経験を積んだガイドが里山に広がる文化や歴史を丁寧に説明してくれます。
年2~3回開催する「古民家オーバーナイトツアー」は里山サイクリングをして古民家に泊まります。食材はすべて近所で採れたもの。川魚や山菜など季節の料理やそばが楽しめます。他にも二時間半の短いものや、ブナの原生林をハイキングするツアー(目的地までは自転車)などもあります。自転車はレンタルが可能です。
SATOYAMA EXPERIENCE

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