You can not only enjoy the magnificent view of Mt.Asama, but also the beautiful scenery of the rice and buckwheat fields. Additionally through out the town there are traditional buildings. The seasonal photogenic scenery will move your heart.
Tea experience unique to the Oi-River basin With the “Tea room” experience (tea in tea garden space with a superb view), you can enjoy taste testing various teas, a high quality green tea / matcha tea room experience in a Japanese garden, tea farm visit, hand massage experience, tea girl experience, and tea factory tour.
Tokamachi is one of Japan’s preeminent kimono-producing regions. If you miss the kimono festival that is held each year, you can still experience kimono culture at close range through hands-on activities such as dyeing, fabric decoration, and weaving as part of a kimono workshop tour.
You can also experience the “brewing food culture” through making miso and visiting wineries.
The landscape of Hakuba is dominated by three majestic summits: Shirouma, Shakushi, and Hakuba-yari. At elevations of 2,933; 2,820; and 2,909 meters respectively, the three peaks form a striking backdrop to the Hakuba valley. Through the valley runs the Himekawa River, flowing down from its source on Mount Shirouma. The Oide suspension bridge crosses the Himekawa and leads to an area of thatch-roofed private homes. While beautiful in all seasons, the river view is particularly lovely in spring, when blooming cherry trees are framed against the towering mountains.
Hakuba is famous for its winter ski season, but there is plenty to do after the snow melts. Active experiences such as trekking in Hakuba Daisekkei, one of Japan’s three largest snow gorges, rafting on the Himekawa River, and paragliding to see Hakuba from the sky are very popular.
Time seems to pass by slowly in the idyllic countryside and magnificent nature landscape of Satoyama. Take a deep breath, and take in the scent of the soil and greenery. The Ayu yana (a low head dam for sweetfish) is a summer tradition where you can enjoy the splashes of the water and the breeze across the river. While looking out at the clear waters of the Naka River in front of you, you can enjoy the fantastic taste of sweetfish dishes.
One of the valuable early summer experiences include getting muddy while planting rice, and harvesting the golden rice ears. Picking fruits and vegetables are also popular farming experiences as well. We will provide a trip for you to feel that the countryside is your second “hometown” through the heart-to-heart interactions with the farmers.Also, we are able to accept up to 200 participants for educational trips as well.
The variety of alcohol produced in Chichibu is rare for a single region in Japan: sake, beer, shochu (distilled from potatoes or rice), wine, and whisky are all available. Pride in the local products runs so deep that there is actually legislation stipulating that the first toast of any gathering should be made with a Chichibu beverage. The purity of the mountain springs is particularly important to area whisky distilleries, such as the world-famous Ichiro’s. Local whisky continues to win prizes at tasting conventions year after year, and it is scarcely exaggeration to say world-class beverages spring from the land itself in Chichibu.
In addition to alcohol, Chichibu owes several other regional specialties to its mountainous surroundings. Overpopulations of deer and wild boar have begun to damage the forests and the habitats of other wildlife, so in response the local government has begun to promote gibier, or wild game cuisine. Area establishments are now offering specials featuring wild game as a way to increase interest among visitors. Another recent initiative relating to local cuisine is the rise in maple tree cultivation. The climate and terrain of Chichibu are particularly suited to maples, and confectioners have taken to planting them in the mountains to harvest their sap—simultaneously protecting the forests and supporting the rise of a new regional specialty: maple syrup.
