Monthly Archives: August 2018

Outdoor

Finally! A cycling tour is now available!

We launched an exciting cycling tour!
Enjoy slow cycling with a local guide in Asuka village, a rural area of Nara rich in nature and history.
It is highly amusing for most people to visit historical spots, temples, and shrines in Asuka village. But for those who are not satisfied with those typical tours, this cycling tour will bring you different kind of experiences and point of views.

Cycling Tour in Ancient Asuka

Our guide is the staff of a guest house in the village, who has been welcoming many tourists.
The tour party is limited to not more than six members. You can enjoy the tour in a relaxing mood. The bicycle is electrically assisted. No need to worry about your stamina.
Whenever a spot catches your eyes, just stop, talk and admire the view.
You will encounter with the life of the village people and the scenery dressed up always differently by the seasons and weather. Each encounter will surely be a once-in-a-lifetime moment.

Beautiful Inabuchi terraced rice fields.

This tour is not just a cycling tour.
Get off the bicycle and hop on the stepping stones to cross the Asuka river. Climb up a small hill to watch the relics of Asuka-kyo old palace site and imagine how the palace looked like 1400 years ago.
If you have a chance, you might come across a strange sight: the cut radishes on skewers hanging under the eaves. Or, you might learn from our guide that the irrigation channels in the village have been working since the Muromachi period (14-16th century). And probably, you will discover metal rings on a farmhouse, which were used to harness the cows for cultivating soils in old days. Thus, you can experience the life of the village, etc. through your eyes, ears, touches, thought, and imagination.

Go cycling and dive into the unique and wonderful life of the village!
Asuka village will surely make you happy and smiling.

* Please check our hands-on experience program

Cycling Tour in Ancient Asuka

Agriculture & Forestry

Trees of Nara

Nara prefecture is known for one of the Japan’s foremost cedar and cypress-producing center. Forest accounts for about 70% of the total area of Nara, for that reason, forestry has been prospered since a long time ago using this rich environment.

Even though those kinds of tree are produced in other prefectures in Japan, cedar is one of the representative tree of Nara. Among those areas, Yoshino (south area of Nara) is well known for tree producing in Japan.

However some time the tree industry was fell into a decline, the history of tree industry in Yoshino counts about 500 years, it means continuing from Muromachi period (14th to 16th century). The afforestation method of Yoshino is called dense planting which is quite unique. Because of this method, compare to other trees, the annual rings of tree are narrow and sturdy, so trees in Yoshino is adapted to a variety of uses like furniture, chop sticks, and so on. The lure of trees is not only its grain and strength, but also its beautiful color and mellow scent. The heartwood of Yoshino cedar has reddish and elegant color which is not seen for the other cedars. And Yoshino cypress basically has clean and luxury white color, and also has delicate and sophisticated pale pink color. It is interesting to enjoy these coloring of trees.

In south area of Nara, some artists who uses trees are active. The artist who shaves tree with wheel and make dairy contraries. The artist who uses thin wood plate and make beautifully curved chairs. The artist who uses small plane to make beautiful grain patterns. Some of them are fascinated with Yoshino trees and came from other prefectures. We hope their products appeal Nara to all over the world.

* Please check our hands-on experience program
The Logging of Yoshino-Cedar Trees Experience