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** Association of Nakagawa revitalization project
** Revitalization of the village of Kitayama Cedars
Our location is just 20 minutes drive along Route 162 from Kinkakuji Temple ( Golden Pavilion ). After passing a point of Kozanji Temple in Takao the magnificent view of cedar forest like an expansive bamboo growth spreading out in your sight. That's the view of Kitayama Cedars. Kitayama Cedars are associated with the oldest forest industry in Japan. Those products of Polished Logs made from Kitayama Cedars are produced for the purpose of construction of traditional wooden architectures in Japan such as tea rooms and Skiya styled houses. Our village Nakagawa took the central role in the production of Kitayama Cedars and you will see the tradition of this industry with 600 years of history combined with the beauty of its surroundings. We as Association of Nakagawa revitalization project have been actively taking roles in providing various type of activities to provide for visitors. Some of the examples are stated below.
① We are offering guided tour to see some site-seeing spots in the village as well as introduction of our forest industry.
② We also provide instructive guided tour to introduce forest industry. This activity involves hands-on experience of joining works of forest industry as well as tour in the forest of Kitayama Cedars. ( The tour provides lunch in the mountain and hands-on experience of pealing cedar logs for all the participants. ) The tour is mainly targeted for children.
③ Themed Over-night-stay. This activity is also mainly targeted for children. This one involves lodging at our facility for the purpose of each theme set for the activity such as playing Japanese traditional table game of Shogi, movie making etc.
④ Craft making activity. We provide hands-on training on how to make crafts originated in our village such as Cedar Balls, Christmas wreath made of cedars.
① Regarding Guided Tour
The tour is hosted by the Association of Nakagawa Revitalization Project. The tour is provided in the season of spring and autumn. Maximum capacity for participation is 15 people. The fee for each participant is 3,000 yen. The tour is guided by a local guide for 2 hours and 30 minutes.
Course : The mother tree of Kitayama Cedars ( Great Hachiman Cedar ) ⇒ Townscape of the village ⇒ Group of wooden storehouses ⇒ Hands-on training on polishing cedar logs ⇒ Exploring around the village ⇒ Gigantic foundation cedars ( Daisugi ) ⇒ Sorenji Temple ( usually not open to public ) ⇒ Thatched-roof folk house ⇒ Beautiful parts of cedar forest ⇒ Visiting a wholesale store of polished logs.
☆ The mother tree of Kitayama Cedars : This is the very origin of Kitayama cedars which is estimated to be aged over 600 years. Since the trees bears no flowers it does not release any pollen.
☆ Group of Wodden Storehouses : This structure appeared in the film of Koto " The Old Capital "
☆ Hands-on training on polishing logs : This is the one and the only place in this world where the cedar logs are polished. In this experimental lesson the instruction is provided by a woman dressed up in a traditional outfit of workers handling the task of polishing process. After the course of this trial the skin on your hands will also be as smooth as the surface of the logs.
☆ Gigantic foundation cedar of Daisugi : The size of its trunk is like the one you have never seen in your life. Even our current emperor was surprised to see its size.
☆ Sorenji Temple : Hidden treasure in the village where the borrowed landscape of Kitayama Cedars accentuate the view of its surroundings.
☆ Landscape of Kitayama Cedars : The view was once depicted by much-renowned artist in Japan ( Higashiyama Kaii ).
☆ Wholesale store of logs : Along with Kitayama Cedars they also carry various type of rare woods.
** Guided Tour for a wide range of area
With this program we are offering a wide range of guided tour in the mountainous north part of Kyoto prefecture from Kuroda village in Keihoku for Fujo Daisugi ( Gigantic foundation cedar ) ⇒ Kitayama foundation cedar ⇒ Japanese garden of Shozan with daisugi provided by the village of Nakagawa. The root of Fujo Daisuki is Kitayama Daisugi. This man-made form of tree was once cut from this foundation in the development of Heian-kyo ( former name of Kyoto in Heian period when Kyoto was the Old Capital of Japan ). Those foundation cedars in the garden of Shozan were transplanted from Nakagawa.
The total time length of tour is 7 hours provided with lunch and a guide. The event is held in October.
** Order-made Tour
The tour is provided for a group of more than 5. The course and time can be flexibly arranged according to the requests of their own such as for a purpose of an operation of travel agencies, academic meetings, activity of clubs. We are providing a performance of pruning process of Kitayama Cedars on your request.
** Guided tour of Hotaru ( Fireflies ) viewing
This program of hotaru viewing comes with a tour of going to see the life of fireflies in the wild nature as well as dinner at a local restaurant which is renovated from old folk house. The restaurant serve hand-made noodle meals made of 3 different type of grains. This event is held in late June.
② Forest life & Forestry trial
We are offering order-made trial courses to experience forestry for a group of children and NPO organizations. Maximum capacity for participation is 40 people.
Course Menu : You will get a hands-on experience of pruning cedars on a 5-meter ladder by using a sickle and a marchet. Later on, peal off the bark on the logs as well as cutting down trees. You will also get an instruction on building bonfire. You will have a fun lunch time with workers in forest industry in their mountain cottage. They will provide some fun activities such as wooden horse riding, Shiitake mushroom cultivation etc.
☆ After having precious lunch provided in this activity, some kids grow fund of fish. They will be serving you skewered mackerels on the open fire.
☆ Wooden horse is a tool like a large sleigh used to bring logs out of the forest. There is a wooden path in the forest made to let those wooden horse slide.
③ We started to accept training camps and private schools
We started to accept members of Kyoto Prefectural Shogi Association for their summer-time training since 2015. As of 2017, we have been accepting children from movie production schools. They are offered to lodge in Nakagawa Elementary School which is currently closed down. Kids are accepted with their order-made programs. The facility provides equipment for BBQ as well as all the necessary items for lodging such as futon. Those who stay in the facility will be offered to take a bath at a house of the locals. Maximum capacity for participation is 120 people.
⑤ Sales of goods made of Kitayama Cedars.
We started sales of local products made of Kitayama Cedars since 2017.
Christmas tree ( 2 to 3 meters in height ). Price ranging from 3,000 yen to 4,000 yen.
Christmas wreath made from cedar leaves. Price ranging from 2,000 yen to 3,000 yen.
Cedar balls ( hanging type & table decoration type ). Price ranging from 3,000 yen to 4,000 yen.
Cell Phone accessory made of Kitayama Cedars.
We also take up task of producing and processing components of torches used for a fire festival held in Kurama.
Sales of cedar leaves of Kitayama. 2,000 yen for a cardbox-full of quantity.
⑥ Regarding BBQ
You are able to enjoy BBQ at a mountainous cottage we provide in the village. You can enjoy around the river flowing around the area. Maximum capacity for participation is 10 people. The fee is 300 yen per person. You will have to bring your own equipment. We can only accept one group per day.
⑦ Introduction of unoccupied houses in the village
We have introduced 3 houses over the past two years
⑧ Dining party of local special dishes
In this dining event we served some local specialties such as Nuta, salt-pickled mackerels, local Tsukemono ( pickled vegetable ) as well as Imobo ( stew containing taro and dried cod ). This annual event is held in February. Participation fee is 500 yen per person. Maximum capacity for participation is 100 people.
** Places in the village where we recommend for visitors to see
1. Beautiful forest view of Kitayama Cedars and a mountain of mozaic. From the are you are able to command the entire view of the village. Especially the area around a group of wooden storehouses is very beautiful.
2. A group of wooden storehouses. The place is located around the entrance point of the village. This is a place where the villagers used to polish the logs and processed. This is the very place where it was selected as a location for shooting a film of " The Old Capital " .
3. Gigantic Foundation Cedar. This is a gigantic cedar aged 400 years and the one designated as a natural monument. This tree was once visited by our current emperor.
4. Sorenji Temple. The borrowed landscape of Kitayama Cedars in the background is fascinating. The place is popular among the visitors who are tired of bustling crowd of touristic areas in Kyoto city. The temple is known as a place where many different types of colorful flowers bloom for each season. Unfortunately the place is not open to public, but it will be open specially for the ones who participate our guided tour.
5. Panoramic view of Daisugi Cedars. On a place located right next to the road to Sugisaka from the village there is a place where you can see a panoramic view of a large group of foundation cedars.
6. Mother tree of Kitayama Cedars. The sacred tree standing in the precincts of Hachimangu Shrine is the very origin of Kitayama Cedars aged 600 years.
7. Bodai Fall. This water fall is found about 1.5 kilo metes along the mountain path on the south-east of the village. This is a place where the logs were once washed. This is the only place where we can collect the sand used for polishing the logs. Further along the way you will reach Sawanoike Pond.
8. Wholesaler of Kitayama Cedars. This is a place where the processed logs are distributed nationwide. The place is not usually open for ordinary individual visitors to see inside, but you will get a special entrance with our group tour.
9. Thatched-roof old folk house. The house is the only remaining house constructed with thatched roof built about 300 years ago.
10. Village of Nakagawa. You can see the local life and culture where the polished logs of Kitayama are processed in here as it is reflected in the view of such wooden storehouses and old folk houses built for the purpose. Its unique townscape is still remaining intact to this day. Please notice the way those narrow paths are winding through the entire village to communicate with one another.
Regarding the designation of preserved cultural landscape
The Agency for Cultural Affairs is a national organization which designate places with cultural landscape where we wish to preserve as creation of valuable life and culture. Among agricultural regions, they have already designated Tanada in Noto Peninsula. Among the regions of fishery, they have designated Funayado of Ine in Tango Peninsula. Among the regions of forest industry, they have been researching on the premise of designating the townscape of Nakagawa and Kitayama Cedars as such. If things things go well, it is likely that Nakagawa will be designated in the next few years.
** Other revitalization projects of the village
① Recreation of beautified forest of Kitayama Cedars : As of 2017, we started to prune the cedars around the village of Nakagawa as an act of beautification with the aid of prefectural subsidy.
② Project of creating of cultural region : With the aid of The Agency for Cultural Affairs, we started to publish a guide book of Nakagawa and created English version of our homepage as well as providing training courses for local guides. This homepage was also created with the aid of this organization.
③ Project of crating beautiful village : Over the past several years, we have been planting cherry trees and maple trees in the area between mountains around Nakagawa to improve the landscape of four seasons in the village. The project is executed by the aid of the local autonomous body of Nakagawa.
For any question, please contact us at ↓
266 Kitayama-cho Nakagawa Kita-ku Kyoto
Association of Nakagawa revitalization project
Chairman : Koichi Ishioka 090-3824-9027
Representative of the project : Yoshiya Iwai
Email : yoshiya.iwai@gmail.com
Phone :090-2386-9363
Since we are often out in the mountainous forest the phone is out of the range of service. In such case, please try little later or leave a message via email.
English Translation : Masayuki Iwasa
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