Yaeji Hanano Residence and Woodlands Tour: Experience the Living Legacy of Traditional Village Life and the Gifts of the Mountains

Yaeji Village is located in the depths of the Kamikatsu region. This is where you will find the original landscapes of Japan, stretched out before you. Beautiful terraced rice paddies spread out among the mountains, with the sounds of water running along their edges. In the evening, the smoke from wood-fired baths rises from people's homes, and one can truly feel how the lifestyles of the locals haven't changed since the days of old. On a section of high ground overlooking the terraced paddies stands the straw-thatched Hanano Residence, a precious old Japanese-style house restored with local materials and based on local descriptions. Gather around the hearth with the people who are working hard to preserve such villages, and have a friendly conversation, grind some coffee with a stone mill, roast some mochi rice cakes over the fire ... Or why not sit down on the porch and take a moment to be still, doing nothing but looking out over the terraced rice paddies? Come to Yaeji Village to relax and fill your heart with warmth. (Highlights) - The beautiful terraced rice paddies of Yaeji as seen from a house with a thatched roof, unchanged since the days of old - Savor the luxury of "doing nothing" in this place where time slows down - Getting a feel for what it was like to live in the old days by trying out some old-fashioned tools. Even grinding coffee is a challenge when you do it with a stone mill. (–If you are thinking about traveling to Kamikatsu–) Kamikatsu is a small town with a population of less than 1,500 people. In 2013, it became the first municipality in Japan to make a zero-waste declaration and aims to be a town where nothing is discarded. We only take those who want to experience Kamikatsu as it really is, learn and have a good time through their journeys and are responsible travelers.