No.35 Visit Nozawa Onsen Village

(Inagi Newsletter September 15, 2014 issue)

This spring, when Mayor Tomii visited Inagi City, he received an invitation to come here, and he visited from July 27 to 28, 2014.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the experiential learning program for Inagi City Public Schools in Nozawa Onsen Village. Under the title "Gather, Inagi Kids! Nozawa Onsen School," we conduct a moving classroom for 6th graders in the summer and a ski class for 1st-year junior high school students in the winter.
On the first day of the visit, we moved to Sutaka Lake Campground immediately after arrival, and I encouraged the camp of Wakabadai Elementary School during their free time after dinner. Despite the rainy weather, which made it feel cooler than summer, there was a mini concert featuring violin music played by Mr. Shirai from the Inagi Philharmonic Orchestra by the lakeside. Experiencing real music in nature is a wonderful experience. The lively children fell silent as the performance began. It must have been a magical experience they will never forget.
After returning to the hot spring town and checking in, I noticed buildings called "soto-yu" everywhere. I was surprised to hear that there are 13 soto-yu where you can bathe for free or with a small donation, and that villagers take turns cleaning and managing them through a system called "yu-nakama."
Nozawa Onsen Village first appeared in history as "Yuyama Village" during the mid-Kamakura period, and by the early Edo period, there were already 24 inns. There are various theories about the origin of the hot springs, including one that a monk who visited this area during the Nara period discovered them, but it has been known for a long time that hot springs have been bubbling up in Nozawa.
On the second day, we took a gondola to the summit. It is said that the origin of skiing in Japan dates back to 1911 when Austrian Army Major Lehr taught the technique in what is now Joetsu City, Niigata Prefecture. The following year, a local from Nozawa Onsen Village skied for the first time, and in 1923, the Nozawa Onsen Ski Club was established. Since its early days, the village has developed alongside the ski resort, flourishing as the ski kingdom of Shinshu.

However, in recent years, due to factors such as economic stagnation and the diversification of leisure activities, the number of skiers has decreased, and some ski resorts have become deserted. Instead of forcing the maintenance of the ski slopes, the village has made the bold decision to return part of the area to a beech forest. This is called the "Beech Forest 100-Year Plan," and the Elementary and Junior High School students of Inagi City have been cooperating with tree planting since the beginning of the exchange. Wooden stakes with the names of Inagi City schools are lined up in a vast area guided after getting off the gondola, and beech saplings are growing vigorously. When the children grow up and eventually visit this place on their own, seeing the mature beech trees will surely be a wonderful experience.
As I descended and toured the hot spring town, I encountered children from Koyodai, Shiroyama, and Nagamine Elementary Schools. Each time we passed by, everyone greeted me cheerfully. I felt proud as a citizen of Inagi City.
Finally, I paid a courtesy visit to the mayor at the village office. We promised to continue expanding the exchange between Nozawa Onsen Village, where experiential learning can be enjoyed in a wonderful natural environment, and Inagi City.