Experience a deeper Japan through rural tourism

Written by Julien Legrand

Like many rural areas in Japan, Misugi-cho is currently suffering from depopulation. To revitalize the regional community, the town is promoting “Inaka Tourism” (rural area tourism), which takes advantage of its rich nature and rural characteristics, offering a variety of hands-on experiences that bring visitors into contact with the people and culture of the area. Misugi Resort serves as a base for those activities.

Forest therapy refers to the scientifically proven healing effects of forest bathing, or shinrin-yoku in Japanese. Misugi-cho was the first town in the Tokai region to be certified as a ”forest therapy base” by the Forest Therapy Society, a non-profit organization. A forest therapy base is an area with two or more "forest therapy roads" that have been certified as suitable through scientific tests, offering comprehensive programs to promote health and relaxation. In Misugi, there are 12 routes of forest therapy road.

Accompanied by one of the certified guides, I walked a course that follows one of the main rivers in the area and finishes at the local shrine. What I thought would be a simple walk in the woods turned out to be much more. My guide, Nakagawa-san, started by explaining the basics. The first rule of forest therapy is ... you must use all five senses!

When we stopped at a waterfall, I was, for example, encouraged to listen to the sound of the waterfall for a few minutes. It was very calming. Farther along the road, I went down the river to touch the moss on the rocks and even splash some water on my face. It was an interesting experience as I felt like my whole body had been reset by the contact with the ice-cold water. Another common activity of forest therapy is tree-hugging.

Our next stop was Kawakamisan Wakamiya Hachimangu Shrine. This shrine deifies the Emperor Nintoku in the ancient times. During our walk in this sacred site surrounded by lush nature, Nakagawa-san explained further about the health benefits of forest therapy. While being in the forest, you are breathing in wood’s essential oils, called phytoncides, that are emitted by trees to protect themselves against insects. Phytoncides are bad for insects, but offer various health benefits to humans, like boosting your immune system and reducing stress. Those benefits can last up to one month!

Misugi-cho was once very prosperous as the place where the provincial governer of Ise was (today‘s prefectural capital). Even today, many of the historical legacies, culture, and customs of those days remain. During the Edo period (17C-19C), when pilgrimages to Ise Jingu were very popular throughout Japan, the Ise Honkaido Road — the shortest road connecting Osaka to Ise Jingu — passed through Misugi.　

Among the various roads that were built throughout the country, this one is said to have been especially busy, and one can feel the thoughts and feelings of travelers of the time by following this road. The three inn towns in Misugi, Ishinahara-juku, Okitsu-juku, and Tage-juku are said to have been the busiest of the Ise Honkaido Road and they still retain their historical atmosphere today.

For this activity, I had the chance to be guided by a kataribe. A kataribe is a storyteller who focuses on transmitting the history of a town or an event by narrating their own experience. We started at the nearby station and followed a short portion of the Ise Honkaido Road. While walking along the old houses, I had to guess what the shops sold by looking at the noren curtains at the entrance. A difficult exercise, but it was fascinating to hear about the old businesses. It really took me back in time!

Another captivating thing was learning about the architectural features of traditional Japanese houses. For example, one of the houses had a soaring lobby, which is quite unusual in a Japanese house. The kataribe explained to me that it used to be a kimono store and the soaring lobby was used to hang silk obi sashes from the second floor. Amazing! And that’s only one of the many things I learned during this walking tour.

This time I had the chance to try two of the many activities of “Inaka Tourism.” Not only did I thoroughly enjoy each experience, but I felt like I had gained something from them. It was also a wonderful opportunity to learn from the guides and interact with the locals. You too can experience a deeper Japan through rural tourism during your next trip!