At the Azumi Elementary School(reusing closed school)

「Iwafuna Made Koshihirkari and Local Ingredients」

Cooking and having with local aunties.

This interaction makes guests feel Sekikawa Village and know the tradition through

Local foods and local people.

He is the last abbot in Japan to use calligraphy, and the last known place for calligraphy in Japan.After graduating from university, he trained at a temple in Ehime Prefecture, then made a pilgrimage to the 88 temples of Shikoku,attained enlightenment, overcame rigorous training at the head temple Eiheiji, and became the 29th abbot of the current temple.He is the last abbot in Japan to use a brush to spread Buddhist teachings through calligraphy, writing sutras, Zen sayings, and depictions of Daruma.At the end of the experience, guests will receive a Shodou paper personally written by the abbot himself as a gift. The vegetarian cuisine(Shojinryori) is prepared by the chef of “ Local Ryokan  Arakawa-so," who has also won a gastronomy award.

Usually this DAM is not opened to sightseeing

And prohibited in public.

This tour, we can go into inside with special permission.

Much different from sightseeing DAM,

Very real and can enjoy with the view from

officers.

The Watanabe Residence is the former house of one of Niigata’s wealthy merchants and farmers, who started out in sake brewing and shipping and made their fortunes in lending money to feudal lords and rice paddy development. The main house was rebuilt at the end of the Edo period in 1817 and is designated as an important national cultural property. In their heyday the Watanabe family presided over approximately 700 hectares of rice paddies, from which approximately 9,000 straw bales of rice was collected.

The roof of the main house is built using thin cedar tiles known as koba, which are laid over each other and kept in place by large rounded stones, in a style that is unique to the Sea of Japan side of Japan. This unique roof on the Watanabe residence uses an amazing 15,000 stones and 230,000 koba tiles, making it one of the largest of its kind in Japan.
And the Watanabetei has contributed the First Japan Educational System as well.
At such a historical and rare residence, guests can experience the Authentic Tea Ceremony
Conducted by Omotesenke Traitioanl Tea Master.
 

This is an experiential content led by Tsutomu Oshima, a leading expert in "ancient grains" research.

It includes a lecture, hands-on experience, and tasting.

The main origins of ancient grains are Eurasia and Africa.　　　　　　　

It is said that ancient grains developed independently on these two continents.Most of them have been cultivated since before 3000 BC, making them crops that have been consumed for a very long time.

The history of ancient grains in Japan is also long. They appear as the "five grains" in the ancient Japanese text, the "Kojiki,"and the origin stories of "rice, millet, wheat, adzuki beans, and soybeans" are recorded.

In the "Nihon Shoki," the five grains from the Kojiki appear as "six grains"—"millet, barnyard millet, rice, wheat, soybeans, and adzuki beans"—and it is said that they have been a basic food source for Japanese people since ancient times.

This content allows you to experience the history and culture of ancient grains, which predates rice.

Venue: Sazareishi. We go into deeper and deeper by kayak.
As moving forward , we can feel we were in a Jurassic Park.
In Fall, Red Leaves ! In Summer, All Are GREEN!
Spring with Sakura or Wisteria or Amazing Trees