SCT Menu／Japan／Irogawa Area
SCT Experiential Program（Irogawa）
- Purpose of Experience
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The nine villages of Irokawa have a unique culture and a long history. Just a few decades ago it was not unusual to be born in a village, live your whole life there and pass away in there. These areas, caught up in the rush of internationalization and globalization and gradually depopulated became labeled as backward. However, recently it has come to the awareness of local residents that they have much to offer as a mature culture that has gained much wisdom after many hundreds of years of living in co-existence with each other and nature. A strong sense of the mountain village culture continues to exist and the preservation of heritage rice terraces in the area is a symbol of this local consciousness and pride.
What are 'things' to communities where life is rooted in the rhythms of nature? In this modern age, all it takes is money to buy food, water, imported goods, and anything we desire. We are surrounded by goods that have come from far away places but have no connection to these places or the people who have made these goods and get get anything we want with a flick of a switch. However, within this world of instant gratification there is something missing and the cultivation of life skills and appreciation of where things come from or the tools and effort that goes into making something is becoming lost. People are living in a perpetual 'disconnect' and completely dependent.
Living in the countryside, the food one produces and the tools to product them all come from the local environment and everything one consumes and enjoys is due to the power of human ingenuity. There was also a strong relationship between people and a culture of helping each other. While living with gratitude for nature and people true 'co-existence' was prevalent.
We are not simply addressing a question of the sustainability of local village life here. In fact, the restoration of the connectedness essential for sustainable communities is an extremely important issue for all of Japan and the world as a whole.
When considering one's way of life it is important to rethink the way people relate to each other. (Kazuo Hara: Rice Terrace Preservation Society)
- Content of Experiential Program
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Enjoy a traditional lunch; orientation; tour of the rice terraces which local residences are working hard to preserve; tour of a forestry and conservation project on private mountain land in Korokoro Irokawa; Visit a sea salt facility that makes salt using firewood and water from the sea in nearby Taiji; observe Shikibi production as an example of sustainably using forest products such as Sakaki; experience making tea at Ryokokuen; join the local residents for a dinner gathering and feedback session; feel the power of Nachi Falls in an optional late-night experience.
- Experiential Program Video Clip
- Koro Koro Land
