As the northernmost town in Shinshu and flanked by large ski resorts such as Madarao Kogen on its west and Nozawa Onsen and Kijimadaira on its east, Iiyama has a strong image of winter. The Iiyama basin, however, surrounded by ski resort mountains and the Chikuma river running from the north to south, is a peaceful country village where you can enjoy the nostalgic landscape of old Japan during the seasons of spring to autumn. From Tokyo to Nagano, it is only one hour and forty-five minutes by Shinkansen bullet train or three and half hours by express bus. From Nagano, it is a little over forty minutes by bus to reach Iiyama. There you will find yourself in the sprawling countryside, in the polar opposite of the hustle-bustle of Tokyo. Although Tokyo is of course a genuine Japanese city, Iiyama is an ideal place for visitors from overseas to experience the traditional elements of Japan.
You will come to know how nice the views in Iiyama are when you learn that the beautiful scenes showing the four distinctive seasons of Japan in "Amidado dayori (Letter from the mountain)," an emotion evoking movie that was released in 2002, were shot in Iiyama.
The Iiyama City Tourist Association organizes a tour for overseas guests to visit this beautiful countryside, offering nostalgic Japanese scenery and experiences of the life, culture and events of the people living in the village. The tour itinerary includes visits to Shinto shrines in Kosuge-no Sato, which is the largest Shugendo practicing ground in Kita-Shinano, the opportunity to experience zazen in a Zen temple, a forest walk in the "Haha no Mori (Mother Forest)" natural beech woods (a forerunner in forest therapy) and various hands-on craft classes such as plant dyeing of Japanese towels and crafting postcards with handmade Japanese paper - each of which will all allow you to experience the lifestyle of the local people. Indeed, the itinerary is filled with a variety of events that allow you to experience local life. Also included in the itinerary is the chance to visit the "Gosoku Daidaikagura" festival, which is recognized as an intangible cultural asset by the prefecture. "Gosoku Daidaikagura" is a festival that has a history of several hundred years and its dance is performed to pray for world peace and bumper crops. The dance numbers include "Tengu ni yoru shimekiri (A long-nosed tengu goblin cutting sacred straw festoons)," "Tengu-mai (the dance of the long-nosed tengu goblin)," "Uzume-no mikoto no mai (the dance of the goddess of dawn and revelry)" and "Naginata no mai (the dance of the naginata polearm)," all of which demonstrate Daidaikagura's grace with powerful dynamism. After the day events, onsen spas overlooking the peaceful rustic scenery will relieve your fatigue while the local cuisine is served for dinner. The tour itinerary is designed to let the participants fully enjoy the charm of Iiyama nurtured through its history and climate.
Since this event is planned as a focus group tour of Iiyama in Kita-Shinshu to introduce the area to overseas guests, the participation fee is set at the special rate of 10,000 yen inclusive of accommodation and meals. Although the travel expenses to and from Iiyama are borne by each participant, a two-night, three-day trip from Tokyo costs less than 20,000 yen including accommodations and meals if traveling by bus both ways. Why not take the chance to experience traveling into a different culture, rural lifestyle and traditional events that you will never experience in Tokyo?
Accommodation:
Minshuku in the Togari Onsen district in Iiyama
Requirements for participation:
(1) Overseas guests and their families residing in Japan holding Western citizenship
(2) Those who can attend the wrap-up meeting to exchange opinions at the end of the tour
Application:
Send the participant's name, age, address, contact details and country of birth to the Iiyama City Tourist Association by FAX or e-mail (due no later than September 10).
Enquiries:
Iiyama City Tourist Association
Tel: 0269-62-3133, Fax: 0269-81-2156
e-mail: info@iiyama-ouendan.net
21Sep (Monday Holiday)
12:00 Meeting place, Departure: Nagoya Station
13:30 Arrive in Iiyama Tour of "Furusatokan" (town Museum)
and "Dentousanngyoukaikan" (traditional handicrafts museum)
14:30 Visit some temples
16:00 Visit the temple "Jouhukuji" to experience " Zazen"
17:00 Arrive Togari (accommodation)
18:00 Dinner and exchange
22Sep (Tuesday Holiday)
9:30 Tour of beech trees and tie dyeing using plants
12:30 Lunch at "Keyaki Café" Hokuryuko
Amidadou (used in the filming "Amidadou dayori)
16:00 Flea market
17:30 Free time
22:00 Tour of Intangible folklore cultural asset "Gosoku Daidaigagura
festival"
10:00 Experience making the officially designated traditional craft
"Uchiyamagami" (Japanese paper)
11:30 shopping by Chikumagawa (Road's station)
12:30 Opinion exchange over lunch
14:00 Leave Nagoya Station
15:30 Arrive in Nagano station, Say our farewells
※Schedule may changes depending on the weather
※Travel expenses to Nagano station are the participate 's responsibility
