Komu Christmas Saturday, December 2 was a day when Morino Bijutsukan 'komu' opened its doors free of charge! Children gathered from inside and outside the village and enjoyed performances such as a concert by Nishiokoppe junior high school brass band and a puppet-theater circle Doremi including handbell performances. There was also a collaboration between Setoushi-kun and Santa Claus!! During the early music and piano session visitors could try tuning and see a piano played with its outer case removed, creating an exciting time even for adults. Komu's interior is decorated for Christmas, so please take a look when you stop by.

Komu Christmas A Christmas festival will be held at Morino Bijutsukan, Komu. On this day only, everyone can enter for free. Enjoy the Komu facilities and don’t miss the events. The museum is open from 10:00 to 16:30. Event Schedule 11:00 – Performance by Nishiokoppe Junior High School Wind Ensemble 13:00 – Puppet theater circle and gifts from Santa Claus 14:00 – Christmas concert with early music instruments and piano Come and visit Komu, dressed for Christmas!

Making Small Dishes Greenwoodwork in Nishiokoppe Village has become something of a tradition. I took part in a session making small dishes. First, we chose between linden and Amur cork tree wood, sawed it, and split it in half. Next, I shaved the wood down to my preferred thickness using a dedicated setup (a shavehorse and a sennuki) to hold the piece while planing. This special setup changes angle and clamping position depending on the wood’s thickness and length, and the instructor, an experienced grass-cutting teacher, handled it masterfully—just watching their demonstration was really enjoyable. After adjusting the thickness, we carved out the dish’s depth with a chisel. Depending on how you carve, wave-like patterns can appear, which revealed each person’s individuality. Round shapes and square shapes, and variations in size and depth all show each maker’s particular preferences.

Bonfire Roasted Sweet Potatoes On Sunday, after the elementary school students finished their school play, Monday, October 16, became a substitute holiday. The bonfire event, postponed due to bad weather, was held in the morning! We gathered at 9:00 AM and enjoyed ourselves fully until noon. To skewer marshmallows, we whittled the tips of branches with knives, but first we practiced by sharpening pencils. With the uniquely shaped pencils done, we carried out firewood together with the elementary students. After the fire was lit, we whittled more branches and wrapped sweet potatoes and potatoes in wet newspaper and aluminum foil. Before we knew it, while eating the roasted potatoes, it was already time to disperse. On a season that turned chilly, the warmth of the bonfire and the kindness of the children really warmed us.

Brass Ensemble Mini Concert On the evening of Friday, September 29, a mini concert by the Nishiokoppe Junior High School Brass Band took place at Morino Bijutsukan "komu". This time, three third-year students each performed a solo. Trombone and trumpet players produced beautiful tones alongside images projected on the wall. The drummer spun the sticks and showed off elegant hand work. The third-year students recently retired after the school cultural festival. Well done and thank you for your hard work! #Nishiokoppe Village #Brass Band #Nishiokoppe Junior High School Brass Band #komu #Morino Bijutsukan #Moon Viewing #Toy Theater

Karasu no Pan-ya San at Nishiokoppe Village The picture book "Karasu no Pan-ya San" Have you all read it? To celebrate the 50th anniversary of its publication a "Satoshi Kako Reproduction Original Art Exhibition" was held at Komu Museum of Art and on September 24 during the exhibition period bread making from the picture book took place. Following the illustrations, participants tore off portions of pre-fermented dough, rounded them, and shaped them. When the baked bread arrived children peered in with excited faces to see how the bread they made had turned out. Finally, they drew patterns with chocolate pens and it was complete! The two who made the saw-shaped bread and the daikon-shaped bread let me take a collaborative photo with them!^^! After the event I quietly let my imagination run wild, wondering, "What sort of bread shape would make people happy?"

[October Events] Summer has passed and a hint of autumn is starting to drift through Nishiokoppe. How is it in your area? Today we bring you information about October events 📢 1) Friday, October 6 — Starts at 18:30 The puppet troupe Pook comes to Nishiokoppe Village! A puppet theater circle formed within the village, Doremi, serves on the organizing committee, and they will be waiting for everyone at the venue. Location: The large hall at Hotel Morimu Tickets are on sale. 2) Saturday, October 7 — 13:30–16:00 For those who want to warm up by a bonfire For those who love roasted sweet potatoes Join us around the bonfire at the BBQ house behind Hotel Morimu! 3) Saturday, October 7 — Starts at 18:30 An acoustic guitar concert by Chuuei Yoshikawa! Don’t miss guest performances by village residents. Location: The large hall at Hotel Morimu Admission: ¥2,000 (free for junior high school students and younger) 4) Saturday, October 14 — Starts at 18:00 Twin artist duo VOICE is coming! Enjoy light bites and all-you-can-drink while you watch. Location: The large hall at Hotel Morimu Ticket price: ¥4,000 *Application deadline: October 10* 5) Sunday, October 15 — From 11:00 At Burari Cafe We will host finger yoga, lunch, and an aroma session! A soothing space awaits here＿＿. Please reserve lunch by the day before! Aroma and yoga require no reservation. 6) Saturday–Sunday, October 28–29 Greenwoodworking workshop! Jam spoons or butter knives, small plates, curry spoons Why not try making one of your favorites with your own hands? Location: Komu Museum of Art 7) Saturday, October 28 — 10:00–12:00 As a Halloween event we will hold craft bag making and a puppet show! There will also be time to walk around hunting for sweets. Location: Community Center and Library October, the season of school cultural festivals, brings even more events!! Please come and fully enjoy autumn in Nishiokoppe.

Green Woodwork Workshop Trees and forests are close at hand, yet people often have few chances to touch wood. In this workshop, you can use fresh-cut wood to make a spoon, a butter knife, or a small dish. Why not carve wood with your own hands and create a small item? The workshop takes place on October 28 and 29. 1. Jam spoon or butter knife 2. Small dish 3. Curry spoon The items vary by session, so please join the session you prefer.

"Satoshi Kako Reproduction Original Art Exhibition" From today, September 22 we are exhibiting reproduction original art by picture-book author Satoshi Kako on display now! The venue is Komu Museum of Art in the forest 🌳 The exhibition runs through October 12. On September 24 there will be a gallery talk by Satoshi Kako’s eldest daughter, Mari Suzuki. Fifteen reproduction originals are on display. Some works are being shown for the first time, so we hope you will enjoy comparing them with the accompanying picture books. We look forward to your visit!"

[September Event Information] Even though hot days continued into September, a cool breeze has finally begun to blow. Today, we bring you this month’s event information. 1) September 9 (Sat)–October 9 (Mon) A joint initiative by Kamikawa Town, Takinoue Town, and Nishiokoppe Village will present “Gurufura Drive 2023.” Visit the three municipalities’ gardens and events during the period, collect stamps, and enter to win local specialty products! 2) September 17 (Sun)–September 18 (Mon) At Roadside Station Nishiokoppe Kamu we will hold a small autumn harvest market to give thanks for the season’s bounty. The market runs from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. 3) September 23 (Sat) Also at Roadside Station Nishiokoppe Kamu, we will offer a guided flower park walk led by the site manager ❀ Morning session starts at 10:30; afternoon session starts at 1:30 PM. Each session will last about an hour and a half. To reserve a spot, contact the tourist information center Satozumu. TEL: 0158-85-7125 4) September 24 (Sun) At Komu Museum of Art a reproduction original illustration exhibition of picture-book author Satoshi Kako, accompanied by a gallery talk and a bread-baking program, is planned. *The reproduction original illustration display runs from Friday, September 22 to Thursday, October 12.* Please come and visit Nishiokoppe Village.

Hello to everyone watching Cool Japan Video! I’m Kurashima, Tourism Officer with the Community Revitalization Team of Nishiokoppe Village. I’d like to share lots of enticing tourist information about Nishiokoppe Village, Hokkaido. I look forward to your interest. Nishiokoppe Village, Hokkaido, lies inland from the Sea of Okhotsk in Eastern Hokkaido. The population is 1,002 (as of the end of July, Reiwa 5), and about 90 percent of the village area is covered by forest. The contrast between the forests and snowy landscapes is beautiful, and many public buildings are unified by orange-colored walls. The village experiences large temperature swings: winter can reach minus 20 degrees Celsius and summer can exceed 30 degrees Celsius. Despite the harsh natural conditions, the area is rich in nature and full of remote, scenic spots and waterfalls to explore. Now, here are some of the attractive sightseeing spots in Nishiokoppe Village, Hokkaido. At the foot of Mount Wenshiri, the “Ice Tunnel” offers a mystical, ice-filled world and is a popular destination. The tunnel, formed by water flowing from spring snowmelt, sits in a mountain valley so the ice remains even in summer, creating a mysterious scene. Because of collapse risks it is usually closed, but this July it was opened for one day for the first time in four years. Roadside Station Nishiokoppe Kamu blends a flower park with a roadside station. Inside the roadside station you can find a rare wooden mechanical organ called Oto-Ki-Bayashi that plays music using wind. The shop sells dairy products such as soft-serve made with Nishiokoppe-produced grass-fed milk, and processed Ezo deer products (leather goods, pet food, etc.). The adjacent flower park features a garden designed around a “natural garden” concept that recreates plants suited to Nishiokoppe Village’s climate and landscape. About a 10-minute drive from Roadside Station Nishiokoppe Kamu, the Komu Museum of Art, “Komu,” follows the concept of seeing, touching, playing, and creating. It exhibits about 3,000 wooden toys and works, and large wooden play structures are available for visitors to touch and play with. One especially popular attraction is the wooden sandbox filled with 160,000 wooden balls, where you can enjoy the scent of wood and a kind of woodworking bath. You can also take part in hands-on woodcraft workshops to make things yourself. Enjoy a luxurious time experiencing art in the forest. Gyōja Falls, a 20-meter waterfall where you can feel the power of nature, is another highlight. The falls began to be called Gyōja Falls after a woman in the late Meiji period repeatedly stood under the waterfall praying for her parent’s recovery from a serious illness. Upstream from Gyōja Falls are Akaiwa Falls, with a beautiful brick-colored riverbed, and Kuroiwa Falls, which flows through a primeval forest of Ezo spruce; you can enjoy all three falls along a single route. Next, here are campgrounds where you can enjoy wide-open nature and outdoor activities. Forest Park underwent major renovations over two years in Reiwa 4 and 5, preparing tent site improvements and new playground equipment for a renovated reopening in Reiwa 6. In Reiwa 5 the tent sites are available until October 15, but playground equipment is not usable. The park also has paid log houses available year-round and a BBQ house for day-use barbecues. Surrounded by primary forest, Wenshiri Campground has no cooking facilities and is recommended for a wild camping experience. Like the Ice Tunnel, it is located on Mount Wenshiri and offers one free bungalow that can accommodate up to ten people. Note that the area around the primeval forest may have bear sightings, so caution is required when using the site. Nishiokoppe Village is also known for its guitar factory, Okhotsk Musical Instrument Industry Co. Ltd., where beautifully sounding instruments are made. Founded in a way that succeeded a lumber company, Okhotsk Musical Instrument Industry now produces 20,000 guitar bodies annually. A separate building on the factory grounds houses a free showroom open to visitors for casual tours. Access to Nishiokoppe Village: From Haneda Airport to Okhotsk Monbetsu Airport takes about 1 hour 45 minutes. From the Osaka area, you can fly from Kansai International Airport or Osaka International Airport to New Chitose Airport (about 1 hour 50 minutes), take JR to asahikawa station (about 2 hours 10 minutes), transfer to a JR limited express and get off at Nayoro (about 1 hour), then take a bus to Nishiokoppe Village (about 1 hour). A bus from Okhotsk Monbetsu Airport to Nishiokoppe Village takes about 1 hour 20 minutes. From the Ice Tunnel to other beautiful landscapes and delicious local food, Nishiokoppe Village offers a variety of experiences. We will continue to share the charms of Nishiokoppe Village, Hokkaido, so please stay tuned!