VOICE 30th Anniversary Live "24-Hour Myth" The twin artists who created that hit song, VOICE— They are on a tour celebrating 30 years since their first single was released, and they will come to Nishiokoppe on Saturday, October 14!! For inquiries, please contact the following. The application deadline is October 10. 090-8707-0944 (Takahashi) Doors open 17:30 / Show starts 18:00 At Hotel Morimu Ticket price: 4,000 yen (light meal and all-you-can-drink included)

Shrine Festival A shrine festival giving thanks for the autumn harvest was held recently. The Kamiokoppe area held its festival on September 7, and Nishiokoppe held theirs on September 11. In the mornings, lanterns hung from the streetlights and other decorations fluttered in the breeze. The mikoshi procession featured blue and orange happi coats, colorful banners and fans carried by elementary and middle school students, and the bright costumes of the o-chigo children. From preschoolers to adults, people of many generations living in the village formed a line and paraded through the town for about two hours. A lion dance performed by five middle school students was also splendid. There were so many shutter moments that my photo folder is full.

【Kuroiwa Falls】 Of the three waterfalls we introduced, only the last one remains. This time it’s Kuroiwa Falls, where the rocks aren’t red. It’s quite a distance from the main road, but once you reach Akaiwa Falls, you’re almost there. From the parking area you walk a short way to the plunge pool, and since there are few steep climbs, it’s a pleasant stroll for most visitors. You cross a small stream and push through the grass as you go. The rock color differs here, and the waterfall’s shape is somewhat different from the other two, making it well worth seeing. If you sit quietly listening to the water, hours can pass in an instant, but we didn’t linger long—about ten minutes—because of the chance of encountering bears. If waterfalls pique your interest, why not visit before it gets too cold? Please take care with your footing.

"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!"

Akaiwa Falls Following Gyōja Falls, which I introduced last time, I present Akaiwa Falls, known for its brick-colored riverbed! You reach Gyōja Falls quickly, but beyond that, the path to Akaiwa Falls plunges through a densely overgrown mountain trail. Just when you start to wonder if you are still on the right path, you should find a parking area. From the parking area to Akaiwa Falls, it’s about a five-minute walk down to the plunge pool. The walk down is easy, but the climb back up can be a bit taxing on adults who lack exercise. When you arrive at the plunge pool, the contrast of red and green is beautifully striking. It’s lovely to gaze at the falls, but if you look up at the trees surrounding the cascade, you’ll feel refreshingly uplifted. When you visit, please wear footwear that can get dirty and won’t slip, such as rubber boots, rather than fashionable shoes.

Introducing the post of "Hokkaido Nishiokoppe Village" COOL JAPAN VIDEOS official social media account! Hokkaido Nishiokoppe Village is a village in the northeastern part of Hokkaido where about 90% of the village is occupied by forests. The "Ice Tunnel" at the foot of the Mt. Uenshiri is a popular tourist spot created by water flowing down due to melting snow in spring. The Roadside Station "Nishiokoppe Hana Yume" where you can purchase local specialties also has a "Flower Park Kamu" and you can enjoy a natural garden.

Puppet Theater Troupe Puuk Comes to Town Have you already decided on plans for the evening of Friday, October 6th? Puppet Theater Troupe Puuk will visit Nishiokoppe Village and perform!! This year’s program is “A Crocodile Came to Town.” An opening show of “Peter and the Wolf” will be performed. Tickets are on sale now, so please contact the person in charge of ticket sales, or if you are coming from afar, contact this account or the address below. TEL: 090-2768-8710 We look forward to welcoming you!!

Three Waterfalls in Nishiokoppe Village The other day I visited one of Nishiokoppe Village’s sightseeing spots —Gyōja Falls, Akaiwa Falls, and Kuroiwa Falls. This time I’m writing about Gyōja Falls! From National Route 239 you turn onto a mountain road and the first waterfall you come to is Gyōja Falls. When I got out of the car in front of a stone plaque with some explanation on it, I could hear the cool sound of the falls! On a certain day in August, unable to bear the heat, there was said to be an adult who stood under Gyōja Falls in a T-shirt and shorts—whether true or not is another story. Next time I will introduce Akaiwa Falls.

[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.

***Asian Pro Wrestling in Nishiokoppe*** September 3rd. A wrestling ring suddenly appeared in the village. Wrestlers entered to battle-pumping music that stirred the crowd. It was my first time watching, and even after it ended I still didn't fully understand the rules, but I clapped along with the crowd-pleasing wrestlers, gasped as they spun through the air to land moves on their opponents, and the time flew by…! During the merchandise sale, I even saw heartwarming scenes like a wrestler posing for a photo with a child who had bought a towel. In the kitchen behind the venue, someone was making large batches of steaming rice balls for the staff's dinner, The ginger and kelp filling in the rice balls was incredibly tasty.^^ It turned into a fun and delicious event.

***The 40th Muraokoshi Festival*** An interactive stage performance event. Packed with programs, the Muraokoshi Festival was thrillingly lively thanks to everyone’s support!! With rain forecast, this year’s event moved indoors, and we were delighted that many people from inside and outside the village attended. ↓Here are some highlights from the festival↓ ●The opening was decorated by the local Nishiokoppe junior high school brass band. The recorders played by first- and second-year students produced a surprisingly clear tone—perhaps because they usually play brass instruments— and their sound was very pleasant. ●The annual “Lumberjack Race” has teams of four competing to saw through a log as fast as possible. This year, to mark the 40th anniversary, they reportedly chose logs 40 cm in diameter. Both the cheering and the emcee’s commentary were full of excitement. ●Another participatory event, held for the first time this year, was the “Blindfolded Milk Perfect Chu-Chu! Contest” 🐄 Blindfolded challengers aimed to drink an exact specified number of grams of Nishiokoppe’s locally produced grass-fed milk. Watching the contestants, earnestly estimating the remaining amount while drinking without seeing, was surreal and entertaining. ●Headlining the stage performances was enka singer Kenji Niinuma. His powerful voice resonated through the venue in a stunning performance. I had just recently listened to “Headlight” with my grandmother, so hearing his live voice made my heart leap. ＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊ The seasons will change, but signs of events are already appearing for autumn and beyond…

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!

Nice to meet everyone who watched the COOL JAPAN VIDEOS! Okhotsk Tourism Association. We will introduce many sightseeing spots and recommended gourmet foods in the Okhotsk area, so thank you! The Okhotsk region of Hokkaido that we introduce consists of 18 municipalities: Kitami City, Abashiri City, Monbetsu City, Ozora Town, Bihoro Town, Tsubetsu Town, Shari Town, Kiyosato Town, Koshimizu Town, Kunishifu Town, Okito Town, Saroma Town, Engaru Town, Yubetsu Town, Takikami Town, Okobe Town, Nishiokube Village, and Omu Town. Okhotsk is a wonderful area where nature and history, hot springs and gastronomy are in harmony. Here are a selection of sightseeing spots that you definitely want to visit on your trip to the Okhotsk region. First, I would like to introduce the Okhotsk Chipmunks Park in Abashiri City. This park is a unique spot where you can interact with chipmunks. Cute chipmunks live in an environment rich in nature, and tourists who visit are soothed by their appearance. You can also experience feeding chipmunks in the park, which is very popular with families. Don't miss the "Ice Sea Observatory Okhotsk Tower" in Monbetsu City, which can be said to be a symbol of Okhotsk. Here there is an observation deck where you can enjoy a magnificent panorama of the Sea of Okhotsk from 24 meters above sea level. On the seabed floor with a depth of 7.5 meters, there are 11 underwater windows of various sizes and a mini aquarium where you can feed fish. During the winter months, you can also see a superb view of drift ice, and you can truly enjoy the art of nature. When sightseeing in the Okhotsk region, please enjoy Hokkaido's fresh seafood gourmet. At the Okhotsk Yusenkan in Yubetsu Town, locally caught seafood is lined up at the store on the same day, so the freshness is origami! Especially the specialties of Okhotsk - scallops, sea urchins and hairy crabs attract tourists. "Okhotsk salt ramen", which was introduced as an exquisite dish on TV programs, is also recommended as a souvenir. When visiting the Okhotsk region, you will never get bored no matter how many times you visit, because each municipality can enjoy its own tourism resources and gourmet food. Experiencing the history, culture and nature of Okhotsk is sure to make your trip memorable. We, Okhotsk Tourism Association, will disseminate information about the Okhotsk region, which consists of the aforementioned 18 municipalities. In order to make your trip to Hokkaido more fulfilling, we will propose a wide range of sightseeing information and sightseeing plans across several municipalities that only we can do. The charming scenery and excellent gourmet food of the Okhotsk region await you. Enjoy a wonderful trip in the Okhotsk region! We will continue to introduce plenty of attractive sightseeing spots in the Okhotsk area, so thank you.