About 95% of the Village is covered with forests, and the density of forest roads per area is the highest in No.1 in Japan.
As for the Sightseeing spot, you can Unfolds the beautiful scenery of the mountains and the rice terraces at the mouth of the river, which was selected as a One of the 100 best terraced rice paddies in Japan.
Historically, the village culture in the mountains that has continued since the Heian period still remains strong, and traditional slash-and-burn agriculture has been inherited.
In Gourmet food, Locally produced shiitake mushrooms are exquisite, thick and aromatic in taste.
In addition, game dishes are also popular, and you can enjoy local cuisine that uses plenty of Delicacies of the mountains.
Access is about 2 hours by car from Miyazaki Airports and Kumamoto Airports, and one of the attractions is that you can spend a relaxing time away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Enjoy a relaxing trip in Morotsuka Village, Miyazaki Prefecture, where the blessings of forests and traditional culture live.
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Handmade Sendan Cutting Board
This cutting board is made by the Morotsuka Village Forestry Research Group, known simply as Rinken.
Rinken includes forestry workers and farmers who grow shiitake log trees themselves.
Each piece carries the warm, handmade feel of the wood itself.
You’ll notice beautiful grain and an amber sheen from the walnut oil finish.
Use it to chop ingredients, then bring it straight to the table as a serving plate to brighten your meal — a truly versatile item.
The material used is sendan wood.
Morotsuka Village plants many cedar and cypress for building materials and konogi (sawtooth oak) for shiitake logs, so why choose sendan?
The answer lies in sendan’s potential.
While cedar can take 40 to 60 years to mature, sendan grows fast enough to be harvested in about 20 years.
It also absorbs six times more CO2 than cedar during growth.
Sendan is strong and easy to work with, and if it grows straight it becomes an ideal timber.
Spotting sendan’s promise were members of the Fukuoka–Okawa Furniture Association, a cooperative in Fukuoka Prefecture.
They not only make sendan furniture but also plant sendan trees in various locations.
They visited Morotsuka Village through those planting efforts and forged a relationship with Rinken.
Sendan furniture looks to the future and the environment.
Why not try it in your home?
Each small-size board varies in width, and designs range from classic to uniquely styled pieces.
You’ll enjoy the excitement of opening it for the first time.
★You can purchase a handmade sendan cutting board from the Morotsuka Village Tourism Association (Shiitake no Yakata 21) or Morotsuka Store (online shop).🤗
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[40th MtMorotsukayama Opening Commemoration “Special Project” — Two Contests Now Accepting Entries!]
From Sunday, March 9 to Friday, December 5, we are holding two contests: the “MtMorotsukayama Photo Contest” and the “Pennant Design Contest.”
Visit MtMorotsukayama and try capturing beautiful photos📷.
◆◇◆ MtMorotsukayama Photo Contest ◆◇◆
Spring brings blooming akebono azaleas🌸, summer brings refreshing breezes🍃, autumn showcases brilliant foliage🍂, and winter brings snow-capped peaks⛄ and rime ice. Which MtMorotsukayama do you love?
Cherished as the site of the Tenson Korin (descent of the heavenly grandchild), a mountain of shugendo practice, and a place of devotion, MtMorotsukayama remains accessible even to beginner hikers.
We look forward to your special photos📷 taken on MtMorotsukayama.
Winning entries may be used as PR materials for next year’s mountain opening.♪
How to Enter
1) General Category
Please check the Morotsuka Navi website → Kaze no Tayori → [40th MtMorotsukayama Opening Commemoration “Special Project” — Two Contests Now Accepting Entries].
2) Instagram Category
Follow the Morotsuka Village Tourism Association account “Morotsuka Daily Calendar @morotsuka.tourism” on Instagram and post with the tag #MtMorotsukayama Photo Contest 2025.
If you unfollow, we will not be able to contact you to deliver prizes, so please be careful.
Winners may later be asked to provide high-resolution image files.
Notes
- If the subject of a photo is a person, obtain the subject’s permission for portrait rights.
- Copyright for submitted works belongs to the organizer and may be used for village PR activities.
- You may submit multiple entries, but only one winning entry per person is allowed.
- Winning entries may be requested later in large original file size.
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◆◇◆ Pennant Design Contest ◆◇◆
This is a cherished tradition of the MtMorotsukayama opening!
Participants receive a wooden🌳 pennant as a gift🎁.
For the first five editions up to the 40th, we offered the “Flowers of Morotsuka🌸 series.”
From the 41st anniversary, we’re refreshing the design✨
The grand prize winner’s design will be adopted for mountain opening pennants from the following year onward.
The only requirement is to use wood🌳 as the material. Design, shape, and color are all free!
We welcome your fun and creative ideas💡♪
How to Enter
1) Web
Please check the Morotsuka Navi website → Kaze no Tayori → [40th MtMorotsukayama Opening Commemoration “Special Project” — Two Contests Now Accepting Entries].
2) By Mail
Write your name, address, phone number, email address, and the title of your work, then mail your design drawing to the address below.
Designs sent cannot be returned.
Mailing Address
3068 Kajiwara, Morotsuka Village, Higashiusuki District, Miyazaki Prefecture 883-1301 Shiitake no Yakata 21
Attn: Pennant Contest Office
Notes
- Copyright for submitted works belongs to the organizer and may be used for village PR activities.
- You may submit multiple entries, but only one winning entry per person is allowed.
Winners will be entered into a drawing to receive wonderful prizes🎁✨
We look forward to many entries!!!
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Morotsuka-yama Keiryū no Sato
Among the two campgrounds in the village, one is this Morotsuka-yama Keiryū no Sato (Morotsuka Mountain Stream Village).
This nature-rich campground sits beneath Mt. Morotsuka, one of Kyushu’s 100 famous mountains. In spring, you can admire groves of Akebono azaleas about a 2–3 minute walk from the west trailhead of Mt. Morotsuka.
Directly below the log cabins lies a riverside park adjacent to a valley with plentiful water.
In summer, you can enjoy playing in the stream and fishing (a fishing permit is required).
The campground features three five-person log cabins made from Morotsuka timber and a free campsite limited to three groups per day.
It’s recommended for those who want a relaxed, peaceful camping experience.
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Tenkuu no Mori Ikenokubo Green Park
Perched at about 800 meters above sea level in nature-rich Morotsuka Village, Tenkuu no Mori Ikenokubo Green Park features log houses and a campsite. The road from the Hyuga direction is a single lane one-way for much of the route, so drivers who are not used to mountain roads can feel at ease.
The park offers an athletic course, grass skiing, and putter golf, so families with young children can all enjoy it together 😆. A scenic cross-country course nearby makes it perfect for a leisurely walk while soaking in nature 🍃. The popular Akimasa Observatory, known for its spectacular views ✨, is about a five-minute drive. Getting up early to watch the sunrise is recommended, and with luck you might even see a sea of clouds.
Enjoy spring when flowers bloom 🌸, summer greenery and the coolness of higher elevations 🌳, fiery autumn foliage 🍂, and quiet winter with drifting snow ⛄. It’s a place to savor the ever-changing seasonal scenery and relax in nature.
The village has two campsites, and Ikenokubo Green Park is one of them.
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🌳2025 Yamagakko Registration Open🌳
“Yamagakko” means pretending to go to school while spending the day playing in the mountains.
Not so long ago, when children walked an hour or two to school,
their love of play remained unchanged.
They walked to school through mountains and along rivers, places that were their everyday playgrounds full of wonder.
They would lose track of time chasing birds 🕊️ or discovering tasty greens 🌱.
At times like that, back at school
“Aitsu wa dongyashita tsuna?” “Yama gakkō shocchaga”
(I wonder why that kid isn’t here) (Maybe they’re out playing in the mountains)
were the sort of conversations you’d hear.
These are the joyful memories many people once shared.✨
The ecotour “Let’s Do Yamagakko in Morotsuka!” takes its cue from those mountain school days
and offers a chance to encounter the rich, untouched nature 🍃 and the everyday lives of the people who live there.
Would you like to set off on a Morotsuka-only journey that lets you fully experience the forest life honored as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage?
[2025 Program — 8 Courses]
🌸Spring Traditional hand-plucked, hand-rolled kama-iri tea making: Saturday, May 10
🍃Summer Climb Mt. Kurodake in summer to see the “flower that brings happiness,” kirengeshoma:
Saturday, August 23 and Sunday, August 24
🍂Autumn Get a head start on autumn flavors!! Chestnut gathering: Sunday, September 4
🍂Autumn Harvest summer vegetables and make pizza: Sunday, September 14
🍂Autumn Make local konnyaku: Saturday, October 4
🍂Autumn Yuzu picking and making yuzu kosho: Saturday, November 22
⛄Winter Harvest seasonal shiitake from log-grown trees and make shiitake pizza:
Sunday, December 14; Sunday, January 18, 2026; Saturday, February 14, 2026
⛄Winter Handmade washi paper and mitsumata workshop: Sunday, March 8, 2026
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※For tour details, please check Morotsuka Navi.
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Donko-tei
A restaurant attached to the village information hub Shiitake Hall 21🍽️
Enjoy Morotsuka’s unique flavors made from seasonal mountain produce😋
*Please note: closed every Wednesday.*
Every month on the 7th and 8th we hold the "Morotsuka Naba🍄 Days" event
The numbers 7 and 8 read as "naba," giving the event its name, Morotsuka Naba🍄 Days, held monthly!
What is naba🍄?
In Morotsuka, shiitake mushrooms are called "naba."
At Morocco House, Special Products Sales Office, dried shiitake go on sale at discounted prices,
and at Donko-tei we offer shiitake-related specials and services✨
If you love shiitake, come to Morotsuka Village on the 7th and 8th!
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🌸Bloom Update🌸
Cherry blossoms are now at their best across Morotsuka Village.
Many cherry trees have opened at Ikenokubo Green Park, making it a perfect day for hanami.
Everyone, please come and visit us 😆
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Morokko House Specialty Shop
This warm, welcoming store along National Route 327 uses plenty of locally sourced timber from the village🌳. The shop sign was recently refreshed✨
When you visit, be sure to take a look at the charming illustration nearby🥰
We deliver safe, reliable mountain produce harvested in Morotsuka Village with heartfelt care💖.
This is the place for Morotsuka souvenirs!
You can choose the heat level for yuzu kosho and dressings, and, of course, Morotsuka’s signature dried shiitake—plus fresh shiitake are available in season from autumn through winter.
Both types are grown on natural logs🍄.
Longtime favorites include Nanatsuyama miso, yomogi (mugwort) dumplings, and handmade konnyaku.
Quirky shiitake cookies🍪 make a fun souvenir pick.
For game-meat fans, frozen venison and wild boar are also on sale!
Every Friday we offer a limited-quantity, shop-exclusive shiitake sushi.
Seasonal village-grown vegetables🥬 and flowers🌸 are also sold, letting you enjoy the flavors of the season and the unique highland produce of Morotsuka.
You’ll also find locally produced shochu from the village’s two sake breweries and handmade crafts by residents.
Both are rare items rarely found outside the village.
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Today the Yoshino-miya Shrine Grand Festival, the Zatousan Festival, took place!
I was captivated by a performance from satsuma-biwa player Kanako Kitahara 🥰
This year’s event concluded smoothly as well.
Although strong gusts of wind blew at times, to everyone who came together
thank you very much!
#miyazaki #morotsukavillage #morotsuka #Miyazaki Prefecture #Morotsuka Village #Morotsuka Village Tourism Association #collecting goshuin #Miyazaki goshuin tour #Yoshino-miya Shrine #Zatousan Festival
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Morotsuka Village is beginning to feel the arrival of spring.
Morotsuka has topped 20°C!
The weeping cherry in front of Morotsuka Clinic is about 20–30% in bloom.
Yamazakura are also starting to bloom here and there.
The peak cherry blossom season is nearly upon us!
#miyazaki #miyazaki_countryside #morotsukavillage #morotsuka #Miyazaki Prefecture #patchwork village #Morotsuka Village #Morotsuka Village Tourism Association #weeping cherry #yamazakura #cherry blossom front #cherry blossom blooming
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