Hello to everyone watching Cool Japan Video — nice to meet you! This is the Morotsuka Village Tourism Association.

We will now introduce the many charms of Morotsuka Village in northern Miyazaki Prefecture, so please enjoy!

First, let us introduce Morotsuka Village.

◆◇◆What is Morotsuka Village, Miyazaki Prefecture◆◇◆
Morotsuka Village, Miyazaki Prefecture, sits almost in the center of the Kyushu Mountains, and about 90 percent of the village area is forest.
There is almost no flat land; 84 scattered hamlets perch on the mountain slopes.
Under the slogan of a forestry-based village, Morotsuka has worked to protect mountains, create forests, and promote village development that lives in harmony with nature while benefiting from the bounty of the woods.
This is a village that lives in the forest, thinking not only of oneself but of each other, and not only of the present but of the children and grandchildren to come.

◆◇◆Access◆◇◆
* About a two-hour drive from Kumamoto Airport * About a two-hour drive from Miyazaki Airport

* From Miyazaki Airport take the train to Hyūgashi Station (limited express about 65 minutes), and from Hyūgashi Station there are route buses to Morotsuka Village.

If you use train and bus, take the route bus from JR Nippō Main Line Hyūgashi Station on Miyazaki Kotsu to Morotsuka village center, “Morotsuka,” which takes about 90 minutes.

* Please board a bus bound for Kamishiiba or for Tsukahara.
(For route bus details, please check the Miyazaki Kotsu website.)

※ For current traffic restrictions, please check Morotsuka Navi HP.

◆◇◆Tourist Spots in Morotsuka Village, Miyazaki Prefecture◆◇◆
■ Ecomuseum Morotsuka Shiitake no Yakata 21
This facility houses the office of the Morotsuka Village Tourism Association and Donko-tei Restaurant.
It used to be a place to learn about shiitake, but it has been renewed as a spot for tourist information and community exchange.

Across the Hotaru Bridge on the opposite bank sits the principal statue of Kunugi Jizo made from an over-100-year-old sawtooth oak. You can go down to the riverbank for a picnic or enjoy playing in the clear stream.

◇◆◇Accommodations in Morotsuka Village, Miyazaki Prefecture◇◆◇
■ Tenku no Mori Ikenokubo Green Park
Nestled around 800 m above sea level in nature-rich Morotsuka, Tenku no Mori Ikenokubo Green Park offers log houses and a campsite. From the Hyuga direction the road is one lane each way the whole way, so drivers unaccustomed to mountain roads can feel at ease.

The park has an athletic course, grass sledding, and mini-golf, so families with young children can enjoy themselves together. A scenic cross-country course nearby is perfect for a relaxed walk while taking in nature. The popular Akimasa Observatory, famous for its views, is only about a five-minute drive. We recommend getting up early to watch the sunrise; if you’re lucky, you may see a sea of clouds.

With flowers in full bloom in spring, green breezes and cool heights in summer, fiery autumn foliage, and quiet winter dusted with snow, this place lets you savor the changing seasons and relax in nature.

■ Morotsukayama Keiryu no Sato (Morotsuka Mountain Mountain Stream Village)
One of the two campsites in the village is Morotsukayama Keiryu no Sato.

Dominated by Morotsukayama, one of Kyushu’s 100 famous mountains, this nature-rich area adjoins a river park with abundant water. In summer you can enjoy river play and fishing (a fishing permit is required).

■ Forest Folk House Yamashigi no Mori
Yamashigi no Mori consists of two old folk houses: Shitashigi, built in the Taisho era, and Nakashigi, built in the Meiji era. You must climb winding mountain roads to reach them, but long ago, before cars and paved roads, this spot was an important crossroads.

Today it serves as a hands-on exchange facility where urban visitors and mountain villagers deepen ties through agricultural experiences. In this sky-high place, scenes like hearths, goemon baths, and old-style stoves evoke nostalgic memories.

■ Old Folk House Series
Traditional houses where you can fully experience the breath of nature. Surrounded by mountains, with the warmth of wood, the scent of earth, and a communal hearth, Morotsuka’s old folk houses offer a relaxed pace of life and a welcoming place anyone can easily experience to feel the coexistence of people and nature.

[List of folk houses]
・ Yamashigi no Mori
・ Heida no Sato
・ Sakura no Tsubone
・ Yoshiya

◇◆◇Local Specialties of Morotsuka Village, Miyazaki Prefecture◇◆◇
■ Shiitake
Shiitake cultivated using 100 percent logs grown in the rich forests that have been recognized as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage. Morotsuka Village proudly offers these delicious, aromatic log-grown shiitake—please savor them.

■ Forest Multifloral Honey
This is honey from native Japanese honeybees treasured by Morotsuka’s honey hunters. Natural beekeeping in the mountains draws on nectar from many flowers. The honey the bees diligently collect, called multifloral honey, is highly nutritious with a rich taste and aroma. Since a single bee produces about a spoonful of honey in its lifetime, it is very precious.

■ Mugwort Dumplings
Made from fresh mugwort gathered from the mountains, nurtured by clean air and water, these mugwort dumplings are crafted using traditional methods and are a rare countryside delight. The mugwort fragrance fills your mouth, and the expertly kneaded sweet bean paste is exquisite.

■ Mountain-Processed Goods
Women’s associations active in the scattered mountain hamlets prepare village-made flavors every day in local workshops. Using mountain-harvested ingredients, they produce miso, yuzu pepper, konnyaku, dressings, and other tasty local products.

We will continue sharing the charms of nature-rich Morotsuka Village, so please look forward to more!