HIDDEN VILLAGE in HIROSHIMA

The 1000 Year Art,
Satoyama, Shobara

It’s not what you see,
but what you feel.

It’s not what you see, but what you feel.

Why does it feel so comfortable?
Why does my heart move so much?

There are travelers who pause before the scenery of Shobara.

In the oldest book in Japan, "Kojiki," written over 1,000 years ago, Mt. Hiba in Shobara is mentioned as a place where a legendary goddess rests.
Shobara, one of Japan's oldest villages, is located deep in the Chugoku Mountains, where " Tatara," an ancient form of iron manufacturing, flourished.

"Satoyama," a way for people and nature to interact, has been nurtured over many years in the region.

The way of living with the land and the landscape that has been cultivated...
The way of life in Shobara's satoyama speaks quietly to the hearts of visitors.

The majestic beauty of Hiba's expansive nature...
The village of terraced rice paddies with old houses and iron pits as far as the eye can see...
The rhythm of a lifestyle that lives close to nature...

For those of us today who live facing stress and feel vague anxiety, perhaps Shobara is showing us a hint for the future.

Art is something that moves the heart.

Art was spun by nature and people for over 1000 years.
It's not about what you see but what you feel.
Why don't you find a way to enjoy your trip in Shobara, a satoyama?

The Art of Man and
Nature

“SATOYAMA” attracting attention
from around the world

Shobara City in Hiroshima Prefecture, the largest city in the Chugoku and Shikoku regions, is home to satoyama, or woodlands, as far as the eye can see. Satoyama refers to secondary nature with a moderate amount of human intervention. In recent years, satoyama has been attracting attention from around the world as a hint for the future. In recent years, satoyama has been attracting attention from around the world as a hint for the future, first from the perspective of environmental conservation for a sustainable future. The other is as a new travel destination. I would like to introduce you to some of the ebisodic examples of Shobara, a satoyama where nature and people are in perfect balance, just like art.
“Mount Hiba” Appears in Japan's Oldest Book, “Kojiki”

Shobara has a deep history. In the oldest book in Japan, Kojiki, written more than 1,000 years ago, Mount Hiba in Shobara appears as the burial place of Izanami-no-Mikoto, the goddess who created Japan.

Mt. Hiba, which remains majestic and unchanged despite the passage of many years, and the Kumano Shrine, which was built to worship the mountain, create a mysterious and tranquil atmosphere, and once you step into the shrine, you feel as if time has stopped.

Even though it is deep in the forest with no people in sight, it is a mysterious place where you can still feel some warmth.
There are many beautiful scenes in Shobara, a world that nature and people have created over a long period.
One of the most scenic views of traditional quaint houses in Japan

Shobara has the third-highest percentage of remaining traditional houses in Japan, and Shobara can be considered one of the best places in Japan to visit traditional houses.

In Shobara, temple altars were once set up in the tatami rooms of houses, and local rituals, such as ancestral rituals and Kagura dances dedicated to cattle and horses, were held in private homes. Therefore, when a new house was built, the whole community was involved.

With this background, there is a deep-rooted awareness of the importance of passing on a house filled with the feelings of ancestors and the community to the next generation.

In Europe and the United States, a house is supposed to be passed down from generation to generation, and the older the house, the more valuable it becomes.
This scene is a precious landscape created by sustainable thinking, similar to the values of the West.
Satoyama Nurtures Biodiversity

For thousands of years in Shobara, people and the natural environment have lived together by keeping a moderate relationship with each other in a way called "Satoyama."
The Satoyama consists of rice paddies at the center and various other elements such as wooded areas, reservoirs, and groves of the village shrine. For example, frogs live in rice paddies and reservoirs that have been prepared by people, and small animals come to feed on them. Living in a satoyama with moderate human intervention provides a comfortable habitat for living creatures and a place to nurture biodiversity, which is essential for environmental conservation.
Such an eco-system called Satoyama is now attracting attention from around the world as a sustainable way of the future.
A New Way to Travel: Experiencing Satoyama

In 2020, Shobara was introduced to numerous foreign media, mainly in Europe and the United States.
The theme of people's life in Shobara, with its long history, has always been and still is "harmony with nature.
It is a way of life that respects and lives with nature.
The values and personalities of the people are nurtured by this attitude.
By actually staying in a place and experiencing these things firsthand, you will have an opportunity to think about yourself and your future.
Shobara is attracting attention as a new travel destination in the future called sustainable tourism.