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Experience the wonders of the Tochigi highlands through the eyes of Meiji Period foreign diplomat and linguist Ernest Satow.
A journey with a difference To find harmony with wildlife In search of contemporary ideas while drawing on the wisdom of the past destinations far from daily life Vistas loved as much today as they were in Years Gone by Rising above the ordinary a place to immerse yourself surrounded by Nature a place to find calm on this edition of Journeys in Japan
Timeless destinations of peace and relaxation Prefecture lies in the north of the great canto plain bordering the highlands of Northeast Japan foreign where am I High in the Uplands of Northwest tochigi you reach Lake chuzenji over 1200 meters above sea level of course I remember this View a very familiar location for Ernest Sato Sato was a British Diplomat who arrived in Japan in 1862 just before the end of the feudal era he spent 25 years in the
Country and made a big contribution to opening Japan Thank you 120 years later Sato has somehow returned to modern day Japan but just for two days foreign Alfie Goodrich is also from Britain a photographer by profession his photos capture the spectrum of life in Japan culture fashion landscapes Sato is also traveling with a camera in his hand In the 19th century Sato enjoyed a deep connection with Lake chuzenji Ah there she is beautiful this Lakeside holiday Villa was actually built by Sato Certainly looks like my house but what are all these people doing here something’s changed Foreign he is well aware that Sato built this Villa is Foreign No matter what the season foreign to England many embassies built Villas at Lake choose Ng the European and U.S diplomats used to spend the summer there and became a popular summer Resort for foreigners The scenery of Lake chuzinji was reminiscent of the Alpine Lakes of Europe for the Diplomatic Community one sport in particular caught on sailing This box contains the rule books and notebooks that recorded the results of races held by the non-taisan yacht club which was set up in 1906 by the British Ambassador and other enthusiasts The yachting Club ended its activities in the 1930s 90 years has passed huh Saito junichi is the deputy director of the reborn nantai-san Yacht Club foreign This boat was built by hand here in Japan Alfie likes Sato himself has long enjoyed sailing this is his first time out in a dinghy in quite a while the boats here are no different from the sailboats found at the seaside and they handle in much the same way
But sailing here on the lake requires more precise skills as the winds shift much more than out at sea It’s so nice to be back on these clean Waters after 120 years of being away if I fall in I don’t need a shower it’s not like the sea it’s so clean and beautiful surrounded by these beautiful Green Hills I’m so happy to be back what do we have here oh
Wanted you up Morita takamichi works as a nature guide um I remember you this tree from 120 years ago but I think you’ve got a little fatter Foreign Foreign The reason for this is that the kegon Falls are the only outlet for the lake water yeah because the waterfall is about a hundred meters high there was no way that fish could make their way any further Upstream however once fish were released in Lake choose NG and other local Rivers sport
Fishing caught on rapidly Fly fishing is said to have been started by British aristocracy some 500 years ago it was introduced to this area during sato’s time the artificial flies act as lures and are cast into the water using poles fitted with reels To this day many people still like to go out fly fishing in lake chuzinji and the surrounding area Coincidentally a similar fishing method was practiced in the old days in rivers Downstream from Lake chuzenji um foreign known as tenkata this tradition dates back to Japan’s feudal period Anglers around the country use this way of fishing in Mountain Streams thank you to this tenkata artificial flies are very
Similar to those used in fly fishing but the Flies used in tenkata fishing look more realistic Yama May trout or native to Japan they’re also known as Cherry salmon they’re about 20 centimeters long and are found in streams with clean cold water If they can tell the fly is artificial they remain in hiding behind the rocks and do not bite Somehow the yamae could understand that SATA was not skilled in tenkata fishing this is what he was hoping to catch well let me haven’t caught anything today I must say the experience has not been a waste at all being in this wonderful nature it’s relaxing and calming and I think one
Last thing to say would be a thank you to the river and the fish In the northern part of tochigi prefecture lies the nasu area It’s famous for its numerous holiday Villas I need drugs Sato has come here to see what a modern holiday Villa looks like Inside this Villa has a bright modern open plan design I’ll choosenjico’s view is amazing but this is really something too this Villa boasts a panoramic view over the nasu area wealth everything seems modernized and comfortable but I don’t see any major changes from when I had my holiday home okay So this is from the interior it’s hard to imagine it’s made from shipping containers foreign with all the facilities for visitors to feel pampered Good grief I have so many things to learn about this modern world thank you Oh I like this getting to sleep here in the middle of all this nature amazing people actually get to sleep in there in the middle of all this nature I love it There’s even an outdoor dining facility for the people staying up here well this looks great but what am I supposed to do with it because before nasu became known for its holiday Villas Dairy farming was widespread later many Dairy Farmers Focus their efforts on rearing cattle for beef which
Became known for its rich melt-in-your-mouth flavor In your own food outside Oh boy that smells good foreign The best I wish I’d been born in this era Thank you people seek out natural settings like this for both rest and Recreation But inevitably that has an impact on the natural environment there’s one place in nasu that inspires visitors to think about man’s relationship with nature many kinds of creatures coexist in these ponds These trees were due to be filled for a development project however 318 of them were saved and transplanted here For each tree the ideal location and spacing were considered the project took four years to complete thank you it’s been carefully landscaped to look natural but actually it’s entirely man-made this beautiful artificial environment raises deep questions about the complex relationship between man and nature it’s a delicate relationship that could
Break down if it’s not taken care of properly Next Sato moves to kinugawa in Northwest tochigi my goodness The sport of canyoning involves hiking and sliding down the course of Mountain Streams to accustom yourself to the boldness of the water the first step is to Dive Right In Canyoning is said to have started when hikers began exploring Mountain Streams in search of unspoiled scenery thank you it was an extraordinary thing to do people of the future are indeed radical in every way what on Earth quite shows that feels good there are numerous Mountain Streams up
Here and the popularity of canyoning is increasing year by year however I am getting a bit cold Hi Joe what is this Known for its hot springs for 300 years My goodness water from deep underground this is what you’re surrendering yourself to Hmm feels glorious What a splendid place thank you so why you know did I build my holiday Villa here in the first place well it was mainly to be in touch with nature the Flora the fauna and I was able to make that connection and coming back here on this journey this time has
Reminded me why I chose this place to begin with over 120 years had passed since I was here and many things have changed but there is the ability of people to respond to changes in the environment and the history and culture of the region people are trying to protect it
No matter what kind of times we live in we pursue healing and relaxation and as human beings we continue to devise new ways to heal and relax people will continue to respond to various changes and they will continue to protect the nature and culture of the region
My journey here is now at an end and it’s time to bid you all a fond farewell From Tokyo it takes about two hours by train to reach Nico to kinagawa it takes two and a half hours and to nasu it’s about an hour foreign