Rural Forestry Tour in Aso Minamioguni

This tour takes you straight into the life of a Japanese lumberjack. Japan is one of the most thickly forested lands in the world. But the once self-sufficient country is now largely dependant on imported timber. During this tour, we will join a real lumberjack and follow him into the forest. We will learn about his work and the importance of tending to the forest to preserve a healthy eco-system. Furthermore, we will learn how to fell a tree and enjoy building simple log constructions in the forest. After having built up a healthy appetite, we will visit two local farmers and enjoy lunch at their small BnB establishment. Traditional Japanese food made from locally produced ingredients! Our last stop will be the town's lumber mill. Here we will learn more about the symbolic cedar tree. We will walk around the lumbermill and see the process as log turns to plank up-close. Finally, we will sit down at their small and fashionable workshop where we will make aroma candles from oil extracted from the leaves of the cedar trees. This is a private tour that will give you a front-row seat as you experience a different way of life!