Study trip to Nagano!(2nd)

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After having a lecture from Zaigo, we left Shinano-machi for Omachi city (100km away and it’s just a part of Nagano’s northern area. such a big country!)

In Omachi city, there are also NPOs who are trying to cheer up their loving town.
We visited NPO Grutta Network Omachi this time.

They used be some separated community groups, then all those groups gathered as one NPO commune.

Their main jobs are;
*Fiding out local resources and using them
Their big main tourism spot is “Kurobe dam” which has highest dam height.
Dam itself is known well as sightseeing place. So NPO members made a leaflet which is focused on people who built this huge dam.
Outdoor space “Wappa land” is opened community space which can do BBQ, nature hiking and so on. All nature resources are condensed in one place, children can play and study with their flexible way of thinking.

*Planning and managing loco tours
They experimented managing variety of loco tours like “night hiking”, “snow hiking”, “nature forest tour”. Visitors don’t get bored by taking these kinds of short tour, it’s even a good chance to know this area in different way of view.

“By introducing this town in these ways, we’d like people to be interested in and to move in this town in the future.” Mr. Sato, chairman of this NPO( he is a dentist of this town) said.

Final study is held at Omachi city office.
Omachi city office has been working on depopulation for years, they visited Isumi city as a study trip before.

As my point of view, problems and tasks which need to solve are same with us.
There is a limit that administration by itself can do, same thing can be said citizens by themselves.
We need to find the way to cooperate each other sometimes.

It’s a ‘part of study’, I have to write about their proud of “Kurobe dam”.
As a final stopping by, we went to that huge dam.
The place is of course originally for making electricity, but now it’s also famous for sightseeing.
Everything is systemized for visitors, we enjoyed seeing this dam safely.
It was interesting to know the history building this huge concrete edifice.

It was really good trip that we got to know other towns way of working on depopulation problem.
Nagano has beautiful nature resources that attract people in city side.
We Isumi city also has rich ocean, country rice field view and yummy loco food.
we will surely make an effort based on this experiment of study.

(Aiko)

Study trip to Nagano!(1st)

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on 27th to 28th july, part of our NPO members had a study trip to Nagano pref. to see how the other town offices or NPOs work on rural depopulation problem.

Isumi city office is also working on this depopulation probrem as we need to deal with,  the trip this time is held by city office.
there are many types of members on one bus, almost all of them are concerned to community development like Society of Commerce and Industry, community consultants of ‘Kurashi salon’, opened consultation place in Isumi .

Nagano prefecture attracts many people who want to move in countryside of its beautiful mountains, snow activities and clean pure water.

So there many retired couples and young families are moving in this area, of caurse there also many associations are trying hard to call them in or supporting them.

We first visited ‘Shinano town’ where NPO Zaigo is having an action by introducing/managing empty propaties.

they are looking for all empty propaties in this area by asking locos, renovate and lease them.
they only introduce those propaties(they can’t be a broker because they don’t have any licenses) to people who want to move in this town.
So, their income is come from rent(some percentge of rent is paid from house owners) and fees for introducing(paid by real estate agents).
though they have to pay for renovation(renovation costs 500,000 yen average, they are paid back in about 4 years/ one house), members are working as almost volunteer.
they also have one house called ‘Tanoshi-so’, they lease this house from owner and use as ‘Living countryside trial house’.

although cityside people dream about countryside, there are always many kinds of big differences between city and country.
they found the way to fill these gaps by renting a house in short term.
anybody who are interested in living here can use this house.
there are ‘2 nights plan’ and ‘1 week plan'(both are free for rent besides kerosene fee for stove in winter time!) and 1 month plan(you will need some fee for electricity and stuff).
they set the day for consultation first, then they support you to move in this town.
‘We think most important thing to live this area is making strong communications or communities. We all members want to support new people to have their new sweet hometown.’ Kazuhiko Shirahama, vice chief director says.

though they are working almost as volunteers, they are having fun working on it all together.
‘Now we have a big community which have barbeque partys and so on, we can’t be all lonely.’ Mr.Shirahama had a big smile.

 

our trip went on…

 

(Aiko)

Isumi Summer Events

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“Isumi Summer Festa” was announced in this blog last time.

Here we will introduce summer events in Isumi at once.

Ohara beach and Taito beach, official sea bathing season start

Finally, the sea bathing season is coming. Events such as Hula and Ukulele will be held on stage from 9:30.
Date and Time:　July 19 (Sat) 8:30 –
Place: Taito beach (8:30 – Ceremony to offer prayer for safety at the beach, 9:30 – Stage Event)
Ohara beach (10:00 – Ceremony to offer prayer for safety at the beach,　No event)

18th Hot Festa in Summer

Annual Ennichi (stall) Festival. Joyous event with band performance, Kuroshio dance, Drum performance, etc.
Date and Time:　July 20 (Sun) 16:00 – 21:00
Place: Ohara chuou shotengai (Ohara central shopping street) (Near Ohara station, JR Sotobo line)

Mackerel Fishing Festa

Sorry, this annual event is already reached a limit. Please come next year if you are interested.
Date and Time:　July 21 (National Holiday)
Place: Ohara fishing port (11574 Ohara Isumi-shi)

Isumi city Yamada Kakashi Matsuri (Scarecrow Festival)

Curious Isumi Scarecrow Festival. What kind of scarecrows will be displayed this year !?
Date and Time:　July 26 (Sat) 27 (Sun)
Place: Near Goku-kuminn center, Yamada, Isumi-shi (near Yamada-goku intersection)

Isumi city Sunrise Garden Pool

If you are scared of swimming at a beach, why not go to the pool! Small children can also play safely.
Date and Time:　July 26 (Sat) – August 17 (Sun) 9:00 – 17:00
Place: Sunrise Garden Pool (Fukahori Isumi-shi 1712-1 )

Summer ! Let’s go! OHB!

Bon dance festival at a beach with a soft sound of the sea. There will be fireworks in a finale.
Date and Time:　August 5 (Tue) 17:30 – (Cancelled if rained. Only fireworks will be postponed to the next day)
Place: Ohara beach

Bon Bon Festa

There will be a performance such as Bon dance and Japanese drum. There will be fireworks in a finale.
Date and Time:　August 9 (Sat) 16:30 –
Place: Isumi-shi Misaki-cho Sogo Ground (general playground)

Taito Beach Park Treasure Hunting

Treasure is at the wide Taito sand beach! A beach event in the middle of summer.
Date and Time:　August 13 (Wed)
Place: Taito beach

Isumi Fureai Nouryou Matsuri (Festival)

Traditional Bon dance festival. Fireworks with a background of a mountain are beautiful.
Date and Time:　August 14 (Thu) 17:00 –
Place: School yard of Kuniyoshi junior high school

Tourounagashi (small lanterns are lit and floated downstream on a river to send off the dead spirits)

Would you come to see mystical Tourou (lanterns) floating in Isumi-river in the evening of summer ?
Date and Time:　August 14 (Thu) start around 18:00 (after dark)
Place: Mouse of the Isumi-river (near back side of Villa Sotobo)

In addition, monthly Isumi Life Market in Chimachi (ChimachiMa, held on the second Sunday every month) and Ohara fishing port, port morning market (Ohara fishing port, held on the third Sunday every month) will be also held. We have lots of events in this summer in Isumi city.

It’s a good opportunity for you to stay in Isumi longer to enjoy Summer Festa and other events !

( Shige / Yasuko )