Green Tourism

I got a phone call from someone whom I knew him 5 years ago.
He said, “Why don’t you join the Green tourism convention? It will open in our city this year. You should come there”

Green Tourism? What is that??

He said it’s the movement/activity that people travel to country side to get experience rural culture or something.

Ok, I understand a little bit, I will join it!

Thus I went to the convention place, but there are around 80 serious people in city hall from everywhere in Japan who are involved Green tourism.

Well I wore casual clothes, but I hope it’s Ok..
I sat down the most front seat and listened the story about their activities.

Ah, in our city, there are “Kouno-tori”, Ciconia boyciana, Stork in English.

So he was coming as guest 🙂

Our city is famous for traditional Japanese paper too.

So there was Echizen-Washi, Japanese paper art.
It is the stork and rice field.

The convention started 1:30pm to 5pm, I just listened the story.

Well, next day, I could join the green tour as monitor for free 😀

We got on tour bus to rural from city.

Rural scenery~*

The bus stopped at stork’s place.

We saw the storks.
When he came to this place some years ago, his beak was broken…!
But rural people has taking care of him until today.
Around the stork’s place, there are totally organic rice fields.
Sounds nice~ 🙂

Well,,,, but very cold!!

We got on bus again, then arrived at Onsen*
There was onsen at outside just beside ocean, so feeling good but cold..though..

There was meeting with Bento~*

This is the Bento, made by local and organic ingredients 🙂
Yummy~!

After dinner, we got on the bus again to dark mountain…

when we got off the bus, just I could see the decoration lights on small street to old house!
It’s AOI-IE in Sakaguchi area, Echizen-shi.

This is the entrance.
Very old style.

This is the inside, meeting area.

Wow, so old!! It was the first time I came such a old style Japanese house!!
Looks so interesting!! XD

We tourist had chatting until midnight.

We slept here.
It seems like a school trip(LOL)

Next morning, we wake up at 4:30am, then headed to fishery harbor by car.

Very cold though…

In 20min,,, a light was coming from ocean!!

The fish boat was coming~!!!

Fresh fishes came out on the table from fishing net!

Wow!! What a big squids!!
They were washed by water.

Big squids…

These are small fishes.

Our host bought these fresh fishes, then we went back to old house, AOI-IE.

When the host was cooking, we went to bed again to sleep…zzz.

Then we ate fresh sashimi and many local cuisine~.
We couldn’t eat all as too much!!
(Sorry, no photos…)

This is the AOI-IE where we stayed.

After breakfast, we do hiking on old pass on the mountain from Edo era!!

This is the big bell for avoid mountain bear.

This is the sign about old pass.

But wait… where is the entrance??
There is no pass I think??

This is the pass!
Wow~, I thought it’s just mountain slope!!

Walk walk.

I don’t know which one is the pass..(LOL)
Interesting!!

It wouldn’t be surprised if bear was coming…

Walk walk.

This is the rock called “Benkei’s foot print”.
Benkei is famous historical warrior from Genji.
It’s double size from my foot print.
Is it true??

We walked around a half hours, then..

we got to ocean~!!!
Wow!! It’s awesome we got to ocean after mountain pass!!

We walked around Echizen-ocean side-pass.

We found Kitamaebune!

We went to Kitamaebune museum at last.

The rural experience tour finished~.

It was short time but there were many things to do!!
Interesting experience in Japanese rural 😀

This is the one of green tourism in Japan~.