Washi no Sato

In addition to Japanese papermaking and seasonal experiences and workshops related to the Japanese paper, there's soba and udon handmaking experiences, and Japanese paper specialty goods and agricultural products available for purchase. The food court is chock-full of local village cuisine such as salted grilled artic char and oyaki. There's also a thatched-roof paper-making house inside the Japanese garden, where visitors can enjoy a relaxing space straight out of the Edo period.

A brewery which holds a prefectural record for winning the gold medal at the Annual Japan Sake Awards for 8 consecutive years. Matsuoka Brewery originated when first generation brewer Matsuoka Emon, in search of higher quality water, moved his brewery from Niigata to Ogawamachi. The brewing water sourced from the Chichibu mountains has a higher concentration of minerals, pumped from a source 130 meters underground. At our brewery tour (reservation required), visitors can view the brewing warehouse, learn about the sake brewing process and enjoy a sake tasting. The Daiginjo (super premium sake) ice cream available at the brewery direct sales shop is a hit with children and adults alike. There is also a brewery restaurant, “Shofuan,” adjacent to the facility.

About 12 million poppies bloom in full on this vast slope 500 meters above sea level. The contrast between the red poppies and clear blue sky is a sight to behold. Coinciding with the peak bloom season, the "Poppies in the Sky" (Tenku no Poppy) event is held here, and local gourmet food and specialty products are available for sale. A temporary parking lot is also made available. We hope to see you there!

Tokigawa Town, prosperous in local lumber production, is one of the largest producer of wood fixtures in the Kanto region. While our shop focuses on wood fixtures, we also sell furniture, handicrafts and agricultural products made with warmth and care by our master craftspeople. We also accept consultations for made to order wood fixtures and furniture. How about owning your own one-of-a-kind item?

Passing along a road within the mountains, you will come to a direct sales farmers market built from Japanese cypress (hinoki). The shop specializes in mountain mushrooms and wild vegetables harvested in the Ohno region. The “Chirimen Norabō-na,” only available at this shop, is popular every year for its sweetness. The building is the oldest of the town's four direct sales shops, and is said to be the model for Myōkaku Station, which has the same octagonal shape.