Villager Highlights

Former school teacher, retired early to pursue his passion. He tries to use local resources as much as possible, such as clay, homemade glaze, and firewood to create pieces that are uniquely “Nishiawakura.” A pottery-making workshop is available upon request. Mid-October is the time to come as you get to participate in a once-a-year firing process of his chambered climbing kiln with local volunteers from all walks of life. Mingle with them at your heart’s content while sharing kiln-baked pizza served with local sake!

Teruo Ishikawa moved to Nishiawakura in 2014 after finishing his long career as a product designer, which, at one point, had him create the first TV sold at Walmart in the US. Exploring the possibilities of starting a social business with his passion for music and making musical instruments for some time, Mr Ishikawa launched the Mori no Oto project, taking advantage of the accessibility of affordable local thinned cedar. Music-making sessions with his handmade banjo at his studio are always joyful.

Nanako Suzuki made Nishiawakura Village her home after the 2011 Great Kanto earthquake, as she lost the house she was about to move into. Surviving the ordeal, she dedicated her life to creating textile products dyed with plants, including local Japanese cypress bark. Nanako only uses organically grown cotton and is mindful of minimizing the production process’s impact on the natural environment. She owns a shop called "Someya Suzuki". Hands-on activities are available by request.

Ohad Sheinwald Feuer (known as Lifa), an Israeli blacksmith, woodworker, and architect, ended up in our village after an adventure covering a few continents in 2015. With his creativity and ingenuity, Lifa restored a 150-year old traditional thatched farmhouse where he works and lives with his wife and four beautiful children. True to his theme of “empowerment” imbued in all his creations, his unwavering commitment to and tenacious pursuit of finding solutions where there is none is inspiring. His oldest son, aged 12, is already forging, and his metal hooks are available for sale in their shop, which has been converted from a stable.

Akiyama-san is the cornerstone of our village community. He's known for his unwavering commitment to creating a third space for everyone, from the elderly to young children. He is a founding member of NPO MuLabo, which seeks innovative solutions to the challenges faced in rural areas, such as transportation, abandoned houses and access to cultural events. His visionary spirit inspired the Forest Arts Festival to take place in Autumn 2024, offering villagers a unique opportunity to connect with nature and showcase their creativity.

Haruna Imai has always been interested in Japanese traditional culture. Unlike many of her peers, she can put on a kimono herself, knows how to do tea ceremony and, on top of that, she taught herself how to make Japanese confectionery (wagashi). As you can see in the picture, it is a work of art and looks too go to eat! Weather permitting, we can have an outdoor matcha tea making session in a park up on the hill afterwards, admiring a variety of blossoms in lush shades of green all year around.

Takatsune Hayashi is a third-generation carpenter. Growing up, he saw his father working hard but never up close enough to know what carpentry was about. Young Takatsune wasn’t allowed in the workshop as it wasn’t safe, so he was told. But he fondly remembers the carpenters who worked for his father and how sometimes the team entertained him after work. At 16, Takatsune left the village to study architecture in a local high school and then moved to Osaka to find a job at a construction company and became a construction site manager. January 1995 turned his life upside down when the Kobe earthquake occurred. The apartment building where he lived got damaged. Nevertheless, he went to rescue people in a more severely damaged area. During the reconstruction of the affected area, Takatsune saw how local carpenters fixed buildings and built houses. He was in awe of their skills and creativity. After this turn of events, Takatsune returned to the village and shared his determination to pursue carpentry. For the first ten years of his career, he had plenty of opportunities to build houses using traditional carpentry techniques, forming his foundation as an artist. Takatsune says, “You can make anything with wood, and it’s best to use the local timber whenever possible.” For the last decades, Takatsune has been exploring artistic applications of his carpentry skills and exhibiting his works across Japan. Alongside his creative endeavors, he travels wherever he is invited to educate the younger generation about traditional Japanese carpentry. “I’m nearly 50 and the village’s youngest carpenter. I do worry about not being able to preserve our carpentry culture, so if there is anyone interested in learning more about it, I’m happy to do whatever and go wherever.”

Hada-san has become a prominent member of the entrepreneurial community here in the village. He moved to Nishiawakura to join Mori no Gakko (now A0 group) in 2015. Wanting to find a way for his neighborhood, Chisha District, inhabited only by 40 people to survive and thrive well into the future, he decided to go into farming seeing the great potential in chicken/egg farming. In addition, his company offers graphic design, consulting, and marketing services.

"In June 2024, my partner, our toddler, and I moved to Nishiawakura Village. After spending three years in Southern France, we envisioned living in rural Japan to raise our son in my homeland and immerse ourselves in a nature-rich environment. Over the course of about a year, we traveled to various potential locations, one of which was Nishiawakura. During our visits, we reconnected with a former middle school classmate who runs a forestry company here. Our conversations eventually turned to the possibility of contributing to rural revitalization efforts focused on forest-related activities—and here we are! With the Tatara Trails project, we connect people to forests by offering a range of activities described below: For centuries, tatara smelting shaped the relationship between people and the forest in this region. Exploring forest paths and visiting sacred shrines offers a deeper understanding of that connection, helping us reconnect with both nature and ourselves. Our customizable tours for individuals and groups provide opportunities to explore and rekindle personal and collective relationships with the forest. Whether you’re looking for a few hours or an overnight trip, gentle birdwatching or challenging climbs, or even a relaxing onsen experience, we tailor each tour to suit your interests. Feel free to contact us for more details!"

I am the CEO of Hyakumori Inc., a forest management company in Nishiawakura Village. At Hyakumori, we focus on managing and utilizing forests in a way that enriches people’s lives through their connection with nature and, in turn, enhances the forests themselves through human involvement. We strive to be guides in various aspects of forest stewardship, fostering a mutually beneficial relationship between people and forests. Most of the village’s forests are Sugi (Japanese cedar) and Hinoki (Japanese cypress), planted in the 1960s as Japan was recovering from World War II and timber was in high demand. Our village’s forestry efforts center around the “百年の森林構想” (Hundred-Year Forest Initiative), which seeks to protect and nurture these forests until they reach 100 years of age. To achieve this, Hyakumori liaises and negotiates with forest owners, conducts forest surveys, designs forest roads, commissions and inspects thinning operations, and applies for relevant subsidies. A key part of our work involves consolidating fragmented forest ownership to improve operational efficiency and safety. We do this by establishing long-term management contracts with individual forest owners, which enables more effective forest stewardship. I lived in the suburbs of New York from 1996 to 2002, but otherwise spent my entire life in Tokyo. Moving to this village in 2017 was quite a change, yet I’ve really enjoyed it. The community here is full of energetic, innovative people, and I’m happy to be surrounded by such positive energy. If you’d like to do anything in the forests—whether it’s a photo shoot, a shinrin-yoku walk, orienteering, camera trapping, or even laser tag—please let me know. My colleagues and I at Hyakumori would be more than happy to assist you.

"Welcome to my corner of the village, where I’ve embraced the beauty of our surroundings and the warmth of our community since relocating from London in 2009 with my French husband and two boys. Inspired by the village motto, “Enjoy life,” I am dedicated to sharing my skills and experiences to contribute positively to our vibrant life here. Connecting with communities around the world through art and sustainability is the heart of our project. By inviting diverse perspectives from overseas guests, we aim to revitalize the local area and inspire residents to see the extraordinary in their everyday lives. Together, we can celebrate creativity and foster a deeper appreciation for our shared environment. I hope we can explore ways to enhance our community spirit and start a journey together to make a meaningful impact in both of our communities."

Renowned for his dynamic teaching style, Olivier blends strength, stability, accessible anatomy, and humor to create engaging yoga classes worldwide. His practical approach combining lecture and asana equips students with the tools to understand anatomy, address common injuries, and frame their teaching to prevent future issues. Guided by his motto, “yoga until 100,” Olivier strives to find depth in the shallow and inspire lifelong practice. Olivier’s yoga journey began in London in 2003 as a means to recover from back pain and running injuries. What started as a recovery tool soon became a passion and way of life. Always a dedicated learner, Olivier recently completed the Advanced Yoga Anatomy course with Tom Myers, further enhancing his understanding of the body and its relationship to yoga practice. Over the years, he has taught extensively, including seven years at Sampoorna Yoga, where he honed his teacher training expertise, and five years at Earth Yoga Village, where he served as lead teacher and developed course content for 200-hour, 300-hour, and Yin yoga teacher training programs. Olivier’s teaching philosophy emphasises honouring the body’s limitations while fearlessly exploring its potential. His patient and persistent approach fosters greater strength, flexibility, and mindfulness in his students. With a light-hearted, compassionate, and playful teaching style, Olivier encourages self-observation without judgment, helping students grow both on and off the mat. For the past 12 years, Olivier has shared his expertise in teacher training programs and retreats across India, Canada, Europe, and Japan. When not teaching or hosting retreats, Olivier values his private life, embracing privacy as a modern luxury. He brings his wealth of knowledge and experience to the YOGART COLLECTIVE, continually inspiring students to deepen their practice and embrace the transformative power of yoga.

In 2009 Daisuke Maki, who came to Nishiawakura as the village’s Regional Revitalization Manager a few years prior, launched his startup Nishiawakura Mori no Gakko to cut, process, and commodify lumber that had previously made little profit. Efforts by Maki and other key players of the village led to more significant employment and an influx of new residents. The company reorganized itself to become A Zero Group in 2023 and is now recognized nationwide for its consultancy services for local venture development projects and the sixth-sector industrialization of forestry, agricultural-welfare collaboration projects and more. The Base 101%, their cafe/restaurant/gift shop, showcases a range of products from food to wooden items designed and produced by the company.