Now we've reached the third installment of the Tokigawa special!
The second installment from last time is here!
Finally, we move on to the main topic! We talked about the Tokigawa Outdoor Festival and interviewed GEMS GRILL, who are involved in the festival, about the relocation consultation that will be held within the festival, and we interviewed people who have actually relocated there. We thought that there must be quite a few people who actually go out to the mountains and are interested in living in the Satoyama area. We also talked a little bit about the mountains of Tokigawa.
table of contents
First up is Mt. Yumitate!
We decided to visit an easy-to-climb rural mountain in Tokigawa, so we headed to Yumitateyama, which is recommended in the area as being easy to climb.
Suddenly, we're almost at the top.
First, we were greeted by the observation deck! It looked like it hadn't been built that long and was beautiful.
That brings back memories!? That was also installed (for a fee, of course)
Nice view, feels great!
The summit can be seen from here, so let's go there too.
Yes, we reached the summit!
The view from here is also amazing, and although it is a low mountain, the sense of openness is quite impressive.
Well, I'll hurry back. Why did I start from the top? Because I made a mistake (lol).
You can actually drive almost to the top of Mt. Yumitate by car - that's the magic of Satoyama. It's about a 5-10 minute drive from the parking space along a well-maintained path like this. That's how you get to this view. Of course, you can also climb the whole way from the bottom, or just go up quickly. It's not a problem if everyone who wants to climb the mountain is in good shape, but I think there are people who, for various reasons, can't walk the whole way up, but still want to see a beautiful view from the top of the mountain.
Mt. Yumitate is perfect for such people, and I think it's great that you can enjoy mountain climbing in any way.
Now onto GEMS GRILL!
It's a little bit deep in the mountains, but if you go in the opposite direction from the main street of Tokigawa to the intersection that leads to Jikoji Temple, which we saw in the first installment, you will reach GEMS GRILL.
A stylish sight emerges suddenly from the mountain path. As you enter, you'll see a Segway parked right in the administration building in front of you! It's only available on the premises, but you can rent one and try it out.
Opposite the administration building is the high ground area for BBQ. With 15 tables, it is suitable for a variety of weather conditions.
Across the road and river from the facility is a riverside area with a wooden deck!
An example of business hours @GEMS GRILL
This is for those who want to get closer to the natural environment and can splash around in the river next to the deck.
Next to the spacious wooden deck area, there is a premium area with only two tables upstream, which is perfect for those who value privacy.Further upstream there is also a tent area!
Tent area view @GEMS GRILL
Now, let's go back to the administration building, where there is a small shop and cafe for BBQ visitors.
Of course, ice-cold drinks are always available! There seems to be an RV park next to the administration building.
Simply put, this is a facility where you can come empty-handed and enjoy a BBQ! You can also play in the river and camp, and stay overnight at the RV park. Representative Sekiwa-san also appeared, and when I asked him why he came here, he told me that he is also a driving force behind the Tokigawa Outdoor Festival, so I couldn't help but hear all about it.
-How did GEMS GRILL start and what kind of place is it?
It all started in July 2022 (2022 again!). This place used to be a materials storage area for another company. We bought it and started by clearing it out... It was a huge pile of junk (laughs). It took us two full months to clear it out with the help of some senior citizens from the town. From there, we finally started building the facilities in preparation for the opening, but the most difficult part was the wooden deck across the river.
To bring in the materials, we couldn't get a car in, so we built a homemade slide to lower the materials to the opposite bank and then unload them, and there were over 200 (!) posts supporting the wooden deck. We asked a contractor to build the management building.
Our main business model is to allow customers to come empty-handed and enjoy a BBQ. Of course, we are particular about the ingredients we use, using organic vegetables grown locally in Tokigawa town, domestic meat, and our original, additive-free sauces! Some courses also come with large sausages, made by the famous local shop "Kobuta no Shippo," which are very popular for their volume and delicious taste. Kobuta no Shippo will also be setting up a stall at the Tokigawa Outdoor Festival on Sunday, the 28th!
An example of the course menu looks incredibly delicious! @GEMS GRILL
-The story of the launch of the Tokigawa Outdoor Festival.-
One day, I got a call from the mayor saying, "Is there anything private citizens can do to liven up this town?" At first I was like, "Huh?" (wry smile), but then I thought, "Well, since he asked me, I'll do it." But then I wondered what to do, and wondered if it would be a good idea to try holding some kind of event. That's when I started paying attention to NONIWA, who I'd heard were doing some interesting things in town.
At that time, the store was about to open as GRID, so I thought I'd go and check it out when it opened. It was our first time meeting them, but I asked them if they wanted to do something together, and they said that was a good idea. We decided to expand on the "outdoor town" that GRID was advocating and turn it into an event! That's how the Tokigawa Outdoor Festival began.
This year's Tokigawa Outdoor Festival is also being held under the keyword "living," and with the cooperation of Matsumoto Construction, a construction company operating in Tokigawa Town, NONIWA is for fun, GEMS GRILL is for eating, and Matsumoto Construction is for living. We hope to strike a good balance by focusing on these three pillars.
The moment when the three pillars of the Tokigawa Outdoor Festival were decided.
As expected, the last outdoor festival was a huge success, which has led to the 2025 festival this year. I think we can attract even more visitors this time. So I think it would be even better if the town provided even more support than before.
-Finally, a word about the Tokigawa Outdoor Festival!-
This will be the third time we've held the event, and I feel like it's finally becoming more well-known, so I think that maybe other towns could take advantage of the excitement that these events create in the town! I want to make this an event that's not just about holding a festival, but one that shows "something" that leads to something beyond.
GEMS GRILL is also involved in the management of the Tokigawa Outdoor Festival. If you want to enjoy a BBQ without bringing anything with you, while being blown by the clear stream and pleasant breeze, this is the perfect place. You can also get there by public transportation, so it's surprisingly easy to get there!
GEMS GRILL
・1569-3 Nishihira, Tokigawa-cho, Hiki-gun, Saitama Prefecture
・℡090-4129-2802
・Reservations are required. Please make reservations through the official website or Tsukutsuku.
Official website : https://gemsgrill.net/
Tsukutsuku GEMSGRILL website https://home.tsuku2.jp/storeDetail.php?scd=0000215420
Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gemsgrill/
More stories about living and relocating!
On another day, thanks to the arrangements made by the Tokigawa Town Hall, I was able to hear from someone who had moved to the town. So, you can get advice on relocating at the Tokigawa Outdoor Festival?! So I thought it would be great to hear from someone who has moved to the town as well. This is that interview.
-The story of Mr. X who immigrated to Japan-
I moved to Tokigawa Town a few years ago, and the reason for this was that I got to know a farmer there and would frequently visit the town to help with farm work. During those visits, I vaguely thought that I wanted to live in Tokigawa Town. Looking back, the farmer was holding a rice harvesting event, and that was what first led me to come to Tokigawa Town. Another big factor was that I had always been interested in safe, pesticide-free organic vegetables.
I decided to move about a year after I started helping out, and the more I continued going, the more I felt the desire to move. Now that I've moved, I'd like to compare it to my previous place and see which is better. To be honest, I'd say both have their merits.
The place where I originally lived was close to Tokyo, so it was easy to get around and get around easily, so I didn't need a car. So when I moved to Tokigawa, I got rid of my car. However, although there are buses and trains here, I still have limited time to use them, so I ended up buying a car.
However, I was able to rediscover the joy of owning a car and driving. I also wanted to cultivate a field and grow vegetables, so although I was happy with the life I had back then, I feel that Tokigawa Town is a good fit for me now.
-Do you have any advice for people who want to move to Tokigawa Town?
First of all, it's an area rich in nature, which is what attracted me to it and led me to move here. Also, everyone in Tokigawa is very kind to newcomers, which I think is a big factor. As for the procedures for moving here, this may just be my personal opinion, but they went smoothly and without any particular difficulties. If I had to say, the most difficult part might be finding a place to live in the first place, a property. The town has a system called a vacant house bank, so it might be a good idea to make use of that. After that, it felt just like a normal move.
There is also a trial relocation facility for those who are interested in Tokigawa! It is called Trial Housing Yamanaka!
I mentioned earlier that time is limited due to the number of trains, but there are buses and trains, so it's not too difficult to get to the city center by public transportation, and it's not that far away either.
For those who want to experience moving to a new place, there are trial housing facilities called Mannaka, which you might want to try out.
Trial Housing Yamanaka Official Website https://tokigawaotameshi.jimdofree.com/
So, it seems like the hurdles to moving to Tokigawa Town are surprisingly low. It might be just right for those who want to live in the mountains!
To conclude the event, Tokigawa Out Door Fes 2025.2days!
The Tokigawa Out Door Fes is coming up at the end of this month! It will be held over two days on September 27th and 28th, 2025! There will be even more exhibitors than last time, making it even more powerful!
There will be a wide variety of activities, workshops, delicious food, and more! A special guest will also be there on the 28th, making this a two-day event that will boost Tokigawa Town's outdoor activities with the three pillars of play, eating, and living! By the way, if you pick up this flyer in town, you can exchange it for a discount coupon.
So, what did you think of this triple feature on Tokigawa? The Tokigawa Out Door Fes is sure to be two days packed with the charm of Tokigawa! It's the perfect event for a hot late summer day. If you're interested, you'll have to go to Tokigawa Town on the day!
Tokigawa Out Door Fes2025
・Venue / River Square Barbecue Area / 4439-5 Tamagawa, Tokigawa-cho, Hiki-gun, Saitama Prefecture
・Dates: September 27th, 2025, 10:00-16:00 / September 28th, 2025, 10:00-15:00
Admission fee: Adults 500 yen / Junior high school students 100 yen / Elementary school students and younger free
・2-day discount: If you have a wristband for the first day, the second day is 300 yen for adults
・Temporary parking lots are available from P1 to P8
・The event will proceed even if it rains, but will be cancelled if the weather is severe. If the event is cancelled, we will announce it on our official social media accounts.
Official Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/tokigawa_outdoor_fes/
Contact us at tokigawa.outdoor@gmail.com
Yans
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