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Ai Nishimura
Administrator of the blog "My Diary," which began in 2004. A writer who has traveled to all 47 prefectures and loves local culture and history.
Author of Shimane's "Geography, Place Names, and Maps" Mysteries (Jitsugyo no Nihonsha), My Town is the "Number One in Japan" Dictionary (PHP Institute), and Prefectures Explained in Neko Neko Japanese History (Jitsugyo no Nihonsha). Official blogger for Suntory Gourmet Guide, official top user for Retty, and official platinum blogger for Excite.
We enjoyed various activities at Act Village Ono, another spot in the Ono area where tea plantations spread. It is recommended for those who want to enjoy the great outdoors while traveling. We enjoyed various experiences mainly around Lake Ono and played until we were sweating. Afterwards, we talked to young farmers who will lead the next generation, and ended our trip in Ube with a moment of relaxation and rest that you can't find in the city.
Enjoy the whole day! Canoeing while looking at lush greenery, your first day camp.
We took a bus to Act Village Ono. However, there were very few buses on this route, so we made plans to spend time there from early in the morning until late in the evening.
Act Village Ono is a facility for environmental education and exchange located beside Lake Ono, a dam lake. You can enjoy various activities using the lake. The most popular are boats and canoes. The lake surface is calm, so it is suitable for beginners. You can also learn how to ride (reservations required), so you can rest assured.
You can also enjoy casual outdoor experiences such as day camping and one-day barbecues. There are plenty of rental equipment available, and the facilities have clean water, so the whole family can enjoy themselves.
Lake Ono also plays a role in the cultivation of tea from Yamaguchi. The aforementioned Fujikawachi Tea Farm is located nearby, and the tea fields, which were created by clearing the mountainous area, are covered in morning mist that rises from Lake Ono due to the difference in temperature throughout the day. The mist has a positive effect on the growth of the tea, resulting in delicious tea.
Lake Ono, a large dam lake in the Ono area, is not only a water reservoir for the people of Ube, but also a valuable water source for the industrial area.
The weather was fine from the morning. "Act Village Ono" is a 10-minute walk from the nearest bus stop, Hanaka.
Nearby, there is a stone monument that tells the history of tea growing in this area. Shichifuku Tea Farm has a longer history than Fujikawachi Tea Farm, and although it is a smaller farm, tea is still grown there today.
Ono is all about tea! I visited tea manufacturer Yamaguchi Tea Co. (even their store is brown!) with a big appetite, hoping to get some soft serve ice cream, but luckily I also got to see the tea production site. With the delicious aroma of tea leaves wafting outside, I enjoyed the soft serve ice cream made with Ono tea. The bitterness of Ono tea added a unique flavor to the ice cream, which was incredibly delicious.
Act Village Ono offers a wide range of experiences, including exhibits on the environment and nature in the multipurpose hall.
The boathouse houses canoes and boats. It also has changing rooms and is used for hands-on learning for children.
Boat races are held on Lake Ono, and the Lake Ono Boat Club also offers boating classes. Avid members came to practice.
The surface of Lake Ono is calm. After getting ready together with the children who were there for the hands-on activity, I jumped in.
It was a scorching hot day, but as I glided out on the lake in a canoe, the pleasant breeze felt great. It was an extraordinary experience, and I forgot all about my stress.
The children seemed to learn in no time and could be seen rowing leisurely.
There are also other facilities, both indoors and outdoors. I had the opportunity to try out tea making at the experience workshop. In the kitchen, you can steam the tea leaves, roll them, and more.
Tea leaves are a crop that can only be eaten after they have been processed. Learning about the manufacturing process really piques your interest in tea.
The tea leaves are picked in the "Isshi Sanyo" style (three leaves from one branch). You can also experience picking tea leaves at Shichifuku Tea Farm.
In what is said to be the third camping boom, stylish camping has become popular. Some people may want to try it once and then get serious about it.
There is also a place for day camping, so you can enjoy the outdoors to the fullest while feeling the nature around the lake. There is also a pizza oven in the cooking building.
If you're looking for a more traditional meal, try the restaurant "Kamameshi no Sato," where you can enjoy freshly cooked kamameshi.
Act Village Ono allowed me to try out a variety of activities. It was my first time to try out so many activities, and it was a new way of traveling. Immersing myself in nature allowed me to relax and open my heart.
Makokko Farm produces jewel-like mini tomatoes grown by a young farmer who has returned to his hometown.
Makokko Farm is located in the Ono district, just like Act Village Ono. The temperature rose from the morning on this day and it was quite hot, but the couple worked hard in the even more humid greenhouse. We had the opportunity to talk to the couple, who are promoting agriculture in Ube.
"Makokko Farm" was opened by Sachiko Saiki, who was born and raised in Ube City and returned to her hometown, and her husband Makoto, who moved to Ube City with her. Makoto studied agriculture at a university in the Kanto region. He got a job at an agricultural publishing company, where he met Sachiko.
After that, the two moved to Ube and started farming. They grow vegetables in six greenhouses and a 50-acre field. They treat agriculture head-on as a business, carefully managing productivity and profitability, and practicing methods that increase sustainability. They also play a central role among young farmers, serving as co-representatives of the brand "Passionate Farm Project Toppin" (a dialect word that means "immediately" or "quickly").
Inside the greenhouse, colorful tomatoes hang in clusters. They are sold while still ripe on the vine.
The area is surrounded by clean water and is home to many fireflies. The smiles of the couple, who live in harmony with nature and take their lives seriously while also enjoying it, left a strong impression on me.
This trip was a deep exploration of the limited area known as "Ube City."
Although it has an industrial side, it also has an abundance of nature and art. I realized that the town was built over the years, and that the charm of the town of Ube is born from these two elements complementing and supporting each other.
I also met many people who love Ube and learned about how great it is to live there, making it a trip with a slightly different perspective than usual.
We visited Makoto and Sachiko Saiki, who started farming in the Ono area. At this time of year, tomatoes were in full bloom at Makokko Farm.
Mr. and Mrs. Saiki, who run Makokko Farm, are a U-turn and I-turn couple. They started farming in the idyllic Ono area with their three children. They grow not only tomatoes, but also pumpkins, white onions, and other crops.
Inside the six greenhouses, five colorful tomatoes are planted.
There was also a greenhouse full of flowers. Even though the tomatoes are colorful, the flowers are basically yellow.
Tomato flowers. The more flowers there are, the more fruit there will be.
Green tomatoes. Even when fully ripe, they're still green! I can't tell which ones are fully ripe no matter how hard I try lol
"Passionate Farm Project Toppin" is a brand created by young farmers, including Mr. and Mrs. Saiki. "Toppin" is a Yamaguchi dialect word meaning "immediately, quickly," and expresses their desire to deliver fresh vegetables.
They don't push themselves too hard, but they're also open to new challenges. We have high hopes for these young farmers who have hidden energy. They were a lovely couple with lovely smiles.
A house surrounded by a lake and greenery. "Tumugu" is a general goods and cafe.
"Tumugu" is located at the entrance to Act Village Ono. Its chic color scheme makes it unassuming, so some people may pass by without even noticing.
The owner of this place is Mayumi Yasuda, who lives in Ube City. Yasuda says that the space called Tumugu is a part of herself, and that she has been in touch with Tumugu as she has changed, without being bound by objects or events.
In the back of the store, they sell clothes, hats, tableware, and other lifestyle items that they have selected from various places. They also hold cooking classes on a regular basis, and the cafe menu for the day included homemade drinks and ice cream.
The interior of the store is clean, but the breeze blowing off the lake surface is pleasant, and the location means that sparkling greenery is within reach. A "rich life" is not about acquiring many things, but about "choosing." Yasuda-san, who made me feel this way, is a "professional at choosing," and I felt that this is why he is someone everyone looks up to.
We stopped by the stylish cafe "tumugu" at Act Village Onode.
The owner, Mayumi Yasuda, is a person with great sensitivity. One day, she had a dream about a cafe and this place was born from that idea.
Ice cream made with ginger, dried fruits, and nuts. Handmade by Yasuda, who also runs a cooking class.
At the back of the cafe is a space filled with products that the owner has personally selected from among his favorites.
Apparel and lifestyle items fit snugly into this space.
"I want to change 'tumugu' as my own style changes, because I don't know what I'll be like tomorrow." This cafe is like an alter ego for Yasuda.
It was such a cozy place that I wanted to relax there forever. It is open irregularly, so please check the shop's website or Instagram.
The contents published are accurate at the time of publication and are subject to change.
