Many people visiting Japan are struck by the contrast of deeply rooted tradition and heritage alongside the most advanced technology and modern infrastructure. This is particularly noticeable in the facilities and projects of Mt. Fuji Satoyama Vacation & Ecotours, where the work of famed Edo period ukiyo-e artist Hokusai is celebrated in a traditional guesthouse, with modern gadgets, run by a man who has dedicated his life to the most modern and progressive of travel trends, ecotourism.
Masanori “Masa” Shintani is worked for 30 years as a consultant to countries all around the world trying to set up ecotourism schemes, but his own company Mt. Fuji Satoyama Vacation & Ecotours is right here in his hometown, ensuring that he gives back to his community. As well as offering a range of eco-tours, e-biking and “bleisure” retreats at his glamping base in rural Shizuoka, Masa has a passion for Hokusai and also runs a guesthouse dedicated to the artist’s epic series ‘Thirty Six Views of Mount Fuji’.
Our visit to the Mt. Fuji Satoyama Vacation & Ecotours Hokusai guesthouse was perfectly timed in that we had, at the exact moment that Masa picked us up, just returned from climbing part of Mount Fuji itself (you can read more about this in my Shizuoka guide). Masa is a lively and jovial guy, with a deep commitment to supporting people in the community (not just his own) and the protecting the land around him for future generations. We were shown around the guesthouse where, indeed, there were a lot of versions of Hokusai’s images of Fuji!
The guesthouse has traditional tatami flooring in the bedrooms and dining area, which are decorated in traditional ways with decorative wall hangings featuring Japanese script, silk kimonos and a large depiction of a dragon. The hallway is wood-clad, with several Hokusai prints and the bathroom has a deep tub which is modern enough to communicate the temperature verbally to you! After a sweaty climb in high humidity, the tub was a perfect way to soothe muscles, but I confess I did have a cold shower first!
Before dinner, we were left to our own devices to enjoy the Mt. Fuji Satoyama Hokusai guesthouse. We quickly familiarised ourselves with the massage chair (possibly the best I’ve ever sat on, but that might be post-climb bias!), the matcha machine and I tried a local beer flavoured with kuromoji (spicebush, a herb known for its relaxing properties) from the local Fujinomiya area. Again, the flavouring was subtle, but I can verify that there was something in the beer that I found very relaxing! There were also lots of interesting books about Hokusai.
Dinner was served at the Japanese table with floor seating. The first two courses consisted of local trout and Masa invited the supplier to come and explain to us how the trout are managed, caught and kept healthy. The first course was smoked trout pate, followed by an array of trout sashimi on a platter, ranging from the fatty pieces of the belly and two other cuts of the raw fish to a lightly grilled sliver. Served with pickles and plain white rice, the trout really shone. Masa also made for us a seasoned beef steak – we had to create our own fresh wasabi paste! – which perfectly finished the meal.
Our room was done in a very traditional style; with sliding screen doors to separate our sleeping areas and low beds (rather than futons). Decor was minimalist and traditional – this is a place to unwind, not to plug in your fifteen devices and watch Youtube in bed. I had an excellent sleep, feeling the gentle undulations of Hokusai’s Great Wave around me (or perhaps again, that was the feeling of my limbs recovering) in the cosy guesthouse of Mt. Fuji Satoyama.
I woke up refreshed; screens in Japan are fairly translucent, so it’s not good if you love to lie in! An early start had been decided upon for e-biking. As a complete e-bike novice, Masa showed me the ropes and we took a practice circuit of some rice paddies before heading to the Shiraito Falls. This horseshoe cliff full of picturesque waterfalls is a local attraction, with the name referring to the thin threads of snowmelt that are filtered through Fuji’s volcanic soil to emerge here.
We hopped back on the e-bikes and had a quick tour of the nearby glamping base also owned by Mt. Fuji Satoyama Vacation & Ecotours. Here you can book a tipi-style tent with furniture, use the shared kitchen and bathroom facilities (which are the nicest I’ve ever seen on a campsite!) and lounge around the deck and BBQ areas. Operating as En-Ya Mt. Fuji Ecotours, they offer e-biking, craft beer tasting, hiking, sake brewery visits and many other opportunities to explore the natural landscape and cultural heritage of the area. You can even take a tour of some of the vantage points from which Hokusai’s art depicts Fuji!
Masa’s wife, Kanako, and their friend prepared a delicious breakfast on our return to the guesthouse. Having heard many tales of Masa’s shiba inu, we had jumped at the chance to take her for a walk with us around his village. This was a great opportunity for Masa to tell us more about the real lives and issues of people in the community, as well as his hopes for the future.
We wrapped up the visit having shaved ice and noodles prepared for us by a Mrs Watanabe and Mr Masatsugu in their roadside store. The ice was more than welcome after the walk in the sunshine (although we and the dog did have a little paddle in the river too) and the noodles gave us the energy to get on the train to continue our adventures in Japan.
If sustainability, community and travelling with curiosity are important to you, you’ll find kindred spirits here at Mt. Fuji Satoyama Vacation & Ecotours. The region of Shizuoka is likely to see a boom in Western tourism in the next few years, but this is a place where you know that services, food and experiences are ethically provided and you will get to see a real slice of Japanese life on the foothills of Fuji.
Mt. Fuji Satoyama Vacation & Ecotours
8-2 Kariyado, Fujinomiya-shi,
Shizuoka-ken 418-0117
Japan
Featured image ©mtfujisatoyamavacation&ecotours
