[Cycling] Pleasant ride through the charming farmlands with stunning scenery

[Farmhouse Kehare] Harvest the fresh vegetables with your own two hands

[Musuhi] Make your very own unique coaster

[Ogo Shuku Honjin Ato] A rare chance to experience thatching from start to finish

[Hata Green Village] Our rides for the day

[Hata Green Village] Safety first - helmets a must!

[Hata Green Village] Once we are ready the journey begins

[Cycling] Taking a rest as we continue our journey

[Cycling] Marveling at the charming countryside beauty

[Cycling] Lush terraced rice paddies symbolic of the farming villages

[Farmhouse Kehare] Get a taste of rural life in an old folk house

[Farmhouse Kehare] Head out to harvest seasonal produce with local farmers

[Farmhouse Kehare] Harvest different produce in each season

[Farmhouse Kehare] Enjoy the embrace of nature along the way to the fields

[Farmhouse Kehare] Delicious fresh vegetables

[Farmhouse Kehare] Gather a lot of fresh veggies for lunch

[Farmhouse Kehare] A rare chance to harvest various produce at once

[Farmhouse Kehare] A quick visit to a local shrine before lunch

[Farmhouse Kehare] Making lunch with the vegetables you gathered yourself

[Farmhouse Kehare] The taste of rice prepared in a traditional kamado is truly special

[Farmhouse Kehare] A plethora of time-tested tools and utensils

[Farmhouse Kehare] A moment of respite before lunch

[Farmhouse Kehare] Try your hand at cooking with a kamado

[Farmhouse Kehare] From the field to the plate - all by your own two hands

[Farmhouse Kehare] Soak up the unique atmosphere of an authentic folk house

[Farmhouse Kehare] Nothing stimulates the appetite like freshly cooked rice

[Farmhouse Kehare] A meal you made from scratch with freshly gathered produce tastes amazing

[Farmhouse Kehare] Enjoy the meal with pleasant conversation

[Farmhouse Kehare] Saying farewell to the friendly farmers

[Cycling] Admiring the farmland scenery

[Shakubuji] Visit the temple that continues to serve as spiritual center for the locals

[Shakubuji] History captured in painting adorning the otherwise off-limits main hall

[Shakubuji] The 25 meters tall 3-story pagoda is an important cultural asset

[Shakubuji] Old houses with thatched roofs are visible from the temple approach

[Musuhi] The exterior of the workshop is decorated with beautiful bamboo

[Musuhi] Splitting bamboo into thin strips in a display of precise craftsmanship

[Musuhi] The workshop interior is decorated with bamboo objects

[Musuhi] Make your own bamboo coaster under the guidance of a master craftsman

[Musuhi] The bamboo weaving may look simple but it is quite a challenge

[Musuhi] A display of gratitude to the master craftsman for the special experience

[Musuhi] Finally a break with sweets made with bamboo

[Musuhi] Enjoy your well-deserved moment of rest with sweets and a cup of tea

[Musuhi] Bamboo experience instructor and staff

[Ogo Shuku Honjin Ato] Thatching experience using a replica of a part of a thatched roof

[Ogo Shuku Honjin Ato] Learn about roof thatching and its relation to Japan

[Ogo Shuku Honjin Ato] Roof thatching experience with sedge

[Ogo Shuku Honjin Ato] An easy to understand demonstration by the artisan

[Ogo Shuku Honjin Ato] It’s not just the roof; the wall are thatched as well

[Ogo Shuku Honjin Ato] Tools of the thatching trade

[Ogo Shuku Honjin Ato] Fully focused on the deceptively easy looking thatching

[Ogo Shuku Honjin Ato] Look the part with an artisan bandana around your forehead

[Ogo Shuku Honjin Ato] Split the workload and work side by side

[Ogo Shuku Honjin Ato] A commemorative picture of the roof we made together