Setting
Found in north-east Yamanashi, the mountain village of Tabayama
is perhaps easier to reach from Tokyo than from within Yamanashi
itself. The village is surrounded by the mountains of the Chichibu-Tama
National Park (one of 27 in Japan) which covers parts of the prefectures
of Yamanashi, Nagano, Saitama and Tokyo.
This is a village with a history spanning over a thousand years,
and though the population may be gradually decreasing in the face
of urban migration, when you drive up through the breathtaking
mountain scenery there is still much that Tabayama villagers and
residents here can be proud of and strive to maintain. Over the
last decade or so, various projects have been started to introduce
others to the beauty and special environment of this mountain village.
The Parent-Child Study Programme invites families of primary and
secondary school students to live for a year in the village, mixing
with the locals, experiencing the wonders of nature and becoming
a true part of village life. For high school students, it is necessary
to travel to Tokyo or Enzan, the nearest accessible cities, for
school, and in return Tabayama benefits from tourists travelling
from these and other nearby cities to enjoy what the village has
on offer.
A central focus of Tabayama Village is the
river, which is linked to Japan‘s capital in more ways
than one. This pure and clean mountain river provides not only
the possiblity of fishing and
bathing to tourists coming from Tokyo, but also flows out of Yamanashi
into the famous River Tama which forms the water supply for Tokyo
itself.
Seasons
Tabayama Village is blessed with stunning
scenery all year round. The Grapevine visited in early November,
and witnessed fantastic
autumn colours. Everyone had spoken highly of the kouyou (autumn
red leaves) of the region before this visit, but I was nonetheless
amazed at the true beauty of the colours all around as we drove
along the steep winding mountain roads. Not only red leaves,
but a whole spectrum of warm and bright autumn colours carpeted
the
way, and from the approach to Tabayama we could gain a truly
impressive view of Mount Fuji in its snow-capped glory. Though
winters seem
to be less harsh of late, and Tabayama Village is indeed beautiful
in the snow, it remains too cold or inaccessible for most tourists
and the attractions are closed for the season. Spring sees Japan‘s
ubiquitous sakura cherry trees in bloom, and when summer arrives,
many happy hours can be spent along the river fishing, bathing,
or just relaxing.
