Mt. Takamaru Sennen no Mori Fureai-Kan
This community center is also a management office for the Mt. Takamaru forest. Its exhibits explain the background of the Millennium Forest Project, the history of symbiosis between humans and forests, the relationship between Mt. Takamaru and rice terraces, and the wildlife of Mt. Takamaru. (As of 2020, there were no English written explanations.)
The staff organizes activities and interactive educational events to encourage deeper bonds between the community and the mountain forests. The year-round interactive programs are open to the public and feature activities designed to make use of the forest’s resources, offer forest education, and teach cultivation. They include:
Forest Utilization
- Cooking with herbs collected on the mountain and in the village
- Rope tree climbing
- Craft making with twigs
- Building a wooden play kitchen
Forest Education
- Lectures on forests and trees
- Lectures on reading forest maps
- Wild bird observation
- Insect observation
Forest Cultivation
- Deer-proofing to protect the beech forest
- Vine cutting and pruning
- Growing saplings from seeds