Nonno-no-mori Nature Center
Welcome to Nonno-no-mori, a nature center and forest-therapy base. Please relax in the wood-paneled open space and café. The center offers information about experiences in the local environment through guided tours and forest therapy.
What is forest therapy?
Forest therapy, known as shinrin-yoku in Japanese, originated in Japan. It is a therapeutic practice that fosters physical and mental well-being. It holds that immersing yourself in a forest environment stimulates the senses and is calming for both body and soul.
Inside the center
The simply designed wooden building is built from Japanese larch, and the scent of the wood pervades the center. The café serves drinks and snacks in seating looking out on the surrounding forest. The center has a selection of toys for young children; for adults,
there are plenty of coffee-table books on nature and design on the shelves, as well as leaflets and pamphlets with local information. There is a designated tour desk where visitors can find out about the numerous nature tours and other activities available in the area.
Nature tours
The center offers a range of tours and nature-oriented activities. Discover the benefits of forest therapy or learn how to create aromatherapy oil from the sap of fir and spruce trees. Take part in a stargazing tour or hire a private guide to lead you through the forest. In the winter, follow in the footsteps of the Japanese deer on a river walk (the deer prefer to walk through the shallow water during the winter rather than traverse the snowy banks), or strap on a pair of snowshoes and explore the local area with a guide.
Outside the center
Two nature trails begin at the center. The shorter trail (1.4 kilometers) takes around 30 minutes, and the longer 2.4-kilometer trail takes approximately 80 minutes. The trails run through the forest, where brightly colored Japanese primroses bloom in mid-June.