NAGANO 地球人 WORLD PEOPLE

People often ask me "Where is your favorite part of Japan?" "What was your best experience?" Hard to answer! Life is so full of little wonderful things... and, I think, few people give these little things the importance that they deserve. Let me explain. It is now Spring, the city is blooming and people are going crazy about it. But flowers bloom all year round. Yes, I know, Spring is all about pink cherry blossoms! They are fantastic. But, for me, Spring is also about GREEN. The freshness of the new buds that come just before Golden Week is breath taking... for a brief moment, and then life goes on. These are the little things I like the most. A few years ago, I had one of these moments in Azumino.

The Azumino area is rural valley in the northwest part of Nagano. Route 147 and JR Oito Line weave their way up north from Matsumoto to Hakuba providing a popular winter route for skiing and snowboarding. Personally, I never made it to Hakuba by myself, I always took a turn just on a whim to see what was to be found deeper into the woods or further up stream.

Actually, You don't need to wander too far to find a full pallet of natural greens. Here in Azumino rice fields, buckwheat in bloom, grazing pastures, apple farms, hill foot forests and streams blend into 6 principalities (namely Azumino, Omachi, Ikusaka, Ikeda, Matsukawamura and Hakuba). Oh, and just incase you missed it - behold - the Northern Japan Alps. An impressive view. Folk say that it's the pure, clean water that comes down from the Alps that makes the wasabi so spicy. I don't know about that, but there is definitely loads to see and lots to experience in Azumino. These 6 towns and villages have many things in common, but there is one things that ties them all up together: The Azumino Art Line.

Beneath the colourful patchwork of the pretty blossoms, several fascinating dynamics are at work. The same stunning scenery that draws 20,000 people per year to the Anzu Festival also draws people looking to build homes. With all the new ones being built right now, one wonders if the two valleys are better suited to growing apricots or houses. Then there’s the mix between the traditional varieties of apricots and the modern ones. Throughout the area there are numerous designated ‘heritage trees’ that bear a tart fruit. But they are gradually being replaced by newer varieties that are more reliable fruit producers, with a more palatable, sweeter taste. Lastly, to give away a little trade secret, that jar of apricot jam being sold at the souvenir stand is just as likely to have been made of apricots from Turkey as it is from Grandma Kitahara’s tree!

The Azumino Art Line is a 50km route connecting 20 different museums, galleries and workshops. According to their website http://azumino-artline.net/ "For such a small area this is quite an unusual concentration, not just for Japan but even on a global scale." Anyway, you don't have to visit them all at once, in fact you probably can't even if you tried. Definitely give Azumino Art Line a go. All you need is a route map (available from any venue) and a good, early start. If you need some help on your first day trip read on. My recommendations are just the places I like to visit, specially when friends stop by. You might find other places even more interesting. In any case, you can't go wrong no matter where you go. The Azumino Art Line has been pulling people in since 1999 and new venues area added as they open.

museum café BANANA MOON

Banana Moon is a modern museum set in the Hotaka hill side that houses numerous works by Masahiro Naruse. Inside this simple wooden building you will find a perfectly proportioned guest exhibition space tucked away on the second floor. Perched above the spacious stylish café on the first floor there is a small shop with some must have postcards. Playful, thought provoking paintings by Naruse are exhibited in the main gallery on a rotation basis. Finally, in the smallest gallery space possible, a very limited permanent collection of Naruse's work is on display. This is a very intimate viewing experience, like opening a tiny door to your heart.

You might not know this but you may already be familiar with Naruse's work. You can see his work in bookstores and convenience store nationwide. Give up? Next time you go, take a look at the cover of the Shukan Shinchou magazine. To visit the museum and see the originals will give you a taste for the wonderful world of Banana Moon. If your imagination is as big as the universe, jump into your shooting star and visit Banana Moon. Its out of this world. 500 yen entry fee comes with a free drink.

CHIHIRO BIJUTSKAN 安曇野ちひろ美術館

Housing works by the children's picture book author Chihiro Iwasaki and a huge collection of children's picture books from all over the world and across the ages, the Chihiro Museum is a treasure for Nagano, Japan and the rest of the world. This is a big place and there is so much to see. First of all, the huge 35,000-square meter grounds has been made into a modern park with fun, interactive and musical sculptures that will entertain you and your young ones. Just out of the way you will find a small house modeled on the house that Chihiro Iwasaki lived in, also worth a peek.

The main building is a first class architectural experience itself. You can relax, read, eat and play... so it really feels like home. This wooden wonder houses several quiet exhibit rooms for viewing art, there is also a large visiting gallery space that doubles up as a workshop area. My favorite spaces are the picture book library, the play room, the café with a terrace, and, of course, the museum shop. There is so much interesting work to be enjoyed by both children and adults. If you feel like rediscovering children's picture books a visit to Chihiro Museum can easily take up the whole day. A perfect family outing. Entry fee is 800 yen and the park is free.