Japan is often thought of as a country representing the latest in electronics and technology. To the surprise of many, Japan is also a country deeply intertwined with nature, and calling it a land of forest and mountains wouldn’t be an exaggeration. This tour starts off at Kurokawa Onsen's information center. From here we head towards the serene forest Seiryu-no-Mori where we will do a light hike together with a local lumberjack into an unattended and often unseen cedar forest.

In the forest, our local guide will teach us about the significance of tending to the woods, teach us the techniques necessary to fell a tree and we will also use the timber to make simple log-constructs in the woods. After we have finished we will jump into our car and head towards another cedar forest. Here we can see the beauty of a well-tended forest to help us truly feel the importance of maintaining a mountain.

After an active morning exploring the forests of Minamioguni, it’s time to refill our stomachs. And no better place to do this than at a local farmer's house where we can enjoy regional cuisine made with some of the best locally sourced ingredients and some heartwarming Japanese hospitality. And if time allows for it, we can take a slight detour and stop by the oldest cedar in Minamioguni. A giant beast that is over 1200 years old and just happens to be located a 10 – 15 min walk from our hosts.

Our final destination will be Anai Lumbermill. Here we will get a guided tour of the lumbermill to learn more about the properties of the local cedar, as well as get an insight into the process after felling a tree. As we pass through the lumbermill we will keep walking past rice fields until we arrive at their small workshop. Here we will learn of and try out their innovative way of using cedar to create aroma candles. At last, around 4 p.m. the car will take us to the bus stop (for Kumamoto/Fukuoka) where the tour will conclude.