PR Newswire - "Sanpoku Bio-Regional Park" to Launch in May in Northeastern Japan

MURAKAMI, Japan, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Sanpoku Revitalization Council will launch in May the "Sanpoku Bio-Regional Park" in the Sanpoku area of Murakami City, Niigata Prefecture, northeastern Japan. The park offers visitors the opportunity to experience nature in its purest form, unique to this region. Through coastal erosion, Japan's only fishing method, and renowned natural spring water, visitors can discover the richness of biodiversity.

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The region stretching from Kuwagawa to Ogoto, and Fuya in the Sanpoku area of Murakami City is now expanding as a bio-regional park. This area preserves the deep-rooted relationship between nature and people, featuring untouched landscapes in an environment that remains as it has been for centuries. To fully immerse visitors in this unique environment, the council is introducing new tour courses:

-Blue Tourism: Observe the nationally designated scenic spot and natural monument of the Sasagawa Nagare coastline.

-Green Tourism: Savor the renowned natural waters of Kichijou Shimizu and Karei-zan Shimizu in the deep mountains.

-Forest Tourism: Experience "Kodo fishing," a traditional method passed down for over 350 years.

Blue Tourism
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The Sasagawa Nagare coastal area stretches approximately 11 km from Hamashinbo (Mt. Torigoe) to Samukawa (Kitsunezaki). It has been designated the National Place of Scenic Beauty and Natural Monument and Niigata Prefectural Natural Park due to its breathtaking and diverse coastal scenery. The coastline features a striking landscape of rock formations, caves, and cliffs sculpted by the sea's erosion.

Forest Tourism
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From late autumn to early winter, schools of salmon return to the Okawa River and Gatsugi River in the Sanpoku district. The traditional "Kodo fishing" method, practiced for over 350 years in the Okawa River, is a unique and historical fishing technique seen nowhere else in Japan. During the peak fishing season (October to mid-December), the riverside becomes lively with local fishermen eagerly anticipating the return of salmon.

Green Tourism
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The "Kichijou Shimizu" in the Ogoto district, recognized among Japan's Top 100 Famous Waters, and the "Karei-zan Shimizu" in the deep mountains are Niigata's famous waters. The most distinctive feature of this region is its geographical setting, where mountainous areas directly connect to the sea, creating a rich and diverse natural environment.

Official website: https://sanpoku.org/