Posted by Click here to get a free newsletter Zen and a Way of sustainable prosperity: Balance, financial success, and sustainability with the secrets of the Japanese Omi-merchants.
Yesterday, I introduced some cycling routes, and one of them stops at the foot of Mt. Watamuki. Some of you might have wondered about the mountain. Yes, you can climb Mt.Watamuki. From the foot, it takes about 3 hours to climb to the top. So, on another day, climbing the mountain is an option.
The view at the middle.
The view at the top.
There is a lot to do in Hino, and if you want to enjoy the Satoyama life here, you need to stay here for a few days or even longer. However, there aren’t many places where you can stay. This is the disadvantage of not being touristic.
Here are a few places you can stay in Hino.
Fukushimaya-ryokan
It is a small inn, and it has rooms from 4500 yen
0748-52-3448
Green Business Hotel
It is a typical business hotel, and it has rooms from around 6000 yen
0748-53-1001
http://businessgreenhotel.info/hino
Grimm Adventure Forest
This is a camping site at the foot of mountains, and there are many places to go walking or mountain biking around it.
0748-53-0809
You can stay with a local family, too. If you want to experience Satoyama life in Hino, that is the best way. Your host family can let you experience many things; working in their rice fields or vegetable fields; making fermented food such as miso, natto, and pickles; doing some forestry work; or doing some carpentry work.
The best part is that you meet people and there is no better way to experience the culture of a country than communicating with the locals.
The best thing is to get in touch with me since not all of them speak English. I can put you in touch with some families to stay with or experience some work with. I know families who do organic farming or natural farming, too. I can also tell you where to go. There are a lot more places you can go walking and cycling.
One great thing about Shiga is that it is one of the most environmentally conscious prefectures in Japan. I’ll tell you more about it tomorrow.
Visiting the Land of Omi-merchants part 3: Satoyama Cycling in Hino
Visiting the Land of Omi-merchants Part 2: Hino
Visiting the Land of Omi-merchants Part 1: Omi-Hachiman
Why Should Foreign Tourists Visit Shiga Instead of Visiting Tokyo or Kyoto?
Omi-merchant's way of Sustainable Prosperity 
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