Our Forest Notes, which distributes forest sounds in real time, is operated in cooperation with various regions.
In this section, we introduce our activity in Morotsuka-son, Miyazaki Prefecture, which is known as an FSC® certified village, as an example, to present a part of our cooperation with local communities.
Morotsuka-son, where the latest forest creation is carried out
Morotsuka-son, which commemorated its 130th anniversary in 2019, is a little pastoral village located in the inland area of the Kyushu mountain range, with a population of about 1,500 (as of January 1, 2020), and about 95% of its land forested.
People in Morotsuka-son have been getting eco-efficient by selecting types of trees to plant that are appropriate for its soil and other natural features, running forest roads at the highest density in the country, and many other measures, to maintain co-existence with forests, animals, and plants and nurture rich local resources.
Now, the efforts that all their ancestors had accumulated throughout the long history to achieve their target “forestry village” since 1907 have been rewarded by acquisition of FSC® certification and registration as Globally Important Agricultural Heritage. Morotsuka-son has taken a step toward creation of a new form of community toward 100 years in the future.
Beautiful scenery of the forestry village Morotsuka-son
Forestation after clear-cutting and well maintained forest roads
Logo of Morotsuka-son created for its 130th anniversary
Morotsuka-son stands on the ground of co-existence with nature and mutual cooperation between people. “Connecting to nature,” “people connecting to each other naturally”; the blessings of nature can be passed down to the future by respecting and protecting nature. The form of connection of nature and people, which is indispensable for Morotsuka-son, is just like twinkling “droplets” on plants. The same as water circulating through the earth, the production of Morotsuka-son adopts a circulating form; people of this village connect to each other as an indispensable existence, just like the earth and plants are connected by water.
(Extract from Morotsuka-son website)
Morotsuka-son of Miyazaki Prefecture and JVCKENWOOD Design Corporation entered into a comprehensive cooperation agreement for regional cooperation
Village Mayor Nishikawa of Morotsuka-son (left) and President & CEO Nakamura, JVCKENWOOD Design Corporation (right)
On November 17, 2019, the 130th anniversary celebration of Morotsuka-son was held and many visitors came from within and outside the Prefecture to attend.
During the ceremony, Morotsuka-son of Miyazaki Prefecture and JVCKENWOOD Design Corporation signed the “Cooperation Agreement for Regional Co-creation and Regional Revitalization,” in order to further promote cooperation partnership relating to Forest Notes, which has been live streaming since 2011. We will continue cooperating to seeking methods to enhance experiencing tours, sales of products, and forestry of the region by using livestreaming of forest sounds. We will also commit to many more partnership activities toward the future relating to the appeal of the local community and rich forest resources.
Efforts of Morotsuka-son and JVCKENWOOD Design Corporation for regional co-creation
Public meeting with staff of Morotsuka-son village office
We exchange opinions about plans and ideas for regional co-creation projects using live streaming of forest sounds, while listening to the details of forestry, products, and tourism of Morotsuka-son. We also seek inspirations to promote the village: ecotours organized by the Tourist Association, sales of shiitake mushrooms, one of the main products of the village, and a project of making direct-from-local houses from locally produced timber.
Maintenance of the microphone setting and network system for live streaming must be checked carefully. Village office, Tourist Association, IT, and the electrical company cooperate to maintain the service.。
Forest Notes team members to look for spots to install microphones
To find places to install microphones, we examine several possible spots and investigate various factors by measures such as researching and recording actual sound environment. In addition to natural environment such as the surrounding eco-system, we take into account “maintenance sounds of forest” characteristic to a forestry village (e.g. the roar of a chain saw) to select installation spots. Our microphones installed in forests are developed to suit all weather conditions to eliminate audio or transmission troubles caused by change of weather and seasons such as typhoons, heavy rainfall, and snowfall.
Taking photos of beautiful scenery of Morotsuka-son
We consider the forest that has been protected by ancestors of Morotsuka-son, including each tree, surrounding sceneries, sounds, and aromas, to be precious resources. Feeling all these elements through the senses, we take photos and record sounds of our precious experiences that we can never have in a city.
Encounter with seasonal plants, flowers, and wildlife is one of the most pleasant moments.
White-bellied green pigeon “ooh-ah-ooh”; its green-colored body is hard to find in the deep forest.
The colors of the sunset - recording night forest and starry sky.
With no big cities in the surrounding area, the Milky Way is clearly visible against pitch darkness.
Making photobooks of natural scenery of Morotsuka-son
Photobooks using photos taken in various locations, including Morotsuka-son.
These photobooks will be used for many purposes, such as promotion of tourism, as well as to create an opportunity to discover the appeal of Morotsuka-son.
Supporting study tour within Japan for primary school students in Morotsuka-son
At Wise-Wise Co., Ltd. Omotesando headquarters, a furniture manufacturer of indigenous material
Primary school students of Mototsuka-son visit Tokyo for a study tour once a year.
They learn the general idea of traceability, and the episode of a connection between people which enables them to see each other’s face is important even when making furniture, from Wise-Wise Co., Ltd. who manufactures furniture using timber produced in Morotsuka-son.
We join in this exchange event to inform them that the sounds of the forest of Morotsuka-son are utilized as a relaxation tool for people in cities.
With furniture of Wise-Wise Co., Ltd., Forest Notes Speaker (sales ended), and supporting staff (August 2018, Mosotsuka-son Matsuri in Tokyo 2018)
Morotsuka-son official fan club
Morotsuka “Kateyari” squad
The official fan club of Morotsuka-son has been launched! Village Mayor Nishikawa visited the launching ceremony held at Sansaki-zaka in Yanaka, Tokyo, to see young people of Tokyo to get acquainted with them. JVCKENWOOD Design Corporation is going to join the fan club and participate in various events branched out from this fan club.
Mr. Mori from HachiHachi, who is in charge of planning, presenting passionately.
