About Kiso Forest

Life in Kiso has long been intertwined with the forest. The abundant forests that spread across the mountains were essential for supporting people's lives, and wood in particular was an indispensable resource.

In the past, houses in Kiso were built of wood, and strong, fragrant Kiso cypress was used for the pillars and beams. Also, because it was a region with harsh winters, firewood was essential for daily life as fuel to get through the winter. People cut down trees from the mountains and used them as firewood for cooking and keeping warm every day.

Furthermore, wood has been used not only in homes but in every aspect of daily life. Many everyday tools, such as buckets, rice containers, farming tools, and furniture, have been made from wood and carefully passed down through generations.

In this way of life, people have appreciated the blessings of the forest, and have protected and nurtured it for future generations without overusing it. The forests of Kiso were not merely a resource, but the foundation for people and nature to live together, and their way of life itself.