Akagari ("red goose") in Masuda City was named this way because legend has it that the daughter of the goddess of the grain "Ogetsuhime" had taken the seeds of the five grains, ridden the back of a red goose, and landed on a hill in this area.
"Akagari no Sato" can be found in a quiet village amidst the picturesque mountain range befitting the area's legends.
The catchphrase for this place is "Fureai Gakko (community school)." Akagari no Sato offers a site for children to experience rural life and organizes a variety of events every season which allow participants to engage in hands-on agricultural work while being close to nature.
The "Nozon Saijiki" held every year allows local elementary school children to come together with their parents to experience rice-planting, rice-harvesting, harvest festivities, and tending to the paddy fields throughout the year.
Ms. Ikuko, the representative who had spoken to us, exudes great positivity and could not stop smiling during our conversation. You can take in the aroma of wood and experience its warmth inside the facility, where there is also a tatami room with a fireplace that gives the place an authentically rural feel. Enjoy agricultural work and delicious food in a rural setting at Akagari no Sato.