The Visitor Center serves as a base to spread the culture of community-based forest areas and the surrounding countryside, in which the nature and customs of Kyoto Tamba Kogen Quasi-National Park are well mixed. Under the slogan of “knowing the origin of trees and protecting forests,” the center gives visitors the opportunity to see, feel, learn, contact, know, and pass down the park through hands-on experience. The building is designed to make you think of a shrine guarding the forests, and the roof is supported by a continuous row of evenly spaced columns made of locally-grown trees. This structure style is a return to the origin of trees, representing the beauty of continuity.
Functioning as the visitor center of Kyoto Tamba Kogen Quasi-National Park, this section provides guidance on the park such as the ecosystem, cultures, traditions of the park’s areas, and relevant facilities, so as to help visitors enjoy contacting with, learning about, and experiencing Kyoto’s forests.
This section also offers information about a wide variety of programs: Visitors can take part in a guided tour of Ashiu Forest, a tour of the park to learn its nature and culture, and workshops and other learning events.
Kyoto Tamba Kogen Quasi-National Park occupies an area of approximately 69,000 hectares and is home to numerous sightseeing spots. These include Miyamacho in Nantan City, which is famous for Ashiu Forest and Kayabuki-no-Sato (a village with traditional thatched houses), Hiyoshi Dam and its surrounding sights, Keihoku District of Ukyo-ku, Hanase District of Sakyo-ku in Kyoto City and its surrounding sights, and the forest regions of Ayabe City and Kyotamba Town. You can see photos of the park’s attractions, including rich forests, giant towering trees, constantly changing riverside landscapes, and other breathtaking scenery, which are on display at this section.
What makes Kyoto Tamba Kogen Quasi-National Park so attractive is that it is blessed with rich forests, clean freshwater stored in the forests, traditional cultures deeply connected to the blessings of nature in each season, and the classical scenery of good old Japan. This section displays large photos of Kyoto’s forests so that you can see what the forest environment looks like.
A wide variety of special exhibitions are held at the Gallery Space, including photograph exhibitions themed on the park’s forests, riverside areas, and the day-to-day life of local people, along with art exhibitions and handicrafts displays.
This section displays a full-scale replica of a local farmhouses’ porch, in which utensils and seasonal flowers and plants are set, so as to introduce some aspects of daily life. While sitting on the porch, enjoy checking out the textures of tree fruits and nuts, along with experiencing how local people live in community-based forest areas and the surrounding countryside, known as “Satochi-satoyama.” Visitors can also participate in straw-work workshops held in this section.
Most areas of Kyoto Tamba Kogen Quasi-National Park are located in mountains in the central part of Kyoto Prefecture. This section displays the map to show how big it is. Photographic cards are used to show rare fauna and flora living in the park and the park’s traditional events and best viewpoints. Exhibitions using easels are also held to introduce Kyoto Tamba Kogen Quasi-National Park and the “wise use” of wetlands.
This shop is a MUST visit if you want to buy mementos of your visit to Kyoto Tamba Kogen Quasi-National Park! It sells the visitor center’s original tote bags and post cards as well as books and goods related to the park.
A meeting room and a seminar room are located on the second floor. The seminar room has a seating capacity of up to 100 (seated) and is equipped with audio devices and projectors designed for lectures. These multipurpose rooms are available as a venue for lecture meetings, training seminars, and other events. Reservation required.
SeminarRoom | MeetingRoom | |
---|---|---|
Morning (8:30~12:00) | 1,000yen | 500yen |
Afternoon (13:00~17:00) | 1,000yen | 500yen |
One-day (8:30~17:00) | 2,000yen | 1,000yen |
Night (18:00~22:00) | 1,000yen | 500yen |
(Current as of April 1, 2018)