Trace the history of Norikura Kogen.

❶ A place where people have lived since the Jomon period

Going back further, there are remains in the region that show traces of life in the Jomon period. Artifacts excavated at the Izawa Ruins in the Izawa district reveal that around 8,000 years ago, people lived in this area, eating plants such as nuts, yams, and wild vegetables. They also caught fish in the rivers and hunted deer and wild boars in the mountains, and it seems they lived a rich life blessed by the natural beauty of the mountains.

❷ Numerous legends remaining in Norikura

Azusamizu Shrine, which stands quietly in the area, is even mentioned in books from the Heian period, and ancient legends and history are engraved in various places in the area. For example, one of the legends that remains in Norikura is the "Dragon God Legend," which is said to have its head connected to Norikura's Gongen Pond, its heart to Oike Pond, and its tail to Lake Suwa. Children at Onogawa Elementary and Junior High School, located next to Oike Pond, have heard this legend for a long time and are raised knowing that they should not tamper with Oike Pond.

3. As a sacred place for mountain worship

Mount Norikura was formerly known as "Iriyama" and was worshipped from afar from the foot of the mountain. Later, ascetic monks began to climb the mountain, Norikura Daigongen was enshrined on the Hida side of the peak and Asahi Gongen Shrine on the Shinshu side, and the mountain became a sacred place for training. At the end of the 18th century, it was believed that those who could watch the sunrise at Asahi Gongen Shrine on the peak would receive blessings, and pilgrimages to see the sunrise became popular.

❹ The era when woodcutters lived

During the Edo period, silver was actively mined at the Ohi Silver Mine (Suzuran district), which is said to have been developed by Takeda Shingen. Furthermore, the Onogawa villagers earned a living by transporting lumber cut from the fertile mountains downstream along the river as official woodcutters for the Matsumoto domain. At the same time, they cultivated hemp and buckwheat fields, and continued to make a living.

Eventually, as the number of villagers who had the rights to use the hot springs (business rights) of Shirahone Onsen increased, some villagers began to make Onogawa Village their base and frequent Shirahone Onsen, running hot spring inns.

5. A time when soba cultivation, hunting, and wild vegetables supported people's lives

In the Meiji era, the Matsumoto domain's forests became government-owned forests, and the domain lost its privilege as a logging site. After that, in addition to forestry, agriculture, such as growing buckwheat and other grains, became the main occupation. Hunting and the shipping of bracken flour, which is painstakingly made from the roots of bracken that grows wild in the mountains and fields, also became important side jobs that supported the livelihood.

6. The era when it flourished as a student village and ski tourist destination

In the Taisho era, Kamikochi became known to the world, and in 1934, Norikura Plateau was designated as part of the Chubu Sangaku National Park.
In the Showa era, full-scale mountain ski training camps began, and the job of guide was born. In addition, the Echo Line connecting to Mt. Norikura was opened, ski lifts were installed, and hot springs were brought into the plateau, and environmental improvements progressed, and the area flourished as a "student village" that served as both a summer retreat and a place to study. After that, lodgings catering to skiers were opened one after another, and the area gradually evolved into a mountain tourist destination.

❼ Sharing the joys of mountain living now and towards a sustainable future

The current state of Norikura Highlands... Even as times change, the people who love this place continue to inherit the rich nature that spreads across this land, helping each other, protecting the environment and natural scenery, and enjoying themselves, while continuing to live their lives. All the while sharing the mountain life with visitors.

To ensure that this prosperous region continues forever, the community is taking action to envision a sustainable future for Norikura.