• 

[The Art of Travel] Moegi-no-Mura

by Mandy Jia Man Lin

A village with dreams and hopes

Located in the Kiyosato Highlands, Moegi-no-Mura is more than just a tourist destination. It is a village that reminds people of Yamanashi’s regional history and the pioneering spirit of Dr. Paul Rusch, the “father of Kiyosato”.

Sprawled along the southern foot of the Yatsugatake Plateau, Kiyosato and its neighboring areas formed vast wasteland in the upper reaches of Yamanashi. Deemed throughout the generations as unfit for cultivation due to its high altitude and surrounding mountains, it was not until after WWII, when Dr. Paul Rusch launched the Kiyosato Farm Village Center (known today as the Kiyosato Educational Experiment Project), that the region was exploited. This project successfully developed a practical model for the establishment of an agricultural community functioning on democratic practices. Most importantly, Dr. Rusch's four ideals of “food,” “health,” “belief,” and “the education of youth” gave hope to the towns and villages of a war-ravaged Japan.

His pioneering spirit has since inspired thousands of people around the region, and the creation of Moegi-no-Mura displays how the intrinsic value of Dr. Rusch’s philosophy is still in practice today.

Moegi-no-Mura’s beginning can be traced back to 1971 with the establishment of Rock, the first café in Kiyosato. During his study tour in Europe, Jyoji Funaki, the president of Moegi-no-Mura, found himself captivated by German architecture and was fascinated by the various musical organs he saw throughout his journey. Upon returning to Japan, he brought back with him a blueprint for Moegi-no-Mura.

He wanted to create a place in Kiyosato where young people could gather and experience nature. Immediately after the proposal was finalized, six architects and engineers from Canada were called to the site, and several major buildings, including the Rock, were built with materials imported from North America. All these efforts were focused on the recreation of a western style rustic village. During the days when Yamanashi’s citizens possessed only limited opportunities to explore the western world, the impact of Moegi-no-Mura's existence was undoubtedly tremendous.

Throughout the four decades since its founding, Moegi-no-Mura continued to expand. It now offers travelers a hotel, quaint cafes, a plethora of themed stores, workshops and amusement facilities. But perhaps its most unique attraction is the Hall of Halls, a museum devoted to the display of music boxes and automatic musical instruments. Along with an ingenious collection of antique acquisitions from France, Germany and many other European countries, this museum displays a series of Moegi-no-Mura’s original music boxes. In fact, one of the current displays is a street organ made at the village’s music box and organ workshop.

The musical score is delicately arranged in the form of a hole-punched paper card. In order to effectively reproduce the song at its natural rhythm, the organ grinder must maintain an even pace while turning the handle. This handle then pumps air into the bellows and melody pipes according to the notes indicated by the paper score.

The museum also houses a few musical organs which can only be found exclusively in Moegi-no-Mura, including the “Limonaire 1900” which was made for the 1900 World’s Fair in Paris, and the “Mozart Barrel Organ” which plays the songs Mozart composed specifically for this mechanical orchestra. With a world-class collection, the Hall of Halls has now become a central feature of the village.

(Experiencing the Hall of Halls)

In keeping with the image of Moegi-no-Mura, all the shops share the same calming and delightful atmosphere. Many shop owners import goods that reflect the life and culture of the product origins, such as Christmas decorations from Canada and the country-style handiworks from the U.S.

The emphasis on originality is another distinctive feature of the village. Rock has its signature beer and curry; shops sell hand-made goods such as bags, designer jewelry and pet accessories.

It goes without saying that creativity is strongly encouraged here. Outside of the organ workshop, there is also a carpenter's workshop, pottery atelier, and craft studio. Although some facilities and shops are replaced periodically, the theme of Moegi-no-Mura remains unchanged, continuing to deliver its back-to-nature message by offering travelers the simplicity and happiness of a forest life.

For more information:

Address: 3545 Kiyosato, Takane chou, Hokuto City, Yamanashi Prefecture, 407-0301

Website: http://www.moeginomura.co.jp/

Telephone: 0551-48-3522

Hours (General Affairs Department): 10:00 ~ 17:00

* Hours for individual facilities may vary, please refer to the website for details.

 

Main content finishes here.