A town with no public water supply, living on the snowmelt of Daisetsuzan.
At the foot of Daisetsuzan National Park, with about 8,600 residents. The water from the tap at home is groundwater that wells up from the mountain. The town has woodworking and furniture workshops, a culture as a town of photography, and a life in which newcomers and locals mix. It is the first town where ensembles began.
When the fields are flooded, Daisetsuzan with its lingering snow is reflected upside down. Through the viewfinder, catch the hour found only on windless mornings, when the whole town becomes a mirror.
Right beside the snow patches, Chingruma and Ezo-kozakura bloom all at once. Among flowers hurrying through the short northern summer, walk at the pace of someone who knows the mountain.
In September the color begins at the summit and takes a month to descend to the town. Follow Japan's earliest autumn from the mountain down to the village.
The dry snow will not pack, even when you squeeze it in your palm. On a slope with no tracks, draw your first line alongside someone who knows the mountain.
Turn off the road and you find the sound of spring water, the scent of distilling, and unfamiliar alleys. A little beyond daily life, there is a new view.
Furniture workshops, morning fields, a counter at night. Visit the workplaces and gathering places of the townspeople, and hear makers tell their stories in their own words.
Experience Higashikawa with the app.
Clubs, the snack bar and places to stay. Find what’s happening in Higashikawa on the app and website.