Hello, this is the editorial department of "Domingo", a Hokkaido news & events app! This is the editorial department of Domingo, a Hokkaido news and events app. We are pleased to introduce you to "Hokkaido Wind," a series of articles that will bring you the charms of life in various parts of Hokkaido under the concept of "bringing the wind of Hokkaido to you now. In this memorable first installment, we are joined by Yohei Ueno, an outdoor producer with the Community Development Cooperation Team of Kamikawa Town, Hokkaido, who is currently working on a "hands-on treehouse project" at the Sounkyo Auto Camping Ground. In this article, Vol. 1 of " Treehouse Project" to make the future of "fun" in Kamikawa-machi, Hokkaido more enjoyable, we will take you on a virtual tour of the site and hear the full story of the "Treehouse Project," including its background and current status.

Date: July 5, 2020 Method: Online event via zoom

Ryota Hattori, Domingo Editorial Department ( hereinafter referred to as "Hattori" ) My name is Ryota Hattori, and I will be your virtual tour guide for today's

interview

. My guest this time is Yohei Ueno, who is running a treehouse project in Kamikawa-cho. Hello, Mr. Ueno!

Yohei Ueno, a member of the Kamikawa Town Community Development Cooperation Team (hereinafter referred to as "Ueno" ) Hello! Hello everyone, and thank you for joining us today!

Hattori: Your place looks very green and refreshing. Which one is it?

Ueno: " Sounkyo Auto Camping Ground. This campground is open from June to September.

Ueno: I am building a "tree terrace" and a "tree house" at the end of the walking trail in this campground. The "tree terrace" is a terrace made of posts made from living trees native to the town and other timbers. On top of these terraces, we are building several "tree houses" that anyone can assemble and disassemble.

Building treehouses to realize "the secret base I dreamed of as a child

Hattori: Could you tell us more about the "Tree House Project"?

Ueno: We are working on the "Tree House Project" to realize the "secret base I dreamed of as a child" in Kamikawa-cho. We are building a tree terrace in the forest and constructing an assembly-type house on top of it.

Hattori: I see! May I take a look at the terrace and the house?

Ueno: Let's go! The terrace is about 2 meters high, so we have installed stairs. When you climb up these stairs, you will see a fairly wide triangular terrace with sides of 10m, 10m, and 7m.

Ueno We are building an assembled house here! There are two types of houses at the moment, a large one and a small one, but the one being built now is a small house for children. We are planning to have different types of houses depending on the occasion.

Hattori: How many people can be accommodated in these houses?

Ueno: The small house for children will look like this when adults enter.

Ueno: The larger house is currently being dismantled, so it has not yet been built, but it can accommodate about four adults.

Ueno: These houses are not intended to be used for sleeping, but as a "playground". The small house takes about one hour to assemble and disassemble, while the large house takes about three hours to assemble and one hour to disassemble.

Hattori: How do you assemble them?

Ueno: Look at this roof! It's all made of wood, and you can take it off!

Ueno: Nails are used in key places, such as in the columns where the terrace is set up, but no nails are used in the assembly!

Hattori: Wow. It looks like a lot of fun! I want to go there and try it!

Crowdfunding to create "an opportunity to visit Kamikawa Town

Hattori: The tree house project sounds very exciting.

Ueno: I started this treehouse project because I wanted to create content for outdoor activities that "both adults and children can enjoy in nature," taking advantage of the unique qualities of Kamikawa Town, where the great nature at the foot of Daisetsuzan (Mt. Daisetsu) spreads out.

Hattori: So this is a project that Mr. Ueno has been proactively working on?

Ueno That's right. We started the project by consulting with " outwoods," a company that deals with all things related to mountains and also produces tree terraces, and we conducted a crowdfunding campaign from the end of January to the end of March.

Hattori: I see! That's amazing!

Ueno If we had done it a little later, we might not have been able to achieve it due to the new coronavirus, so I think the timing was just in time...

Hattori It was right around that time of year.... What kind of response did you receive from your supporters through crowdfunding?

Ueno: We offered "assembly experience" as a return to our supporters, and my friends sympathized with the return and supported the project. So I am looking forward to having all my friends come to Kamikawa-cho this summer.

Hattori So this project is a trigger for people to 'visit Kamikawa-cho. Please come!" but also "Let's do it together! It's more fun to say, "Let's do it together!

Ueno: That's right! The initial motivation was to create an opportunity. My friend Okamoto-kun is helping me today!

Ueno-san's classmate Okamoto-san ( Okamoto) Nice to meet you, I'm Okamoto-san, a classmate of mine from university. I am also aiming for this kind of lifestyle, so I hope to get more involved. Hattori: As with this distribution, it would be great if this kind of circle could expand through events and the like.Okamoto: That's right! I think it will be more enjoyable if people learn about our activities through something, actually come to our events, and get involved from the creation stage. Besides, I usually spend most of my time facing a computer, so working on something makes me feel alive again, so it is a very good experience in that aspect. Hattori: I think so too! Please let me visit there and work with you next time! By the way, when will the public be able to visit the tree terrace and house?

Ueno: We are planning to open on July 23rd. The person who bought the naming rights to this place including the tree terrace and house through crowdfunding will come here in the latter half of July and give us a name, and then we will open it to the public. Once it is open to the public, we plan to allow people to climb up on the terrace and play up there at no extra charge, as it is one of the campground's playgrounds. You can just sit and relax and feel comfortable.

Conclusion

In vol. 1, we introduced the "Tree House Project" under the theme of "What is the Tree House Project? Mr. Ueno talked about the beginning of the project, crowdfunding, and behind-the-scenes production. In vol. 2, we will explore his "commitment" to the treehouse. Please look forward to vol. 2, which will be released next week!

Profile

Yohei Ueno was born in 1993. Outdoor producer for the Hokkaido Kamikawa Regional Development Cooperation Team. Moved to Kamikawa-cho, a progressive and proactive town planning town. Currently working on a "hands-on treehouse project" to create a new tourism resource in Kamikawa Town. He is currently developing outdoor contents with the mission of creating a place to work in Kamikawa Town. facebook / twitter

Other articles in this series

• Treehouse Project: Making "Fun" More Fun in Kamikawa Town, Hokkaido vol. 2


• Treehouse Project" vol. 3: Making "Fun" More Fun in Kamikawa Town, Hokkaido

Related Link

• The secret base I dreamed of as a child. Tree house project in Kamikawa-cho, Hokkaido! Crowdfunding READYFOR


• Sounkyo Auto Camp Ground