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TOKYO, Jan. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Nanto City Tourism Association (Nanto City, Toyama Prefecture; President Seiichi Kawai) launched sales on December 6 for a special tour, "Stay in World Heritage Gokayama: Japan's Oldest Folk Song 'Kokiriko' Plan."This exclusive tour offers a unique opportunity to experience both Japan's oldest folk song and the traditional way of life in the World Heritage-listed Gokayama. Guests can immerse themselves in the heartfelt songs and dances passed down through generations, as well as the rich traditions of the people who have preserved this way of life. Positioned as a high-value travel experience available only in Gokayama, this tour aims to attract visitors from both Japan and abroad. Tourism Media Services spoke to the organisers to find out more about the tour.

■Tell me about Gokayama and Kokiriko.

Gokayama is a nature-rich region located in the southwesternmost part of Toyama Prefecture. Along the Sho River, 40 villages are scattered throughout the mountainous landscape, preserving a picturesque rural setting.

The Ainokura Gassho-style Village, the main site of the tour, is home to 20 remaining Gassho-style houses, many of which were built during the late Edo period to the Meiji era.

In 1995, Gokayama's traditional wooden Gassho-style houses, along with their surrounding agricultural landscape and preserved cultural heritage, were recognized for their historical value. Together with the Ogimachi Village in Shirakawa-go, Gifu Prefecture, it was designated a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site as part of the Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama.

Kokiriko is another name for Dengaku, a traditional Japanese performing art, and has been passed down through generations to the present day.

In recent years, its cultural significance has been widely recognized and promoted. It has even been featured in Japanese elementary school textbooks as an important piece of the nation's folk heritage.

The instruments used in Kokiriko performances have been preserved in their original form, making it a proud ancient folk tradition of the region.

■Tell me about the planned tour.

This plan was developed as a special accommodation plan for inbound tourists in cooperation with JR East View Tourism & Sales Co.Ltd, with which Nanto City has a partnership agreement, and with the cooperation of the Ainokura Tourism Association and the Etchu Gokayama Kokiriko Song Preservation Society. The tour offers four plans based on "Gassho-style accommodation & kokiriko viewing." It can be combined with taxi transfers from and to Kanazawa Station, a traditional musical instrument "sasara" making experience, and a "Kokiriko Village Walking Tour" accompanied by a guide-interpreter.

A private stay in a Gassho-style house allows you to spend a special time experiencing traditional life. You can rent a traditional house in the Ainokura Gassho-style village and deeply experience the culture and history of Gokayama through dinner around the hearth, live Kokiriko music performances by the folk song preservation society, and instrument experiences. For dinner, you can enjoy traditional Gokayama local cuisine such as wild vegetables, trout, and Gokayama tofu.

Reservations for the "Kokiriko Plan" can be made through the special website (https://www.tabi-nanto.jp/kokiriko/en/).

▼About Tourism Media Service:

An online news platform specializing in the tourism industry. It provides the latest news on regional development and travel information, as well as feature articles on topics such as trends and observations, contributed by over 100 experts, every day.

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SOURCE Tourism Media Service