Tono Furusato Village

Tono Furusato Village is a tourist facility in Tono City, Iwate Prefecture that recreates a traditional rural settlement from old Japan. Centered around seven farmhouses, including Nanbu curved-roof houses built from the mid-Edo period to the mid-Meiji period, traditional homes have been relocated and preserved, and the area has been developed to evoke the appearance of a rural landscape from the early Showa period. Streams, rice fields, water wheels, and charcoal kilns are also arranged throughout the village, creating a nostalgic satoyama landscape that feels as if time has stopped.

The Appeal of the Buildings and Scenery

Nanbu Curved-Roof House
The Nanbu curved-roof house is a traditional farmhouse in which the main house and stable are integrated in an L-shape, symbolizing Tono’s way of life in which people and horses lived together. Characteristic buildings, such as a village headman’s house and houses that preserve their original form before becoming two-story structures, are scattered throughout the village, allowing visitors to experience the history of rural life firsthand.

Scenery Through the Seasons
Within the village, visitors can enjoy seasonal scenery: spring cherry blossoms, fresh summer greenery, autumn foliage, and snowy winter landscapes. The rural setting harmonized with nature reveals different charms each time you visit. For this reason, the village is also often used as a filming location for dramas and movies, and its historic scenery is widely cherished.

Experience Programs

Maburitto (Guardians)
At Tono Furusato Village, “maburitto,” or guardians, warmly welcome visitors. Maburitto are instructors who teach farm work and traditional culture, and they lead a variety of hands-on programs (advance reservation required; contents vary by season).

Examples of Rural Experiences
Rice cake making
Soba noodle making
Straw rope making
Plant dyeing (dyeing with flowers and plant roots)
Catch yamame trout by hand in the village’s clear streams
Old tales told around an irori hearth

Through these experiences, visitors can enjoyably learn the wisdom and skills of traditional rural life.

Dining and Rest
At the village restaurant, visitors can taste Tono’s local dish “hittsumi” and the specialty “bucket jingisukan.” After a stroll, you can also relax by spreading out a picnic lunch on the veranda or take part in creative activities at the workshop.

Visitor Center and “Mayoiga Forest”
At the visitor center near the entrance, you can buy souvenirs and gather information about Tono’s nature and culture. A library is also available, allowing visitors to learn more deeply about Tono’s history and natural environment.

In addition, the grounds include “Mayoiga Forest.” Inspired by a legend appearing in The Tales of Tono, it is themed around Mayoiga, a mysterious house said to bring good fortune and wealth to those who encounter it in the mountains. In fact, Tale No. 63 of The Tales of Tono recounts an anecdote about finding a splendid house with a black gate deep in a valley.

Tono Furusato Village is a facility that recreates a traditional rural settlement of Tono, centered on Nanbu curved-roof houses from the Edo to Meiji periods. It is filled with a variety of attractions, including rural experiences led by maburitto, beautiful scenery that changes with the seasons, and Mayoiga Forest, colored by The Tales of Tono. Here, visitors can experience the nature, culture, and warmth of the people of Tono, and feel the original landscape of Japan’s hometown with their whole being.