Norikura: Japan’s First Zero Carbon National Park with Ogawa Yui / Norikura Zero Labo

In Episode 36 of the podcast we head into the North Alps – Japan’s highest mountain range – and onto Norikura. Standing 3026 metres / 9927 feet above sea level, Mount Norikura or Norikuradake is one of the highest peaks in North Alps, a volcanic mountain which straddles the border of Nagano and Gifu Prefectures. It is here, in the village below the mountain, that we travel to meet Ogawa Yui, Community Manager of Norikura Zero Labo. In 2021, Norikura was certified as Japan’s first ‘zero carbon park’, an initiative Yui now heads as the community work toward that target as a model for what is possible across Japan.

Yui’s own story is an interesting one. We discuss how she came to live in Norikura Kogen, her academic and professional background that led her into current role, the environmental challenges facing Japan and Norikura and the actions being taken in Norikura in response to the climate crisis.

Located nearby the popular alpine valley of Kamikochi, Norikura has long been known for its seasonal beauty including its cold winter and snow. Unlike Kamikochi, which is closed to the public from mid-November until mid-April, Norikura Kogen remains accessible throughout the year including winter. Blue Resort Norikura operates from December to March, offering some of Japan’s higher ski runs at over 2000 metres, while in spring, summer and autumn, hiking trails provide access through the forests of Norikura Kogen and to the summit of the mountain. Depsite standing over 3000 metres in height, Mount Norikura is considered an ideal hike for beginner and non-experienced hikers and mountaineers.

I hope this episode inspires you to consider traveling to Norikura while also attesting to opportunities that exist in the regional areas of Japan, such as the snow country, for crafting a better life and making a real difference to communities that need more people in order to thrive. Yui and Norikura Zero Labo are striving to make a real difference, as a model for what’s possible for communities everywhere, as we face the reality of the changing crisis.

For more information, please visit the Norikura Zero Labo website (Japanese only) and for information about visiting, please see the Norikura Kogen website. You can also follow Yui via her personal Instagram. Images used in support of this episode were provided by Seth McAllister and cannot be used without his information. You can find his images and more information on the episode page of the Snow Country Stories Japan website.