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In Episode 22 of the podcast we head north to the small rural village of Nukui in Nagano Prefecture. It is here that we find craftsman and musician Gianpaolo Camplese. Originally from Italy, Gianpaolo moved to the snow country in search for a home for his family, eventually discovering a rundown ‘kominka’ (traditional farmhouse) in the picturesque Nukui. In this episode we speak about Gianpaolo’s journey to the snow country of Japan, why he loves it, where and how he found his home, and the process of buying and fixing it 

Gianpaolo is a woodworker who makes beautiful timber furniture under the name of Nereto Woodwork. As we discuss in our interview, he fills commissions for clients in the area including the many guesthouses and lodges of the surrounding ski resorts along with private residences. We discuss Gianpaolo’s work as a furniture-maker in the second half of the interview along with his wonderful music. A drummer and composer, Gianpaolo spent many years working in Berlin as a musician. You can listen to his wonderfully atmospheric music on both his personal website and Soundcloud. 

The interview was recorded in Gianpaolo’s home. I want to say a very big thank you to him for welcoming me in and I hope our chat inspires you to consider a life lived better out here in the snow country! For more information including images and a map of where in the snow country we are today, make sure to the check out the episode page on the Snow Country Stories Japan website.

Outland Japan is a bi-weekly podcast hosted by Peter Carnell - a freelance tour guide based in northern Nagano – that transports you to rural, regional and the wilds of Japan in pursuit of stories that lie outside the neon hum of Tokyo and golden trimmings of Kyoto. Stories of travel, life and culture beyond the big cities. Follow the show on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. Please note, prior to October 2024, Outland Japan was named Snow Country Stories Japan.