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Episode 35 of the podcast takes us to Shiga Kogen Highlands in Nagano Prefecture. Declared a UNESCO Biopshere Reserve in 1980, Shiga Kogen is an alpine landscape which includes major peaks such as Mount Shiga and Mount Kusatsu-Shirane – one of Japan’s most active volcanoes – renowned for its biodiversity, wetlands and distinct seasonal beauty. 

In this episode I speak with Yokota Shinji – a talented landscape and nature photographer who regularly accompanies guests into the alpine landscape of Shiga Kogen. He provides nature tours, photography tours and workshops for both Japanese and English-speaking guests and as such is an ideal person to accompany us to Shiga in this episode. 

Shiga Kogen Highlands sit within Joshinetsu Kogen National Park and will of course be familiar to many listeners as the ski resort of that name – Shiga Kogen Mountain Resort – is the largest ski resort in Japan – something we covered in Episode 13 of the pod while nearby Shiga Kogen Brewery – something we covered in Episode 6 of the pod - takes its name for this area of the mountains. Today’s chat is however all about the Biosphere Reserve. Shiga Kogen Highlands is one of ten UNESCO Biosphere Reserves in Japan, a global system of reserves awarded that status in recognition of their biological diversity and as models of mutual beneficial relationships between people and nature.  

For more information and to view Shinji’s beautiful photography, please visit his website and follow him on Instagram and his YouTube channel. You can also find more information, including how to get there, at the official Shiga Kogen Highlands website along with Shinji’s images on the episode page of 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.