Asahi Mountain Range to the North,
Iide Mountain Range to the South
A town surrounded by vast forests
This is Oguni, Yamagata
In the winter,
White blankets the mountains
White snow-covered countryside waits for Spring
In the summer,
White bark covers the beech trees
White forests stand calm in rain or shine
Shakunage flowers bloom pink, bright and soft
Rivers reflect the sun and shine like an emerald
Fallen leaves colored red and orange
The huge Ginko tree shining gold
These colors add spice to our lives
White Forest ~ full of color
Natural paints of this world use Oguni as their canvas
Creating beautiful views wherever we go
In the crisp clean air that always surrounds us
Would you like to see what this town could show?
The nature-rich town of Oguni is located in the northeastern part of Japan, surrounded by mountains.
About 94% of the town’s area is forest, 70% of which is deciduous, mainly consisting of beech trees.
In Oguni, the seasons shift very clearly. In the summer, there is lots of rainfall, and in the winter, a lot of snow.
The abundant snowfall leads to lots of water in Oguni’s land,
nurturing the life of flora and fauna and bringing with it many blessings.
For the white skin of its beech trees, the white bounty of its fallen snow,
and the white of the town’s campus mostly untouched by human hands,
we call our town “Shiroimori,” which means “White Forest.”
This is Oguni’s logo. The letters are shaped like a drop of pure, melted snow that carries abundant blessings.
In the symbol, water droplets gather together and crystallize into a snowflake. Three of these gather to become this symbol, which looks like the Japanese kanji for “forest.”
The logo implies that everyone in Oguni gathers to become one.
Oguni town is located on the southwestern tip of Yamagata Prefecture, and is located on the border with Niigata Prefecture.
Oguni town is surrounded by Asahi Mountain Range to the North and Iide Mountain Range to the South. Our town’s area is 284.77 square miles.
The beech forest is nurtured by pure, clean water and bears abundant nuts, along with wild mountain vegetables.
Vine craft is also one of the graces of the mountains. Crafting using akebi vines and grapevine bark has been inherited as a work of winter essential to life.
In Oguni, the seasons shift very clearly. In the summer, there is lots of rainfall, and in the winter, a lot of snow.
Because it is rich in water resources, Oguni caught the attention of a company that built a hydroelectric plant and, in 1963, started to use the plant’s electricity to manufacture iron alloys. Since then, Oguni’s industrial structure has centered on secondary industry, and the town has reached a high level of income.
Beech trees have beautiful bark patterns, and they have the strength to sprout while the snow remains.
Oguni town has a vast land,and about 94% of which is forest, 70% of which is deciduous, mainly consisting of beech trees.
The beech forest grows abundant tree nuts and wild plants,mushrooms and grows river fishes such as living in mountain streams.In addition, beech forests are also known as green dams because they store rain and snowmelt water.
Since ancient times, people have lived hunting and gathering in this rich forest, have learned the wisdom of living with the forest, and have developed a sense of the seasons and the unique view of nature living together with nature.
In Oguni, we call it "Beech culture" that a unique life culture that has been cultivated over a long period of time in connection with the forest.
The Matagi are a traditional hunting people. They pay respect to the mountain gods by using their own language and keeping stringent precepts.
Prohibiting the shooting of bears with children or limiting the hunting period is the rules for leaving a rich natural environment to future generations, and also the wisdom of life that protects the lives of the people living in the mountains.
Oguni holds a Bear Festival every May, in which the Matagi reenact traditional hunting. At this festival, they pray for safe hunting and pay respects to the bears that they hunted that year.
These unique customs are "Matagi culture," it have been created over many years to keep with the stringent precepts, and it are still handed down.
