On Tuesday the 22nd of May the Yatsugatake Nature Club is organising a hiking trip on Meshimori-Yama in Nagano. They are assembling in Shishi-Iwa car parking area in Nobeyama at 8:30 in the morning. The 6 kilometre easy walk will take you, via Meshimori-Yama, to Misawa. From there they will take you back to Shishi-Iwa at around 2 o’clock in the afternoon. You will need to take your own food and drink, medical insurance card, and whatever you may need for the walk. It will cost 1,000 yen to join. Inquiries to Yasumoto-san on 0551-26-2143

On Saturday the 26th and Sunday the 27th of May the third annual Yatsugatake Farmer’s Market will be held at Sambuichi-Yusui in Nagasaka. As well as the local organisations, over 50 food producers from all over Japan will take part in this event. The activities will include a mochi-tsuki, rice pounding, demonstration, a milking and butter making workshop, a “konnyaku” making workshop, and a lot more. Fresh local produce will be on sale, as well as food prepared using the local produce. The market will be from 9 o’clock until 4 on Saturday and 9 till 3 on Sunday. Inquiries to Yoi Shokuhin-zukirino-kai, Good Food Producers’ Association, on 03-3710-3217

On Saturday the 2nd of June the disabled people’s farm Haru-no-Hi is planning Taue, rice planting, and they are looking for volunteers to help them. They are assembling at the Haru-no-Hi work station in Nagasaka at 9:30 in the morning and they plan to finish by 3 in the afternoon. Also, they need volunteers to help them with the preparation for the “taue” from Thursday the 24th until Friday the 1st of June. If you are free on any of those days, or if you are interested to work with the disabled people on the farm, why not pop in and see how they work? Inquiries to Imazeki-san on 090-9912-2874

On Sunday the 3rd of June the Kiyosato Winers’ Club is organising the Yatsugatake Yamanashi Wine Tasting Fair 2012 at the field adjacent to the hotel Auberge in Kiyosato. It will start at 11 o’clock and will cost 1,000 yen, which includes a special souvenir wine glass and some specially prepared food. Over ten wine producers in Yamanashi will take part in this event and there will be a number of local restaurants preparing good food that you can purchase on the day. You may win good prizes in the wine tasting competition! Also, they are organising a special tour that will include a tour of wineries in Yamanashi plus accommodation. Inquiries by telephone on 090-6309-5072