【なぜ残った？】日本一美しい村に流れる、静かな時間｜岡山・新庄村

Added: 2026-05-15

[00:00:34]In northern Okayama Prefecture.

[00:00:39]Deep in the Chugoku Mountains, there is a small village with a population of about 800.

[00:01:02]This is Shinjo Village.

[00:01:07]Known as one of “The Most Beautiful Villages in Japan.”

[00:01:18]There are no famous tourist attractions or large hot spring resorts.

[00:01:24]What remains here are quiet rural landscapes and a way of life unchanged for generations.

[00:01:32]Why has this village remained so beautiful even today?

[00:01:42]Today, we’ll slowly walk through Shinjo Village, just after the cherry blossom season.

[00:01:56]Running through the center of the village is Gaisen Sakura Street.

[00:02:06]137 cherry trees were planted here to commemorate victory in the Russo-Japanese War.

[00:02:25]Red Sekishu roof tiles. A waterway flowing beside the street.

[00:02:33]The gentle sound of flowing water was selected as one of Japan’s 100 Soundscapes.

[00:02:45]A nostalgic Japanese spring scene that brings a sense of calm.

[00:02:58]Along the riverside path, a different spring view appears.

[00:03:11]Weeping cherry blossoms bloom beside the river.

[00:03:22]A quieter kind of spring, woven into everyday life.

[00:03:32]In this small village surrounded by mountains, time seemed to pass peacefully.

[00:03:44]Across the river is Roadside Station Gaisen Sakura Shinjo-juku.

[00:03:56]Their famous local specialty: Hime-no-mochi.

[00:04:23]Tonight’s inn is located halfway along Gaisen Sakura Street.

[00:04:34]There’s really nobody here.

[00:04:40]Looks like we came one week too late.

[00:04:44]During peak bloom weekends, it becomes crowded with visitors.

[00:04:55]We’ve arrived at our inn.

[00:05:00]A one-group-per-day guesthouse: Honjin Sato Residence.

[00:05:17]An inn renovated from a traditional house over 100 years old.

[00:05:45]There are two guest rooms.

[00:05:48]This is the smaller room.

[00:06:12]This will be our room for tonight.

[00:06:17]It’s very spacious.

[00:06:43]Traditional glass sliding doors.

[00:06:55]A small stream flows right beside the house.

[00:07:04]There are no convenience stores or supermarkets nearby.

[00:07:15]Across from Honjin Sato Residence is a small restaurant.

[00:07:38]Tonight, we had a special meal for guests.

[00:07:48]Okayama’s famous “Festival Sushi” and tempura.

[00:07:56]Warm and comforting, with flavors unique to this region.

[00:08:02]The meal costs just 2,400 yen.

[00:08:09]The owner is also active in revitalizing the village.

[00:08:14]That’s where we heard about the “Small Village G7.”

[00:08:24]As depopulation spreads, small villages across Japan gather together to discuss ways for villages to survive.

[00:08:38]Shinjo Village is one of them.

[00:08:44]Without merging into a larger town, they chose to remain a small village.

[00:08:52]Perhaps that choice helped preserve these landscapes.

[00:09:04]As night falls, people disappear from the streets.

[00:09:11]All you can hear is the wind and flowing water.

[00:09:19]It feels as though you’ve stepped back into old Japan.

[00:10:01]The next morning.

[00:10:03]We walk through the quiet streets once more.

[00:10:12]Many homes keep koi fish outside.

[00:10:38]Morning on Gaisen Sakura Street, with not a soul in sight.

[00:10:49]A local sake shop owner told us about this place.

[00:10:56]Every summer, an event called “Shinjo de Nomino” is held here.

[00:11:04]Tables and chairs line the street, where people eat and talk together.

[00:11:13]Some people who met on the return bus later gathered again in another town.

[00:11:18]A village where people naturally grow closer.

[00:11:28]That too may be part of Shinjo Village’s charm.

[00:11:36]We were told about another place to visit.

[00:14:06]About 15 minutes by car from Gaisen Sakura Street.

[00:14:20]An overwhelming roar and abundant water.

[00:14:29]The powerful Otaki Falls crashes down violently.

[00:14:54]Deep within this quiet village, such powerful nature still remains.

[00:15:05]Further in, there seems to be another waterfall.

[00:15:47]There is also the gentler Medaki Falls.

[00:16:10]There are landscapes that convenience and efficiency alone cannot preserve.

[00:16:25]Because it is a small village, a unique way of life has survived.

[00:16:32]In Shinjo Village, traces of the Japan we had almost forgotten still quietly remain today.

[00:16:48]It’s the kind of village that makes you want to return in another season.