MatsusakaCity Forest Park is a park surrounded by nature at the foot of Mt. Kannondake. In April 2021, the designated manager will be replaced by Matsusaka Collaborative Farm Co., Ltd., and the facility will be renovated one after another! This time, Masashi Asada, a photographer from Mie Prefecture, interviewed Iwamori, director of MatsusakaCity City Forest Park, about new ways to enjoy MatsusakaCity Forest Park and the charm of its natural scenery.

​Click here for the profile of Masashi Asada, who is also the original creator of the movie “Asada Family!”

■Table of contents

• 1. MatsusakaCity Forest Park has been renovated into a natural park where you can enjoy everything from a cherry blossom viewing spot to camping, playing in the river, and mountain climbing!
• 2. Kannondake that can be climbed from MatsusakaCity Forest Park
• 3. Photo taken by Masashi Asada

1. MatsusakaCity Forest Park has been renovated into a natural park where you can enjoy everything from a cherry blossom viewing spot to camping, playing in the river, and mountain climbing!

Director Iwamori: For the local community, including myself, MatsusakaCity Forest Park has always had a strong image as a place to view cherry blossoms. There was a call for a designated manager, and when I visited the park again, I learned that MatsusakaCity Forest Park is a place where you can pitch a tent and enjoy camping.

That's right, Masashi Asada.

Director Iwamori:However, there was no equipment in place to make a bonfire. Therefore, I decided to create a bonfire space on the site where I would set up my tent.

Iwamori Encho Bonfires can now be made, and they have been very well received by users. Some people come alone, light a bonfire, and spend the day looking at it, lost in thought. There are also many other ways to enjoy the area, such as people who come with their families and play in the nearby river. If you get hungry after playing so much, you can cook in the adjacent kitchen, or have a light meal at Hanaokoshi Restaurant on the premises.

Another great thing about MatsusakaCity Forest Park is that it has a wide range of equipment and rental items. There are 20 tent sites, an auto campsite (can park one regular car), 6 bungalows with flush toilets and showers, and even a bath facility (Mori no Yu), which is rare for a campsite. Rental items include tents, bedding, lights, bonfire goods, cooking utensils, and other tools necessary for camping, so even those who are trying camping for the first time can rest assured!

Masashi Asada's Dutch oven is great.

This is Director Iwamori's popular item. As the name suggests, it can also be used as an oven, and you can enjoy a variety of dishes such as boiling, steaming, grilling with a lid, and even simple smoking. Roasting chicken is easy and delicious. Just season with black pepper and salt and heat through.

Masashi Asada looks delicious!

The tent site has a wooden deck type tent stand, which allows you to easily set up the tent by tying it to metal fittings without having to hit the pegs.

Director Iwamori: We would like to utilize this vast forest space in various ways. The most recent event we held was ``Forest Picnic Party,'' where we sold handmade products, sweets, and had a small photo session. It was a popular event, so we plan to hold it again.

Masashi Asada: It's good because you can get there in about 15 to 20 minutes by car from MatsusakaCity (around the station).

When you think of Iwamori Campground, you may have the image of being deep in the mountains and having a hard time getting there, but MatsusakaCity Forest Park is close to MatsusakaCity and 5 minutes from the Matsusaka Interchange. It's the location. I don't think there are any campgrounds that are so easily accessible.

It is said that many Mie Prefecture residents come here on weekdays, but due to its easy access, on weekends more than 60% of all users come from outside the prefecture (Aichi Prefecture and Osaka). Furthermore, preparations are underway to enable Wi-Fi to be used on the premises from around spring 2022. Now that you can use it in new ways, such as working while camping, it looks like it will become an increasingly popular spot!

2. Kannondake that can be climbed from MatsusakaCity Forest Park

Kannondake is a mountain trail that continues from MatsusakaCity Forest Park. The well-maintained mountain trail makes it suitable for families to enjoy as well. The altitude is approximately 600 meters, and there is an observation deck halfway up the mountain trail that overlooks MatsusakaCity. This time, we will continue along the mountain trail, aiming for the observation deck.

Director Iwamori: We held a walking event this fall of 2021. We expected about 400 people to participate in the two-day event, but in the end, a whopping 700 people showed up.

Masashi Asada is very popular! Where did you walk?

Iwamori Director We walked the 11km round trip course from BellFarm to MatsusakaCity Forest Park. There are many sights to see on the course, such as Zuiganji Temple, which has a beautiful garden, and Yokotaki Temple, which has a spring that is said to be effective against eye diseases. became.

Masashi Asada There are a lot of tourist spots near MatsusakaCity Forest Park.

Director Iwamori: That's right. However, these spots are not well known to local people.

Masashi Asada: There are so many wonderful spots, but it's a shame that they're not well-known.

Director Iwamori: Even our staff didn't know about it until we started planning the walking event. We would like to promote not only MatsusakaCity Forest Park but also surrounding spots.

After walking on the mountain trail for about 15 minutes, we arrived at the observation deck! Masashi Asada immediately enjoys the scenery.

Director Iwamori: This observatory was also renovated to improve the view even further. You can see what's going on in MatsusakaCity, and you can also see Ise Bay.

Masashi Asada! You can also see the local TsuCity! It's close to TsuCity, so I'd like to come to MatsusakaCity Forest Park soon and enjoy mountain climbing and camping with my family.

Director Iwamori, please come!

3. Photo taken by Masashi Asada

They were photographed with tents, camping goods, and a bonfire with a cheerful expression on their faces. Director Iwamori says that on his days off, his employees invite him to go mountain climbing. His cheerful personality may be the secret to his popularity among employees.

Article production: MSLP