Experience the “extraordinary life” of Ise-Shima through ecotourism Mr. Shun Shigeno (Interview on the 70th anniversary of the designation of Ise-Shima National Park)

Interview “What I feel is the charm of Ise-Shima National Park”
Ise-Shima National Park is home to the ocean, the forest of the Jingu Shrine, and the rich lives of the people who are rooted in these areas. We talked about these various attractions from various angles.

This time, we will be speaking with Takashi Shigeno, Executive Director of the Ise-Shima National Park Association.

(Article cooperation: Ise Shimbun)

■Unprecedented speed designation: How it came to be designated as a national park

Ise-Shima National Park was the first postwar national park to be designated as a national park, but efforts to achieve this status had been underway since before the war. Influential local figures such as Enkichi Ishihara, who later became the first president of the Ise-Shima National Park Association, YukioOzaki, who was a member of the Diet at the time, Kunimatsu Hamada, and KokichiMikimoto were active. However, when the war began, activities ceased.

After the war, State Shinto was abolished under the rule of GHQ, and up until then, IseJingu had been protected by the government, but this was no longer possible. During post-war reconstruction, there was even pressure to donate the official timber that the shrine had planted and cherished during the Taisho era.

Feeling a sense of crisis that the traditions and culture of the shrine would no longer be maintained, the then Grand Priest Atsumaro Takakura and Sakyo Furukawa Junior High Priest went to petition the country to request protection under the National Park Law now that the national protection was no longer available. .
Koshiro Ishigami, a member of the Natural Parks Council of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, who visited the place, took seriously the fact that the chief priest and junior chief priest had come out of their way to visit, and immediately consulted with Captain Popham, who was in charge of GHQ, and decided to visit the site immediately. became.

Captain Popham, who visited the site, said, ``I was moved by the Jingu Forest,'' and he also went on to see the pearl farming in Ago Bay, and was impressed by the beauty of Ago Bay.
Then, on November 20, 1945, it was designated as a national park. It was an unusually quick designation, taking only one month from the inspection.

■A base for nature conservation and tourism attraction

The Ise-Shima National Park Association was established in August 1949, the year after the area was designated as a national park. Beautiful nature cannot be protected simply by being designated as a national park. It is important that as many people as possible know about the wonders of this place. I hope that knowing will lead to understanding, and that we will protect Ise-Shima together. Since the establishment of the association, we have been working to protect the natural environment and attract tourists from all over the country.

■Aims for the 70th anniversary

The first step is to develop the next generation. We would like young people to get involved in our business and gain a better understanding of Ise-Shima.

The other is inbound. We want overseas tourists to understand the wonders of Ise-Shima. To this end, it is important to engage in ecotourism, which allows you to stay for a long time and experience the local nature and people's lifestyle firsthand, rather than the traditional Japanese-style group tours of sight-seeing. Fortunately, there are quite a few ecotourism organizations in Ise-Shima, and they are very enthusiastic about their efforts.

■“Extraordinary” is the future theme

For a while in Japan, "extraordinary" was a keyword for tourism, but I think it's "extraordinary." What is commonplace in the area, visitors are exposed to a ``different daily life.'' Isn't that the real pleasure of traveling?

Takashi Shigeno, Executive Director of Ise-Shima National Park Association
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Born in IseCity. Graduated from Tokai University Faculty of Oceanography in 1971. Joined TobaAquarium in 1971. After serving as Okinawa Sales Office Manager, Director and Sales Manager, etc., he retired in 2010. Current position since 2012.

*This article is reprinted from the Ise Shimbun company's special issue on the 70th anniversary of the designation of Ise-Shima National Park.

Click here for other articles related to the 70th anniversary of Ise-Shima National Park designation.

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*The content posted is information as of November 2016.