Become friends with the forest! Protecting Akita's forests and passing them on to the next generation at the Akita Forest Creation Activity Support Center

Approximately 67% of Japan's land area is forested (as of March 31, 2022, Forestry Agency/Prefectural Forest Area Ratio). Akita Prefecture is higher than the national average, with approximately 72% covered by forests, and approximately 53% of that is national forest (2022 Overview of Akita Prefecture Forests and Forestry, Akita Prefecture Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries)

Akita Prefecture established the "Water and Green Forest Creation Tax" to ask for the cooperation of its residents in protecting and maintaining these forests, and since fiscal year 2008, individuals have been levied an annual prefectural tax of 800 yen

---

The "Water and Green Forest Creation Tax" is a necessary tax to pass on to the next generation

This "Water and Green Forest Creation Tax" is "used to cover the costs of measures to conserve the forest environment with the participation of prefectural residents, in order to protect and nurture the forests that serve public functions such as preventing global warming, preserving the prefecture's land, and replenishing water sources, and which all prefectural residents benefit from, and to pass on the attractive "Water and Green Akita" to the next generation" (Akita Prefecture)

Starting in fiscal year 2024, the national government will establish a "Forest Environment Tax," levied at 1,000 yen per person per year as a national tax in addition to individual inhabitant taxes. However, Akita Prefecture will also continue to collect a "Water and Green Forest Creation Tax" separately

Incidentally, there are 37 prefectures across Japan (according to the Forestry Agency) that collect taxes with the same purpose as Akita Prefecture's "Water and Green Forest Creation Tax," and in prefectures that do not collect the tax, many municipalities have independently created similar taxes

---

The Akita Forest Creation Activity Support Center is based at Plaza Crypton

In order to promote "resident participation in forest creation," which is the purpose of the "Water and Green Forest Creation Tax," Akita Prefecture established the "Akita Forest Creation Activity Support Center" on July 1, 2013, as a one-stop service to provide comprehensive support for forest volunteer activities

The Akita Forest Creation Activity Support Center uses the Akita Prefecture Forest Learning Exchange Center Plaza Crypton (Kawabetojima, Akita City) as its base of operations, and offers forest trekking and learning experiences throughout Akita Prefecture, craft experiences using forest materials, forest volunteer activities, and more. Surrounding the exchange center are the "Fureai no Mori" (Forest of Interaction), "Wild Bird Forest" and "Tree Sample Garden," as well as rice paddies, wetlands and an interactive plaza, where visitors can learn about forests, trees and the natural environment through a variety of experiences

---

The core facility, Plaza Crypton, has an exhibition corner, an experience corner, and accommodation facilities

Plaza Krypton has a three-screen multi-vision video theater where you can board the spaceship "Akita Cedar" and travel through Akita's cedar forests from the window of the spaceship, a corner that displays the forest distribution state, an exhibition room equipped with a computer-equipped pictorial book that allows you to examine leaves, nuts, etc. that you bring with you, and a conference room where various hands-on classes are held. Forest and tree experts (instructors) are also on-site to answer questions about forests, trees, wild vegetables, mushrooms, wild birds, etc

Plaza Crypton is close to Akita Airport and has good access to the prefectural capital, Akita City, so it is popular with families taking forest walks or forest schools, as well as business travelers, and offers a range of rooms, including single, twin, and Japanese-style rooms. Two meals a day are also available. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner, and serves set meals made with ingredients from Akita Prefecture

---

At the Forest School, children can come into contact with forests and trees and learn about the richness and importance of forests

The Akita Forest Creation Activity Support Center's activities are centered around the Forest School. In addition to forest crafts, wreath classes, and wood-related lectures held at Plaza Crypton, the center also holds a variety of activities throughout the year, including trekking, observation sessions, and archaeological site visits to forests in Akita Prefecture

Here are some of our key activities for 2025

• "Matoyama Flower Watching Tour" with a forestry instructor (Matoyama in Yokote City, certified as one of "Akita's 50 Satoyama that we want to protect")
• Akita Komagatake Trekking (A trek around the flower gardens near the eighth station of Akita Komagatake, a treasure trove of alpine plants, consisting of Mt. Onamedake (main peak 1,637m), Mt. Odake (1,623m), and Mt. Yokodake (1,583m))
• Learn about the Jomon period: "Nanakura Primeval Forest Mushroom Observation & Ise-Dodai Ruins Visit" (Visit the natural Akita cedar forest "Nanakurayama" and the World Heritage Site "Ise-Dodai Ruins" known for its stone circle)

---

The website provides detailed information on bear ecology and behavior, as well as measures to prevent human injury

The official website provides detailed information about the natural Akita cedar forest, Shirakami-Sanchi, and giant trees, as well as an explanation of the trees, wild birds, insects, and mountain plants under the title "The Four Seasons of Forests and Water," and "The Blessings of Forests and Water," which explains the ecology of bears, which have recently become a major problem, measures to prevent human injury, and how to interact with the forest

Regarding Asiatic black bears

• "The ecology of Asiatic black bears and measures to prevent human injury"
• Forest School 2023: A course to consider bear issues
• Forest School "Learn about the ecology of Asiatic black bears through photographs"

has been released

You can apply to join one of the 89 forest volunteer groups in Akita Prefecture (as of August 2025) or borrow your own wooden toys (free of charge) through the Akita Forest Creation Activity Support Center website

Akita Forest Creation Activity Support Center Information

• Facility name: Akita Forest Creation Activity Support Center/Plaza Crypton
• Address: 38-4 Kamimatsurizawa, Kawabetoshima, Akita City, Akita Prefecture
• telephone number:
• Akita Forest Creation Activity Support Center / 018-882-5570
• Instructor Room/018-882-5009
• Hotel/Restaurant: 018-882-4811
• *For details about the hotel and restaurant, including menus, please refer to the Plaza Crypton website
• URL: Akita Forest Creation Activity Support Center
• URL: Plaza Crypton
• access:
  • Public transportation: From Akita Station on the Akita Shinkansen, JR Ou Main Line, or Uetsu Main Line, take the Akita Chuo Kotsu bus bound for Akita Aeon Mall for approximately 30 minutes, then transfer for approximately 15 minutes to the bus bound for Akita International University, and get off at the last stop for approximately 6 minutes. From Akita Airport, it is approximately a 7-minute drive
  • By car: Approximately 10 minutes from Akita Minami IC on the Akita Expressway

Google Map

---

Noshiro City's "Wood School" where you can experience a variety of woodworking experiences

"Wood School" is a facility in Noshiro City where you can experience various woodworking experiences and create woodwork. The main material used is Akita cedar

The facility is divided into a woodworking workshop, a machine workshop, a workshop, a woodworking class exhibition, and a training building, where you can create small handmade pieces or full-scale machine-made pieces under the guidance of specialized technicians. Woodworking classes are held every month from April to February of the following year, and are experience classes that people of all ages can enjoy casually. You can also borrow machines and try your hand at crafting on your own

There is an exhibition space for works from the woodworking classes, and you can create your own works for exhibition. The training building displays a variety of woodworking tools and can be used as a rest area. *Admission is free, but there is an additional fee for experience classes and making works using tools

Wood School Information

• Facility name: Noshiro City Technology Development Center Wood School
• Address: 18-19 Minami-Nishiyama, Kawadogawa, Noshiro City, Akita Prefecture
• Phone number: 0185-52-5249
• Opening period: All year round
• Opening hours: 8:30-16:30
• Admission fee: Free (fees apply depending on the artwork and the equipment used)
• Closed: 2nd, 4th, and 5th Sundays, public holidays, and New Year's holidays (December 29th to January 3rd)
• URL: Tree School
• access:
  • Public transportation: Approximately 15 minutes by car from Noshiro Station on the JR Gono Line
  • By car: Approximately 10 minutes from Noshiro Minami IC on the Akita Expressway, approximately 45 minutes by car from Odate-Noshiro Airport

Google Map

---

The Nibetsu Forest Museum, where you can learn about forests, is also an ideal base for exploring the Nibetsu Natural Recreational Forest

The Nibetsu Forest Museum is located at the entrance to the Nibetsu Natural Recreational Forest, a natural Akita cedar forest known for its giant Meoto cedar trees, said to be 200 to 300 years old. It is a facility where you can learn about Akita cedars and the Nibetsu forest

The museum displays information about Nibetsu Forest (Nibetsu Natural Recreational Forest) and the origins of natural Akita cedars, as well as the history of logging and timber transportation, and an actual train that was used at the time on the forest railway, which was active not only in transporting timber but also in passenger transportation. The train in the museum is a Sakai Bogie 8-ton diesel locomotive that was used on the Nifuna Forest Railway (Nifuna, Noshiro City), Akita Prefecture's first forest railway. Experience classes are also held during Golden Week and summer vacation

An old steam locomotive is preserved and on display at the entrance to the museum. This steam locomotive was used on the Hokkaido Onneto Forest Railway and was manufactured by the American company Baldwin in 1921 (Taisho 10)

*Please note: As of December 2025, the Nibetsu Forest Museum closed due to the forest road in front of it being blocked off by heavy rains in 2024. Restoration work is currently underway and the museum is scheduled to reopen in 2027. For inquiries, please contact the Tohoku Forest Office at 018-836-2211.

Nibetsu Forest Museum Information

• Facility name: Nibetsu Forest Museum
• Location: 22nd Forest Section, Nibetsu Tsumzawa National Forest, Akita City, Akita Prefecture
• Inquiries: Tohoku Forest Management Office, Forest Management Department
• Phone number: 018-836-2211
• Opening days: Early May to early November
• Opening hours:
  • May to September: 10:00 to 17:00
  • October and November: 10:00-16:00
• Closed: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays (except public holidays)
• URL: Nibetsu Forest Museum
• access:
  • Public transportation: Akita Shinkansen, JR Ou Main Line, Uetsu Main Line, approximately 50 minutes by car from Akita Station
  • By car: Approximately 50 minutes from Akita Chuo IC on the Akita Expressway

Google Map

---