Japan: A Country of Forests

I’ll never forget the feeling of awe and wonder that I experienced the first time I went to a Forest Adventure park in France with a close friend. While playing in the park, it was like we’d returned to our childhood—and both children and adults enjoyed themselves. It was then that I asked myself: Why don’t we have anything like this back home in Japan, where 70 percent of the country is covered by forests?

After returning to Japan and looking into things a bit further, I was shocked to discover the sad truth about Japan’s forests. Due to declining profits, the forestry industry has predominantly ceased operations, and the remaining unused trees are viewed as a nuisance, as they are a source of hay fever. At this point, I thought it was impossible to recreate in Japan the kind of natural park that I loved in France.

Looking back, it all seems simple now. But in the beginning, there was a lot of confusion and a great deal of trial and error. It was’t easy to get things started. To make people understand the sheer joy one can experience from the park, I needed to make Japan’s first Forest Adventure a reality. That became my goal.

Towards Creating a Fun Future

Thanks to a series of wonderful encounters, we were finally able to open a new branch at the foot of Mount Fuji. That was ten years ago, and now we have parks spreading throughout the country.

People who challenge themselves are incredible, especially children. With fear and trepidation in their eyes, they stare at the sky … eventually building up the courage to jump. In a split second, fear changes to joy and the joy comes out as laughter. Before you know it, the kids are running so fast, the parents can’t keep up. Even just going to watch others at the park is a lot of fun.

I am deeply grateful to my family, friends, and colleagues for their continued encouragement and confidence in me. Being within reach of the ocean and mountains, I strongly feel that my experiences with nature, and my relationships with people, have contributed to the growth of my mind and body. I hope to create many more activities and experiences by making the best use of information from friends around the world to create a brighter, more enjoyable future for all to share.

Representative Director and President　Ichiro Kanamaru