Gozaisho at an elevation of 1,212 meters, Komono-cho in Mie-gun, Mie Prefecture, is full of magnificent nature, relaxing hot spring resorts, and delicious gourmet food. The town's natural scenery changes with the seasons, so you will discover something new every time you visit. Access is easy from the Nagoya area, and sightseeing spots are also plentiful.
This time, I visited the workspace and tourist spots in Komono-cho and experienced a 2-day/1-night workcation, switching on and off in a flash. After the experience, I want to visit Komono-cho regularly in the spring, summer, fall, and winter! That's how I feel now.
Recommendations
・When you take your gaze away from work mode, you will see a spectacular view spread out below you. Look out for a workspace that only Komono-cho can offer!
・Refresh and refresh yourself with activities in the great outdoors! You can switch on and off.
・There are many hot springs to soothe your fatigue and delicious gourmet food to enjoy. However, you must have a strong mind not to be tempted too much.
Remote work at an altitude of 1,212 m. The Gozaisho Ropeway is a fascinating ropeway with a view that changes its expression in a day.
The time was 10:00 am. We parked the car in the parking lot and headed for the first destination of our Komono-cho vacation, the summit of Mt. Gozaisho ropeway will take you up the magnificent mountain. The ride takes about 15 minutes. Even if you usually take a car or a train, you will never take a ropeway. While riding the ropeway, you can look up and down, and your mood will rise along with the altitude.
By the time we reached the top, the area was covered in snow.
Gozaishodake, which rises approximately 1,212 meters above sea level, is a mountain located on the border between Komono Town and Higashiomi City, Shiga Prefecture. It is located in Suzuka Quasi-National Park and is one of the Suzuka Seventh Mountains.
Once I got off the Gozaisho ropeway, I naturally ran out of the car. Living in an area where I usually have almost no contact with falling snow, it is inevitable that my heart would dance to the sight of the snowy landscape.
It was early March when I visited, and the temperature was about 8 degrees Celsius. Even though it was not that cold, the amount of snow! There were tourists enjoying skiing and climbers in their gear. I was glad to have come here for a work vacation, and the snowy scenery alone was a refreshing start to my visit.
Mr. Kihara (left) and Mr. Sato (right) of the Gozaisho Ropeway
I thought I had made a brilliant start, but then I made a blunder right away. I lost a lot of appointments with the people at the Gozaisho Ropeway. I was so excited by the snowy scenery... Thank you, Mr. Sato and Mr. Kihara, for your kind words to me as I was making excuses. Mr. Higuchi, who I didn't get to meet... I am sorry.
We met the couple at "Observation Restaurant Nature," the highest restaurant in Mie Prefecture. Restaurant Nature is a spot where you can enjoy a meal while gazing at the spectacular view at an altitude of 1,212 meters above sea level. It is also a place where you can work remotely with Wi-Fi.
I worked for about an hour checking and replying to messages and e-mails and writing texts. I took my eyes off the computer screen and suddenly turned my head to the right and saw a huge panorama. To say the least...it was awesome.
The scenery changes with the seasons, and you can enjoy the changes in scenery just by spending a day here," Sato said.
Sato: "The scenery really changes depending on the position of the sun itself. There were clouds, but then the clouds cleared and the view became more and more expansive."
If you are lucky, the sea of clouds can spread out and become a restaurant above the clouds. Imagine working remotely in a restaurant above the clouds: .... Too much to experience.
As the time passed noon, we were served Gozaisho Ropeway's specialty, "Gozaisho Curry Udon".
Ise udon noodles, with their chewy and fluffy texture, are well mixed with the dashi broth curry. One bite of the trotters of Komono pork stewed in cubes also made me fainter in agony. Delicious.
Gozaisho Ropeway has different opening hours depending on the season. If you plan to do a full day of work at the "Observation Restaurant Nature," an example would be to take the ropeway at 9:00, arrive at the top at 9:15, stay at the "Observation Restaurant Nature" until 16:00, and take the last ropeway at 16:20.
We will work with a panoramic view, take a break to explore Gozaisho, and enjoy Gozaisho Curry Udon when we get hungry. After a short break, we strolled around Gozaisho and ate some Gozaisho Curry Udon noodles. We promised ourselves that we would definitely come back to experience the one-day work at "Restaurant Natur," and headed for our next destination.
Full of colorful ideas! Anniversary Inn Irodori Koyo
The time is 13:00. We drove one minute from the Gozaisho Ropeway and walked three minutes to "Irodori Koyo," an inn for commemorative days. I was greeted by the manager, Mr. Takenaka, dressed in a cool monk's uniform. The town of Komono is famous for the "Monks' Festival," the largest fire festival in Mie Prefecture.
Irodori Koyo is a colorful, homey, and high quality handmade inn. The lobby, rooms, dining area, and all other areas are full of colorful and creative ideas.
For example, here is the "Irodori Rental Board" as it is called. You are asked to select an equipment board, and if you turn it in to the front desk, it will be rented out free of charge. There are various items such as sewing sets, hair irons, etc.
Takenaka: "The rental boards allow our customers, especially children, to choose equipment and have fun while also increasing productivity."
According to him, before the introduction of the rental board, he used to receive calls at the front desk and deliver equipment to rooms as room service. With the introduction of the rental board, both the customer and the staff no longer have to make phone calls and deliver and receive supplies. I see," he said with a groan.
Takenaka-san picked up this one as well. It is an easy-to-understand picture book about the "legend of origami cranes" in Komono-cho.
Takenaka: "The staff made the whole thing up because we thought that if we made a picture book about the legend of the folded paper crane, young children would be able to read it too."
The "Picture Book of the Legend of Paper Cranes" is a joint effort of staff members who are good at illustrations and drawings and those who can write beautifully, taking advantage of the strengths of each staff member. It is lovely.
For more information on the legend of origami cranes, go to the link below.
Legend of the Love-Connecting Origami Cranes (Yunoyama Onsen Hot Springs Association Website)
There was still some time left before check-in time at 3:00 p.m. Since we had so much time to kill, we decided to go on a tour of the famous "legend of the folded paper crane," which Mr. Takenaka had told us about. Again, we looked at the "Komono's Travel Map" created by the staff and filled with colorful illustrations, and with Mr. Takenaka as our guide, we locked in on Sangakuji Temple and Aotaki Falls. Now, let's go on a tour of the legend of the folded paper crane!
The Komobility vehicle can easily go up hills. I feel like I can go anywhere.
What is Komobility? I thought to myself. At first, I thought so too.
A simple description of Komobility is ... "a mobility board that allows you to get around Komono-cho, a town rich in nature, while feeling the air all over your body. The electric-assist system makes it easy to get around even in the rugged Gozaisho area. In addition to Irodori Koyo you can rent them at ryokans, hotels, and roadside stations in Komono-cho.
The photo here shows a Komobility that can be rented at "Road Station Komono" (Roadside Station Komono). Incidentally, the numbered Komobility requires a motorized motorcycle license, and a helmet must be worn securely when riding.
We straddled the Komobility and departed from Irodori Koyo about two minutes later. On the way to "Sangakuji Temple," we stopped at "Namida-bashi" (bridge of tears). The name "Nada-bashi" comes from the fact that Yuna (a woman in a hot spring bath) shed tears as she parted with her guests. Hot spring and bridge, meeting and parting. With Kaguyahime's Kanda River playing in your head, listen to the murmuring of the Mitaki River and immerse yourself in nostalgia.
After that, about 8 minutes from Namida-bashi, we arrived at "Sangakuji Temple," a spot for touring the legend of the folded paper crane. This is where the largest fire festival in Mie Prefecture, the Monks' Festival, is held.
And now to Aotaki, the spot for the legendary tour of folded paper cranes! First, access the entrance to the back trail of Mt. Gozaishodake, about 5 minutes by Komobility from Sangakujii Temple, and walk along the mountain trail for about 25 minutes.
The waterfall pouring down from a height of about 50 meters is breathtaking. I felt very refreshed after being covered with the fine spray of water.
After exercising in Komobility and climbing a small mountain, we felt a little hungry, so we stopped by Oishi Yaki, a specialty of Gozaisho in Komono-cho. The freshly baked "soft rice crackers" were slightly sweet and exceptional.
After being very satisfied with the activities, I looked at my watch and saw that it was past 3:00 p.m., the check-in time. I was so satisfied with the activities that I looked at my watch and saw that it was past 3:00 p.m., the time for check-in.
Work in a work-only room with a view of the hot spring resort. After work, relax with gourmet food and hot springs.
The time is past 16:00. After putting our luggage in our room, we headed for the work room at Irodori Koyo. The room itself is the same as the rooms for overnight stays, except that it has a work desk and chair by the window.
Sitting in my comfy chair, I'm in work mode! With an occasional view of the hot spring town outside the window, I worked for about 2 hours and 30 minutes, mainly organizing data and creating documents.
※The room dedicated to work will be a service for guests only as a work plan.
The time is 19:00. Considering the work hours, we set the meal time late. At Irodori Koyo, meals are also colorful, and I discovered some inventive ideas! One small part of this is the "Tempura Ingredient of the Day," which you can choose by filling out a special form.
I was confused by the variety of ingredients and chose four: 1. Makomodake (a specialty of Komono), 2. Komono pork, 3. Hamo (Japanese conger eel), and 4. pumpkin.
The freshly fried tempura was hot and crispy. The body tired from the activity and the head spinning from the work were recharged by the colorful gourmet food.
And the best part of the trip and the best part of Komono-cho Yunoyama is... Onsen! The hot springs of Komono-cho Yunoyama are the best part of the trip. At Irodori Koyo, you can enjoy Yunoyama Onsen in the large indoor and outdoor baths. The warm water will heal your body after a hard day's activity and your head after a hard day's work.
※The photo shows "Sora," a hidden open-air bath for women, which we visited during the daytime. The sense of openness is unbelievable. I want to take a bath in my next life.
After returning to our room, we worked for about an hour before going to bed around 24:00 to finish the first day of our Gozaisho workation.
The mood is colorful with the morning colors. The second day of the Komono-cho Workcation begins.
The time is 7 o'clock. It's 7:00 a.m., a refreshing morning awakening. After getting ready in the morning, I spent some time checking the news, checking and replying to messages, and getting ready to check out. 8:30 a.m. I had a delicious breakfast and was fully charged for the day ahead.
We checked out of Irodori Koyo at 9:30 a.m. We bought the Irodori chopsticks we used for breakfast as a souvenir. On the second day of our Komono-cho vacation, we headed to our next destination.
The background music for work is the sound of the murmuring Mitaki River. Remote work at "Jutei Suiunkaku," a nationally designated tangible cultural property.
The time is just before 10:00. We arrived at Kotobuki-tei, a long-established ryokan about a 4-minute drive from Irodori Koyo. We were greeted by a beautiful garden, smiling waitresses, and the manager, Mr. Uchida.
Mr. Uchida: "This is believed to be a painting of Kotobuki-tei from around 1945."
Mr. Uchida guided us to Suiunkaku, a nationally designated tangible cultural property.
Jutei was established in 1911. Originally a detached ryokan, there are four buildings that retain their original appearance: Suiunkaku, a private bath, and Keiseikaku, a private bath. Suiunkaku can be used as a workspace and Keiseikaku as a private bath.
Suiunkaku was named after Mt. Gozaisho, the flowing clouds, and the sound of the Mitaki River water.
The "Sakura-no-Ma" workspace on the second floor of Suiunkaku is filled with very valuable decorations. One example is the glass made in 1918 using a process known as the Colburn method. It is characterized by the wavy appearance of the glass, and is a valuable item that is not available today.
After speaking with Mr. Uchida, I switch my mind to work mode with my eyes darting all over the place. Chairs and desks are provided for work, and the Wi-Fi environment is perfect.
We worked for about an hour, focusing on data organization and documentation.
When switching to work mode, my beloved headphones were not needed at Suiunkaku. At Suiunkaku, the background music is the sound of water flowing from the Mitaki River. Typing on the keyboard naturally becomes lighter. It is also nice to take a short break from work and enjoy the view of the changing seasons.
Working remotely at Suiunkaku, a nationally designated tangible cultural property, was a special time that could only be experienced here.
Work time for the Komono-cho Workcation is... over here. Now it's time to enjoy Komono-cho to the fullest!
Lunch will be pizza at AQUAIGNIS! We also took a glimpse at the 13 varieties of strawberries we were interested in picking.
The time is 11:30. We arrived at AQUAIGNIS, a hot spring resort complex with the theme of "healing" and "food," about 11 minutes by car from Jutei Suiunkaku. We visited Ms. Urashima of the Public Relations and Production Department at Aqua Ignis.
Visiting AQUAIGNIS was a different and more liberating experience than the mountains of Gozaisho. The reflections of people passing by, the water, and the sophisticated design of the buildings were sparkling. It was as if my work switch was suddenly turned off.
Mr. Urashima will take us to the Italian restaurant "Il Quecciano Miele" for lunch. At Il Quecciano Miele, you can casually enjoy a seasonal menu filled with the theories of the genius Italian chef, Chef Masayuki Okuda.
The popular Pizza Carbonara that we were served was a tasty dish with mozzarella cheese and eggs that were both tender. It was so good that my cheeks turned to mush after just one bite, and I ate it up in one bite. By the way, pizza can also be taken out.
Then we were lucky enough to stumble upon the annual limited time strawberry fair at AQUAIGNIS. The entire facility was offering strawberry-based products.
Il Quecciano Miele's Strawberry Fair menu features the "Strawberry Shake". When you eat the sweet and sour "Benihoppe" strawberries on a cup and drink the cold, sweet and sour Strawberry Shake, you will be.... Happiness, that is the only word that comes to mind.
Ms. Urashima said, "The Red Hoppe in the Strawberry Shake comes from the AQUAIGNIS farm."
What a surprise, the delicious strawberries were grown inside AQUAIGNIS. Would you like to visit the farm? I took advantage of Mr. Urashima's kindness and visited "TSUJIGUCHI FARM" just a few steps away from Il Quecciano Miele.
The person who greeted us was the manager, Mr. Yamamoto.
TSUJIGUCHI FARM is a tourist farm, and this season (2021-2022), visitors can compare 13 different varieties of strawberries. The strawberry varieties include familiar ones such as Shohime, Kaorino, and Benihoppe, as well as Momokun, Tenshi no Ichigo, Mouikko, and others.
Incidentally, strawberry picking at TSUJIGUCHI FARM is by reservation only. The time limit is 40 minutes, and the adult fee is 2,100 yen (varies depending on the season).
Mr. Yamamoto said, "Strawberries are first attached to the center of the branch, and the middle of the branch is the largest. The lower you go, the smaller it gets. Also, they basically split into three branches, and they turn red in order from the middle."
I didn't know... I will definitely come back to TSUJIGUCHI FARM to experience strawberry picking.
Finally, it's time to wrap up our Komono-cho vacation. We are heading to the last great natural exhilaration, Adventure World.
I... fly. I feel like a flying flying squirrel. Forest Adventure Yunoyama.
The time is around 13:00 past. We arrived at Forest Adventure Yunoyama, a nature symbiosis-type outdoor park about 3 minutes by car from AQUAIGNIS! At Forest Adventure Yunoyama, you can enjoy the thrill and excitement of "Zip Slide," which is over 100 meters long, and "Tarzan Swing," where you jump down from a height of about 10 meters, in the forest spreading through the trees.
It is safe and enjoyable for men and women of all ages, and is also used as corporate team-building training.
The person who greeted me was Mr. Sasaki, the assistant manager. He is a reassuring partner who went around the course with me as I rode alone.
We changed into our overalls, put on our gloves, and were ready to go. After a brief training session, we were ready for our adventure in the forest.
Mr. Sasaki: "This is the most difficult part. The important thing is your core."
Even though I am not afraid of heights, I was thrilled to cross the conical tree tops with pinpoint accuracy. Even though I knew I was safe with the lifeline, the sensation of the weight concentrated on my toes wobbling and leading me into the abyss.... I don't feel like I can cross nonstop at all.
With sweaty hands, I managed to make it across. The adrenaline was pumping as I felt a sensation that I would never experience in my daily life.
And the best part is the "Zip Slide" that takes you through the forest in the air!
If you are not used to zip-sliding, your body will flip over and you will end up in an unintentional back-zip-slide. The key to keeping your body in front of you, Mr. Sasaki told us, is to maintain your center of gravity while swaying your feet as if you were walking in the air.
Working with Mr. Sasaki, I tried the "Double Zip Slide," in which you catch your hand in mid-air and jump out, and succeeded with flying colors. The experience lasted about two hours and was so engrossing and enjoyable that I lost all sense of time.
If we interpret workcations broadly, that is, adventure!
This was the end of our two-day and one-night Komono-cho vacation. As we were heading home, the excitement of our experience at Forest Adventure Yunoyama had not yet cooled off, and we were firmly recognized by the Kamoshika signboard. It is a vacation (adventure) until you get home. Let's all keep this in mind.
On the way home, you may want to end the trip with a visit to Yunoyama Onsen Hot Springs. The Komono-cho Workcation experience allows you to fully enjoy both your work and private life in an extraordinary natural setting. One last word of advice: once you have experienced a Komono-cho workcation... you will never forget it.
Because I am now so excited to go back to Gozaisho for another workcation. If you are interested, please start with the 2-day/1-night Gozaisho Work Vacation Experience.
An example of how to spend your time
※Time is calculated by taking out filming and interviews during the interview.
Day 1
10:00 Arrive at Gozaisho Ropeway (ascent)
10:20 Arrive at Gozaisho Ropeway Yamagami Koen Station
10:30 Walk around Mt.
11:00 Work at Restaurant Natur with a view
12:30 Lunch at Restaurant Natur with a view
13:15 Arrive at Yunoyama Onsen Station on the Gozaisho Ropeway (downhill)
13:30 Rent Komobility at Irodori Koyo around the legendary place of the folded paper crane
15:30 Check in at Irodori Koyo
16:00 Organize data and write documents in the workroom
19:00 Dinner, rest, and night view
21:00 Work in room for 1 hour
22:00 Relax and enjoy hot spring bath
24:00 Bedtime
Day 2
7:00 Wake up
7:30 Work in your room Check and reply to e-mails and messages
8:30 Breakfast, purchase souvenirs, check out of Sai Koyo
10:00 Work at Suiunkaku, organize data, write documents
11:30 Lunch at AQUAIGNIS, shopping
13:00 Activities at Forest Adventure Yunoyama
15:30 Workday ends
Facilities and Spots
Gozaisho Ropeway
Yunoyama Onsen, Komono-cho, Mie-gun, Mie 510-1233, Japan
Anniversary Inn Irodori Koyo
8497 Komono, Komono-cho, Mie-gun, Mie 510-1233
New Komono Travel Komobility
2256-10, Komono, Komono-cho, Mie-gun, Mie 510-1233, Japan
Namida-bashi
Namida-bashi Yunoyama Onsen Association
Mitake Temple
Mitake Temple Yunoyama Onsen Association
Aotaki Waterfall
Aotaki Waterfall Mie Prefecture Tourism Federation
Yunoyama's specialty Oishiyaki Kiraku-do
Yunoyama Onsen, Komono-cho, Mie-gun, Mie 510-1233
Yunoyama's specialty Oishiyaki Kiraku-do
Kotobukitei Suiunkaku, a long-established ryokan with private baths
8585 Komono, Komono-cho, Mie-gun, Mie 510-1233
Kotobukitei Suiunkaku, a long-established ryokan with private baths
AQUAIGNIS, a comprehensive resort of healing and food in Yunoyama Onsen Hot Spring
4800-1 Komono, Komono-cho, Mie-gun, Mie 510-1233
Forest Adventure Yunoyama
4958 Komono-cho, Mie-gun, Mie 510-1233