Admire and Taste Nature's Blessings in Oi

Nestled at the foot of the Tanzawa Mountains in western Kanagawa Prefecture, Oi is a town blessed with nature’s abundance and a deep-rooted agricultural spirit. Known for its vibrant Oi Yosakoi Hyotan Festival celebrating the town’s famous gourds, Oi invites visitors to savor the bounty of each season. The local farmers’ market, Oi Town Agriculture Experiential Facility “Shiki no Sato,” overflows with fresh, oversized produce grown by local farmers, which draw early-morning queues.  

Complementing this fertile landscape is the region’s proud sake tradition. In Oi, there are two sake breweries, which is rare even within the prefecture. Inoue Sake Brewery and Ishii Jozo offer authentic local sake that reflects traditional craftsmanship and the unique character of the region, while me-byo valley BIOTOPIA and Oi Yumenosato Park reflect the area’s focus on wellness, and the harmony between people, nature, and the changing seasons.

Find out more: Discover the Ashigara area

Summary of Itinerary:

• Inoue Sake Brewery, a traditional sake brewery with an eye on the future
• me-byo valley BIOTOPIA, an experiential facility that helps you understand pre-disease conditions and provides an opportunity to reevaluate your lifestyle
• Oi Yumenosato, turning revitalized woodlands into a stunning, seasonal destination

Travel to first spot (Kami-Oi Station → Inoue Sake Brewery)

• Walk: 4 minutes

Getting to the Inoue Sake Brewery from Kami-Oi Station couldn’t be easier. Head west from the station and walk for around four minutes—you’ve arrived! 

Inoue Sake Brewery

The Inoue Sake Brewery is as distilled with local history as its sake production. Founded in 1789 (the first year of the Kansei era), this brewery began by making use of the region’s abundant water and rice. It has continued its journey to the present day, weathering turbulent times such as the Kansei Reforms—implemented to strengthen the power of the Tokugawa Shogunate—and the Great Tenmei Famine, as well as the subsequent enlightenment and development of the Edo period (1603–1868). 

Through it all, the Inoue Sake Brewery continued to produce sake in the fertile soil of the Ashigara Plain, brewing sake for over 230 years and continually refining its craft. Even today, its passionate brewers keep revisiting techniques and flavors, embracing new challenges in step with the times. 

Influenced by the teachings of Ninomiya Sontoku, an agricultural reformer and philosopher who was active in this region throughout his life from 1787 to 1856, Inoue Sake Brewery places great value on his principles of sincerity, diligence, moderation, and sharing. Guided by the idea of “working earnestly and steadily, living within one’s means, and using any surplus for the good of others and the future,” the brewery created Suijo, a sustainable sake born from these ideals.

Its name, Suijo (“Bestowal”) refers to using one’s surplus (profit) not for oneself in the present, but for the world and the future, a concept that aligns with the wish for a sustainable society. Suijo is made using rice grown by Odawara Kanagote Farm in fields near the brewery, which were previously abandoned. Electricity is generated by solar panels installed above those rice fields and then sent to the Inoue Sake Brewery via UPDATER's blockchain system to power the brewing process. 

For a peek into the present and future of sake production, the facility previously offered a sake brewery tour, though this is currently suspended. Check back again in the future to see if you can explore this historical brewery for yourself and experience the craftsmanship of sake brewing firsthand!

Travel to next spot (Inoue Sake Brewery → me-byo valley BIOTOPIA)

• Car: 8 minutes
• Walk: 34 minutes

If you’ve rented a car or hop in a taxi, it will only take around eight minutes to get to me-byo valley BIOTOPIA via the National Route 255 (国道255号) and Megane Road (めがね道). However, if you fancy a walk alongside Oi’s leafy sights, it will take you 34 minutes on foot.

me-byo valley BIOTOPIA

After a taste of the region’s expert sake, prepare to discover wellness through all senses at me-byo valley BIOTOPIA, a facility that focuses on wellness and nature escapes. Here, you can enjoy experiences that provide an opportunity to rethink your lifestyle through their main three concepts: "food" that gathers the blessings of nature, "exercise" that regulates the body, and "healing" that opens up the five senses.

Embrace the healing power of nature with forest bathing and forest therapy in the lush greenery of me-byo valley BIOTOPIA. You can either join a guided forest therapy course led by the facility’s specialized guides or embark on a forest bathing experience at your own pace. The three Forest Paths are freely accessible for individual exploration.

• Take the Healing Forest Course for a 20-minute meditative walk through a beautiful bamboo grove. Leisurely experience the forest’s healing effects.
   
• Wander the 30-minute Satoyama/Power Spot Course centered on a shrine surrounded by sacred forest and an aromatic garden for powerful rejuvenation.
   
• Spend a relaxed, healing time in nature with the 72-minute Gingko Avenue Course, journeying through an ever-changing scenery featuring an ancient cherry tree forest, gingko avenues, Mount Hakone views, and rural satoyama landscapes. It is an ideal trail for those seeking a more substantial hike.

After enjoying beautiful nature, savor nature’s bounty at the BIOTOPIA Marché. This market features restaurants serving seasonal ingredients and local produce, as well as shops offering food and beverages with natural flavors, allowing you to experience nature from the inside out.

me-byo valley BIOTOPIA offers an extensive selection of appealing items, including Japanese sake, imported wines, traditional crafts, fermented foods, and seasonal specialties. For dining, you can choose from Japanese cuisine, Western cuisine, or a Japanese-style cafe to suit your preferences. At me-byo valley BIOTOPIA, you can embrace a lifestyle that is gentle on both body and mind, supporting your health, while fully experiencing the bounty and richness of nature.

Travel to next spot (me-byo valley BIOTOPIA → Oi Yumenosato)

• Car: 5 minutes
• Cycle: 17 minutes
• Walk: 44 minutes

By car, you’re only five minutes away from our next spot: Oi Yumenosato. But if you’re still feeling energized, you could cycle there in 17 minutes or walk there in 44 minutes. Either way, you’ll soon be soaking up more of Oi’s most scenic spots.

Oi Yumenosato

Oi Yumenosato is a beautiful 19-hectare area dedicated to forest restoration and nature conservation. Once neglected forests, the site is now being carefully revitalized by local volunteer organizations that engage in tree thinning and other maintenance activities. Their efforts help preserve healthy forests, fertile soil, and the habitats of local plants and wildlife. 

Visitors can enjoy a variety of seasonal flowers throughout the year while taking in panoramic views of the Ashigara Plain, Odawara’s townscape, the Hakone Mountains, and even Mt. Fuji. 

In mid-February to early March, early-blooming cherry blossoms color the landscape, attracting photographers and nature lovers alike. During August, red, white, and pink crape myrtles brighten the grounds. On especially clear days, distant islands such as Toshima and Niijima in the Izu archipelago can also be seen, making Oi Yumenosato a perfect place to experience Kanagawa’s natural beauty.

Time to continue onwards (Oi Yumenosato → Kami-Oi Station)

• Car: 9 minutes
• Cycle: 20 minutes
• Walk: 50 minutes

By car or taxi, it’s under 10 minutes back to Kami-Oi Station to resume your travels. If you come by bike, it’s 20 minutes, while another gentle walk will take you about 50 minutes.

Refreshed by nature in Oi

From its fertile farmlands and flourishing flowers to its centuries-old Japanese sake traditions, Oi radiates the blessings of nature in every season. Visitors leave refreshed by its wellness-filled atmosphere, savoring the rich flavors and tranquil beauty that define this bountiful corner of Kanagawa Prefecture.

If Oi has captured your heart, inspire more travels to this stunning town with a healing day trip or an agricultural experience.