Nagi Town in Katsuta District is in the Chugoku Mountains, on the border of Okayama and Tottori Prefectures.
岡山県と鳥取県の県境、過疎化が進む中国山地にある勝田郡奈義町があります。
Here, I introduce the hidden attractions of Nagi Town that are not explained on official websites.
そんな奈義町の「公式サイトでは紹介されていない岡山県奈義町の魅力」について紹介します。
Basic Information about Nagi Town
- Name：Nagi Town, Katsuta District, Okayama Prefecture
名称：岡山県勝田郡奈義町 - Area：69.52 square kilometers
面積：69.52㎢ - Population：About 5,000 people
人口：約5,000人 - Schools：One kindergarten, one elementary school, and one junior high school
学校：こども園×1、小学校×1、中学校1
Basic information about Nagi Town is available in an English pamphlet (PDF) for tourists on the official Nagi Town website.
奈義町に関する基本情報は奈義町公式サイトに観光客向けの英語ガイドがあります。
Good Points of Nagi Town According to Local Residents
Here, I introduce the positive impressions of Nagi Town shared by local residents.
地域住民から見た奈義町の良いところをまとめました。
Surrounded by Nature
Nagi Town is rich in nature.
Mount Nagi, which is 1,255 meters high, is located there.
Around June, fireflies can be seen near the Takigawa area.
In winter, it snows, and frozen waterfalls can also be seen.
In addition, the large ginkgo tree at Bodai-ji Temple, which is estimated to be about 900 years old, is designated as a National Natural Monument.
奈義町は自然が豊かです。
標高1255mの那岐山、6月頃滝川周辺に見られる蛍、冬は雪が降り、凍った滝も見られます。
また、菩提寺の樹齢推定900年の大イチョウは国の天然記念物に指定されています。
A Wealthy Town
Nagi Town is known as a wealthy town because it has a Japan Ground Self-Defense Force base.
For this reason, Nagi Town did not join other cities or towns during the Heisei municipal mergers.
陸上自衛隊基地があるためお金持ちです。
そのため、平成の大合併でどこの市町村とも合併をしませんでした。
※The Heisei municipal mergers were carried out from 1999 to 2010 under a special law related to local government reform.
During this period, the number of municipalities in Japan decreased from 3,232 to 1,821.
In Okayama Prefecture, the number was reduced from 78 to 27.
※平成の大合併：1999年～2010年まで行われた地方分権一括法による合併特例法の改正
市町村数は3,232から1,821に減少（岡山県では、78市町村が27市町村まで減少）
NARUTO
Nagi Town is the hometown of Masashi Kishimoto, the creator of the ninja manga NARUTO, which is popular overseas.
You can see his autographs in many places around the town.
奈義町は、海外でも人気の忍者漫画「NARUTO-ナルト-」の作者：岸本斉史さんの出身地です。
町のあちこちに彼のサインが飾られています。
Nagi Vicarya Museum
There is the Nagi Vicarya Museum, where visitors can enjoy fossil digging experiences.
※Vicarya is a type of sea snail.
化石掘り体験ができる「なぎビカリアミュージアム」があります。
※ビカリア：巻貝の一種
Nagi Museum Of Contemporary Art
There is the Nagi Museum of Contemporary Art (Nagi MOCA), which is also a popular photo spot.
写真スポットにもなっている奈義現代美術館（Nagi MOCA）があります。
A Town with Strong Childcare Support
Nagi Town offers strong support for childcare.
Medical care is free for children under 18, and school lunch fees are free at the kindergarten, elementary school, and junior high school levels.
There is also financial support for childbirth and study support for high school students.
Because of this, the birth rate in Nagi Town is high.
子育て支援が手厚く（18歳以下の医療費無料、こども園・小中学校の給食費無料、出産助成金あり、高校生修学支援金あり）、出生率が高いです。
English Education
Nagi Town places a strong focus on English education.
Although there is only one kindergarten, one elementary school, and one junior high school, the town has 12 ALT（assistant language teachers）teachers from the Philippines.
英語教育に力を入れています（こども園、小学校、中学校それぞれ1校ずつしかないにもかかわらず、フィリピン出身のALTが12名在籍）。
Food
Nagi Town is known for local products such as taro, beef (Nagi Beef), long green onions, and black soybeans.
In addition, compared to its population, the town has many gourmet restaurants, including soba noodle shops, pizza restaurants, and cafés.
奈義町の特産品は、里芋、牛肉（奈義ビーフ）、長ネギ、黒豆などが有名です。
また、人口に対して、蕎麦屋、ピザ屋、カフェなどグルメなお店が多いです。
A List of Gourmet Restaurants in Nagi Town【Japanese Page】
Strong Winds
Strong winds called the “Hiroto Kaze” often blow in the area.
広戸風と呼ばれる暴風が吹きます。
Bad Points of Nagi Town According to Local Residents
Here, I introduce the negative impressions of Nagi Town shared by local residents.
地域住民から見た奈義町の残念なところをまとめました。
An Old System
Unfortunately, some old systems and ways of thinking, which are often seen in rural areas, still remain.
In many cases, older influential people hold strong power.
Because of this, there are many online reviews about conflicts between long-time residents and people who have moved from cities and want to start new things.
残念ながら田舎特有の古い体制や考え方が残っている（年配の有力者が権力をもっている）ため、都会から移住してきた新しいことを始めようという意欲がある人と揉めている口コミが多くみられます。
Difficult to Get Around
There are no highways, and no trains run through the town.
Public transportation is limited to buses only.
高速道路はなく、電車も通っていません（公共交通機関はバスのみ）。
Nagi Town
Yokozen Satomaru, the mascot character of Nagi Town, also known as “Satomaru-kun.”
奈義町のキャラクター横仙 里丸（よこぜん さとまる）、通称「さと丸くん」
Nagi Town may not be the easiest place to reach, but it is rich in nature.
Many events and local markets are also held throughout the year, making the town lively and attractive.
奈義町は少し不便な立地ではありますが、自然豊かな町です。
さまざまなイベント・マルシェも開催されています。
