Abstract
The present study focuses on a tour operator providing cycling and walking tours in a traditional satoyama area in Gifu Prefecture. The study uses local statistics, data from the company’s website, field survey data (July 2017, July 2018), interviews with the company’s CEO& staff, with Japanese and foreign guests.
Chura Boshi Co Ldt. is a tour operator and consulting company established in 2007 by a young couple who moved to Furukawa and discovered the hidden tourism potential of local satoyama and rural lifestyle. Since 2010, they offer Satoyama Experience, a half day cycling tour under the slogan: . The tours are very popular, especially with visitors from Europe, USA and Australia.
The company strives to give back to the local community, but despite such efforts, the contribution is perceived as limited (minimal local investment, minimal local employment, minimal profit for local businesses), and the major challenge remains overcoming distrust and gaining the local community’s acceptance.
In spite of some drawbacks, this new business model has the potential of implementation in some other satoyama areas with similar resources, providing alternative employment and incomes.
