Situated in a mountain valley in Tsu city, Mie Prefecture, central Japan, Misugi is a small village bordering on Nara Prefecture. Many historical sites which date back to Muromachi period can be found across the village, and its natural beauty was recognized as a ‘Forest Therapy Base’ only in Tokai area.
Thanks to forestry, Misugi used to be in good financial shape and the increasing number of cheap imported wood, however, caused the forest industry to decline and the population of young people to decrease. In the last two decades, the population of Misugi dropped from 9,000 to 5,000 and is now called a super-depopulated area.