Walking the cedar lined avenue towards upper Togakushi Shrine, Nagano Prefecture. Image: Dave Lock

Our love affair with Japan began nine years ago when my husband, Dave, and I spent a month honeymooning in Tokyo and snowboarding the mountains of Hakuba. We returned for a similar length trip with our daughter, Milla, when she was 20 months old, dividing our time between Osaka, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Kochi [Shikoku Island] and Nozawa Onsen. Earlier in 2016 we returned from our third trip, this time travelling with our two children, Milla [now aged 7] and Ari [3].

I've received a number queries about these trips and taking kids to Japan, so thought I'd share the places and highlights of our recent adventures, as well as some of the tips we've picked up travelling with younger kids in the country! This post covers our main destinations on this past trip - Tokyo, snow areas Nozawa Onsen and Myoko Kogen, and Gankoyama Treehouse Village - and concludes with our travel tips. Please note: this is a longer blog so if you're not interested in all the destinations just skip ahead! Please feel free to contribute to the conversation or sing out with questions in the comments section below!

Gankoyama treehouse: an 'off the grid, off the ground' nature play experience in Japan

“Back when we were kids, we used to build and play in ‘secret bases’ out in the mountains. I initially started Gankoyama to bring back all the fun I used to have as a child.”

- Yoshinori Hiraga, ‘Master’ and founder of Gankoyama Tree House Village (as quoted in Outdoor Japan Magazine)

Hello! We recently enjoyed a wonderful 3.5 weeks holidaying as a family in Japan. One of the absolute highlights of the trip was our treehouse stay at Gankoyama. I hope you enjoy this blog I wrote on our experience, which was originally written for Nature Play SA (where I work as Social Media Manager and in nature play event support). I'm looking forward to sharing more on our trip, including the incredible natural places we visited and some cool Tokyo playgrounds! All the best, Claire

Weaving and sustainability

Hello! 

There's been some tumble weeds blowing along the nature // street blog front while I've been pursuing my dual interests in weaving and sustainability. As I wrote about here, I launched my Etsy shop, Nature Street Weaves, in November 2014 and have since found myself immersed in not only creating handwoven tapestries but also exploring the sustainability side of fibre arts, including researching sustainable making approaches and practices, sourcing ethically produced materials, connecting with like-minded individuals... and creating a collaborative blog series with a fellow Australian weaver [more on that below!]

Summertime and the livin' is easy

Hello and happy festive season! I hope this post finds you well - no doubt also feeling the after-effects of December's indulgences and hopefully enjoying some much-deserved down-time! The Australian summer holidays are in full swing and we are savouring a few weeks at home with no real plans beyond casual catch-ups and plenty of beach and outdoor play. We were treated to a weekend on the river to commence the school holidays, and whilst it meant turning down several subsequent social invitations, it was a great way to escape the pre-Christmas hustle and spend some quality time in nature with friends and the kids. Floating in the river, jetty jumping, stand-up paddle boarding, boat rides and basking in the sun certainly set a laid-back tone which we've fortunately carried through the latter part of December.

nature // street WEAVES opens!

"nature // street is on an expedition to bring more nature, simplicity + play 
into modern living. It’s a call to reconnect, explore + celebrate life in the urban jungle:
 a fresh view on slowing down, conscious thinking + appreciating the little things in a busy world."

Today marks the official opening of my Etsy store, nature // street WEAVES - hooray!

You'll find the above nature // street ethos personified in my shop's collection of unique, handwoven wall hangings which draw inspiration from our natural world. All items are designed + carefully created by me, with an emphasis on high quality materials + sustainability.

I'll be adding further wall hangings to the shop over the following weeks and custom orders can be requested through the site. Feel free to head over to www.etsy.com/au/shop/naturestreetWEAVES and take a look around!

nature talks with neon [moose]

Hello!

It's been a few weeks between posting with lots happening on the nature // street front! 

< first up! > Nature Play Adventure Day 

We were blown away to have over 370 kids attend the Brighton Primary School Nature Play Adventure Day on October 1! It was so inspiring to watch the play that unfolded: the kids' delight at the playspaces [mud exploration / pop-up junk yard adventure  + nature play spaces]; their imagination and creativity; the freedom they had to direct their own play; and how they interacted with each other. Seriously, what little champs! 

Nature Play Adventure Day co-organiser and Climbing Tree Director Simon Hutchinson is currently compiling footage of the event and I'll be writing a more in-depth round up of the day so stay tuned for more!

< next > nature meets neon!

In other developments, I recently caught up with Adelaide blogger and creative, Bee, of Neon Moose. We talked all things nature // street - the ethos + approach behind this blog; the nature play movement; blogging life and creativity. You can check out our chat here!

special announcement time!

Hiya! Some special news on nature // street today!

I'm super excited to share that I'm working in collaboration with Brighton Primary School and their Outdoor Education Specialist, Simon Hutchinson, to put on the... 

Brighton Primary School Nature Play Adventure Day! 

The event will form part of Nature Play SA's inaugural Nature Play Week*, and will see the school open their new nature play areas for an unstructured and creative play session suitable for toddlers and primary schoolers. The day will also feature mud exploration and junk yard adventure spaces so we're recommending people deck the kids in their olds and get ready for a play experience like no other!

Geed up on geocaching!

"Geocaching is the world-wide treasure hunt that's happening right now, all around you. 
There are 2,482, 791 active geocaches and over 6 million geocachers world wide"

Geocaching - The Official Global GPS Cache Hunt Site

I first came across geocaching on Nature Play SA's list of 51 Things To Do Before You're 12 where "find a geocache in your neighbourhood" features at number six. It stood out as the only activity on the list I'd not heard of, and the description "global GPS treasure hunt you can do with most phones" piqued my curiosity. I started to see references to the activity about the place but still wasn't actually sure what was involved when a free 'come and try' geocaching event at our local wetland was advertised. Bingo, just the incentive required to get our treasure hunter on!

Weekend Wildness

"We need the tonic of wildness"

                                                                                                    Henry David Thoreau

Winter's concluding month has been characterised by multiple bouts of illness for our family, and for the past week and a half we've been caring for one especially miserable toddler. The side effects of this run of illness have included a strong case of cabin fever and sleep deprivation for all, as well as a sudden drop-off in our family outdoor adventures [the cumulative impact of which may have just elevated us - ok, me - to borderline crazy status]. 

the vacant block

Weeds, open space and two generous mounds of illegally dumped rubble dominate the large vacant block at the end of the street. For over eight years now we've passed through the land, making our way to and from the local shops and beach; transitioning from newly engaged couple to young family. A constant in the backdrop of daily life, the block is generally overlooked or regarded as a dilapidated neighbourhood eyesore.

Rethinking the reli-bash agenda

Alright, confession time: for the past three years my parents have lived next to an expansive recreation park aaaand... I only stepped foot in there a few months ago. 

hang. head. shame. 

The too-hard basket is overflowing with potential reasons slash excuses: a[nother] sick pregnancy, an unwell infant, the mombie haze, and a tendency for our reli-bashes* to occur within a ten metre radius of the dining room table. Hmm. It still doesn't quite add up, but oh well - this one will just have to be put down to a case of c'est la vie.

The good news is visits to Grandma and Pops' place have taken on an extra dimension since realising the park lies before us. Walks now feature as a key agenda item: the gumboots are gleefully put on, spare clothes packed, the dog runs in wild circles of anticipation, and off we venture. We descend down a dirt track and then find ourselves able to select from numerous walking trails, any of which will have us follow and traverse small creeklines lined with towering River Red Gums and South Australian Blue Gums. 

Project Wild Thing - now only a keyboard away!

A quick heads up! Project Wild Thing is a brilliant, funny and truly inspirational film created by British filmmaker David Bond - and as of today it's available for viewing worldwide via this link! 

So what's the deal?

Project Wild Thing is a film led movement to get more kids (and their folks!) outside and reconnecting with nature. The film is an ambitious, feature-length documentary that takes a funny and revealing look at a complex issue, the increasingly disparate connection between children and nature.

a family farm and woodland wanders

"Why get families outdoors? Quite simply, nature is good for us... Family ties are strengthened, a sense of community is nourished, and a sense of place is cultivated. All in all, nature is good for children and their friends and family, too!"

Nature Clubs for Families Tool Kit, Children and Nature Network

Like many Aussies, I made the most of a spate of mid-autumn public holidays by taking three days annual leave and getting a block of ten days off in return - high fives all round! The break coincided with school holidays and some extended leave for my husband so we took up a couple of opportunities for low-cost family adventures in regional South Oz. First up was our trip to the river, closely followed by a visit to a family farm in the state's South East.

The SE's Limestone Coast is one of my favourite parts of the state to visit in cooler months with its crisp air, rugged coastlines, pockets of diverse scrubland, expansive agricultural lands and world-class wineries. This affection for the region is also steeped in nostalgia: my father's side of the family descends from the SE town of Naracoorte and there's been plenty of [infamous] road trips over the years to the coastal village of Robe and surrounds with uni, friends and work.  

word up

hello! I've had a short hiatus from the blog courtesy of a smashed iPhone. Bill for a new phone aside [let's not go there], I really enjoyed being unplugged for a while. The urge to check the phone quickly diminished and I made my way through a couple of books. A tech detox every now and then is definitely a good thing, and is all the impetus I need to start day dreaming about somewhere out of range I could take the kids in the July holidays... A few days in Deep Creek Conservation Park with a wood fire, beanies and kangaroos is currently winning... keep you posted!

This week's word up comes via Richard Louv and his book Last Child in the Woods. In the chapter "Cities Gone Wild" Louv explores the assumption that cities don't have room for wildlife. Zoopolis is a word Jennifer Wolch [director of Sustainable Cities Project] uses to imagine cities transformed into habitats through land-planning, architectural design and public education. It gets a double-thumbs up from nature // street - let's dream big! 

4th of May: a day to play [outdoors!]

"Many of us don’t get out into nature much. We’re too busy, plugged in to screens and rushing through our busy lives. But nature is crucial to our health and wellbeing — and to the health of our planet. Let’s reclaim nature and grow our connection with each other and the places we love!"

Australian Conservation Foundation

Today was "Play Outside Day", an initiative coordinated here in Australia by the Australian Conservation Foundation. The Day is a great example of the global movement recognising the importance of nature and unstructured outdoor play for the health and development of children [and adults!].

dream / inspire / do

enchanting visual stories celebrating all things nature, simplicity and play

 ***

"To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow"

Audrey Hepburn

The poor vegie patches are in need of some serious love. It's time to prep for the new season + what better way to get inspired than pulling + cooking up the last of the crops, pouring over much-loved garden books, + discovering a multitude of creative ways to grow seedlings. Let your imagination sow wild! [too cheesy? #sorrynotsorry]. Happy planting!   

Sources: Craft Gawker, Trendenser, Country Living, via Dishfunctional Designs, Fine Gardening, Elle Decoration, via Abundance, Tuinieren.nl Country Living, Thrifty Fun

starry nights and toasted marshmallows

"And a softness came from the starlight and filled me full to the bone."

W.B. Yeats

Easter is one of those holiday periods that triggers fond memories of my own childhood and I love seeing the sparkle in my children's eyes as their own Easter experiences are lived, their own memories made. With two young kids aged two and almost six, it's exciting to have the opportunity to create our own family traditions and foster the next generation of Easter escapades. Family, friends, simplicity and adventures - at home or away - all feature as key emerging themes.

This year all of the above themes were central to the four day weekend, which included our first family Easter getaway - a somewhat impromptu trip to a friend's shack on the river Murray, an hour from Adelaide. A late decision to stay for a few nights rather than doing a day-trip made for a stressful but anticipatory city exit as we scrambled to pack, off-load the dog and join in the anarchy otherwise known as pre-public holiday food shopping.

On the 'gram!

Did you know that nature // street is on Instagram? Come visit + follow @nature_street to keep up-to-date with blog happenings and share in a solid dose of inspiration. The page offers a positive + playful take on nature, simplicity and play and profiles some creative, boundary-pushing blends of nature in modern living. Hope to see you on the 'gram soon! 

Take it easy, Claire 

  

Mombie tonic

"Today, the long-held belief that nature has a direct positive impact on human health is making the transition from theory to evidence to action... And many of us, without having a name for it, are using the nature tonic. We are, in essence, self-medicating with an inexpensive and unusually convenient drug substitute. Let's call it vitamin N - for Nature"

Richard Louv, in the Nature Principle

Blogging has taken a backseat over the past few weeks while I've been a "mombie":  a hybrid mom [mum] / zombie creature characterised by dark circles under the eyes, aimless wandering, grunting responses and relentless caffeine hunting [oh no wait - the last part's normal]. 

This semi-catatonic state can primarily be attributed to our toddler's recent grommet/adenoid surgery and recovery, immediately followed by his third bout of bronchiolitis this year alone. Combine serious sleep loss with über busy days at work and - voilà - you've got yourself a[nother] mombie on the loose. 

nature // street vision

"Always keep your eyes open. Keep watching. Because whatever you see can inspire you"

Grace Coddington, Vogue Creative Director

This week's nature // street vision celebrates nature in the midst of  cityscapes: intriguing unions of man-made materials and the natural world. Inspiration abounds.

  

  

 

  

   

Source: Santoriniblog (via v-o-g-u-e-i-s-a-r-t), Blood and Champagne, Unknown (via Pinterest), 

Nicole Franzen Photography, chickalookate, Dwell; Guen-K; Erwan Fichou (via Kawaiigirl79), 

A Well Travelled Woman, unknown (via Pinterest)