The Japan Times Satoyama Consortium held a photo contest to expand interest and awareness in satoyama — a Japanese term referring to woodlands in rural areas maintained by area residents. The general public and relevant parties submitted photos in hopes of capturing the beauty of satoyama.

Here, we introduce the two Grand Prize winners — one each from the general category and that of the municipalities — in addition to four Excellence Award winners — two from each of those categories.

The 789 submissions — 762 in the general category and 27 in the municipality category — were narrowed down in an initial selection stage by judges and the consortium secretariat. Readers cast ballots to choose winners in the final stage.

Grand Prize, municipality category

City of Fukuyama (Mayor: Naoki Edahiro): The Tomonoura district in Fukuyama, Hiroshima Prefecture
City of Fukuyama (Mayor: Naoki Edahiro): The Tomonoura district in Fukuyama, Hiroshima Prefecture

Excellence Award, municipality category

Town of Hayama (Mayor: Takahito Yamanashi): Ajisai Park in Hayama, Kanagawa Prefecture
Town of Hayama (Mayor: Takahito Yamanashi): Ajisai Park in Hayama, Kanagawa Prefecture

Excellence Award, municipality category

Town of Jinsekikogen (Mayor: Yoshinori Irie): Starry sky and Sakura Bridge in Taishakukyo gorge, Jinsekikogen, Hiroshima Prefecture
Town of Jinsekikogen (Mayor: Yoshinori Irie): Starry sky and Sakura Bridge in Taishakukyo gorge, Jinsekikogen, Hiroshima Prefecture


Grand Prize, general category

Rice terraces in Kunugidaira, Asahi, Yamagata Prefecture, taken by Naoki Asano
Rice terraces in Kunugidaira, Asahi, Yamagata Prefecture, taken by Naoki Asano

Excellence Award, general category

Ine, Kyoto Prefecture, taken by Kensan
Ine, Kyoto Prefecture, taken by Kensan

Excellence Award, general category

Misato, Kumamoto Prefecture, taken by Kyosuke Yonemura
Misato, Kumamoto Prefecture, taken by Kyosuke Yonemura

For more information on the contest, see satoyama-satoumi.net/global/contest/photo2019/result/.