The townships of Nahari, Tano, Yasuda, Kitagawa and Umaji, located in the Chugei area in eastern Kochi, where once the epicentre of Kochi's booming logging industry. The logging railroad was a link between these towns and transported timber that would be shipped across the country. However, in the 1960s, the logging industry fell into decline. To replace the dying logging industry, locals began to pour their efforts into the cultivation of yuzu. Logged mountain sides were replaced with tiered yuzu orchards, and as a result, the region became the biggest producer of yuzu in the country.
With an abundance of this citrus fruit now available, products made from yuzu began to hit the shelves and people all over Japan were able to enjoy Kochi yuzu.
Thanks to the efforts of those who turned from logging to the cultivation of yuzu, this region, with its picture-perfect views of tiered yuzu orchards, has been recognized as *National Heritage, and the yuzu themselves are becoming highly valued around the world.
*The story of Japanese culture and tradition through the region's historical charm and distinct features have been recognised by the Agency for Cultural Affairs.