MANIWA

真庭市で始まる”故郷”と”人”を繋げるトラベル

Why

Maniwa?

なぜ真庭か？

Although I grew up in Osaka, every summer was spent in Maniwa with my grandparents. After fourth grade, my family moved to America—suddenly everything was foreign: the language, the culture, even the air. I ached for Maniwa. I even made my own little “Maniwa travel brochures” out of cut-up magazine photos—my kid-sized way of saying: don’t forget where you come from.

大阪で育ったけれど、夏休みは毎年、祖父母が住んでいた真庭で過ごした。 小学校四年を終えたあと、家族でアメリカに移った瞬間─すべてが異国になった。言葉も、文化も、空気さえも。そこからずっと真庭を恋しく思っていた。雑誌から「真庭（当時は湯原）」の写真を切り抜き、自分だけの“真庭旅行パンフレット”を作っていたことを最近思い出す。幼い自分なりに「ここを忘れるな」と自分にささやいていたのかもしれない。

Fast forward to 2023: I returned with my sons. Sitting by the river in Maniwa, I felt home wrap itself around me. In that stillness, a voice rose:

“I will return again and again. And soon, I’ll bring people from around the world here too.”

The healing I once received in Maniwa. The warmth that only comes from people. That’s what I want to share with the world.

That moment became the spark for Audi Ventures.

そして2023年。息子たちと一緒に再び日本へ。
真庭の川辺に座ったとき、故郷が私を包み込んだ。
静けさの中で声が聞こえた。

「私はここに何度も帰ってくる。そして近いうちに、
世界中の人をここへ連れてくる。」

かつて私が真庭から受け取った癒し。 人と人の間からしか生まれないあたたかさ。 それを世界にシェアしたい。

その瞬間が、Audi Ventures の火種になった。

Maniwa

真庭

Maniwa isn’t something you just see—it’s something you feel.

Majestic doesn’t stream. Transformation doesn’t translate.

You have to stand here, breathe it in, and let the mountains, the river, and the people—still human, still happy,
living slow, raw, and real—remind you what life is, and what being human is really about.

Remember.

Maniwa
at a Glance

Location:

Smack in the mountains of Okayama—basically between Kyoto’s temples and Hiroshima’s history.

Translation: perfect middle of everywhere and nowhere.

Population:

~42,000 people. That’s it. More cows and cedar trees than humans.

Size:

Big enough to get lost, small enough that everyone still knows your business.

Nature:

80% forest. Waterfalls, hot springs, a cherry tree that’s been flexing for 1,000 years.

Highlights:

  • Hiruzen Highlands → cool breezes + ski runs.

  • Yubara Onsen → free hot spring under a dam (yes, mixed bath, yes, wild).

  • Kanba Falls → 110m of pure mountain drama (water fall).

  • Katsuyama Castle Town → old Japan vibes with serious charm.

Local Flavor:

Jersey cows, fermentation masters, clean energy. (Yes, the city runs on biomass—Maniwa is greener than your green juice.)