Ena Gin no Mori to Mark Its 15th Anniversary with the “15 Festival”

Gin no Mori Corporation, operated by Gin no Mori Corporation Co., Ltd. (head office: Nakatsugawa City, Gifu Prefecture; President and Representative Director: Kosaku Watanabe), will celebrate the 15th anniversary of its food and nature complex “Ena Gin no Mori” in Ena City, Gifu Prefecture, on Friday, July 24, 2026. To commemorate the milestone, the facility will hold an anniversary event titled “15 Festival: Delicious and Joyful Moments Nurtured with the Forest” from the same day through Monday, August 31. The event will feature an exhibition looking back on the facility’s 15-year history, as well as numerous 15th-anniversary limited-edition products under the theme “Happy Forest Product: Your Purchase Nurtures the Forest.” A portion of proceeds from these products will be used for the company’s forest-building initiative, “Petit Bois Forest,” connecting customers’ purchases to the creation of future forests. A total of 15 special programs will be offered, including a marché by local students, workshops with local companies, a special event featuring picture-book author Keiko Shibata, and an original cookie tin-making experience. On the occasion of its 15th anniversary, Gin no Mori aims to express gratitude to everyone who has supported it while taking new steps to connect people, the local community, and nature through its ongoing pursuit of “deliciousness,” much like nurturing a forest. Event overview: “15 Festival: Delicious and Joyful Moments Nurtured with the Forest” will run from Friday, July 24 to Monday, August 31, 2026. Special event days are Saturday, August 1 and Sunday, August 2, 2026. The venue is Ena Gin no Mori, 2711-2 Oi-cho, Ena City, Gifu Prefecture. The event will be held rain or shine, though content may be changed or canceled depending on weather conditions. The 15 programs include limited-edition Happy Forest Product sales, a history board exhibition, an original cookie tin-making experience, a Keiko Shibata signing session and talk show, a large photo spot, the Ena Agricultural High School Marché, 15 Festival workshops with local companies and craft artists, a large raffle, a collaborative flower bed with Ena Agricultural High School, the Ofukuwake 15th Anniversary Market, a 15 Festival social media campaign, an online shop-linked campaign, Forest Asobiba 15th Version, the 15 Festival Memories Project, and one program to be announced. Event website: https://ginnomori.co.jp/event/detail/15th-anniversary/. Details for each event will be announced later. Some events will be held throughout the period, while others will be limited-time programs. The Keiko Shibata talk show and signing session will be held on Saturday, August 1, 2026. Gin no Mori will welcome picture-book author Keiko Shibata, who has created illustrations for product packaging since the facility first opened. The event will take place inside Carité Lemon, where original illustrations Shibata has drawn for Gin no Mori will be displayed. Guests will be offered a special moment surrounded by her works. A total of 60 people, or 30 pairs of two, will be invited free of charge by lottery. The application period is from Tuesday, May 12 to Sunday, May 31, 2026. Winners will be notified on or after Tuesday, June 30, 2026, and only selected applicants will be contacted. Regarding the “Happy Forest Product: Your Purchase Nurtures the Forest” 15th-anniversary limited-edition products, Gin no Mori will sell many limited items at each brand shop during the event period. A portion of sales from these products will be used for the company’s forest-building activities. The initiative is designed to connect customers’ purchases with forest creation, helping people feel closer to the relationship between forests and people through products while nurturing activities for a sustainable society together with the local community. The sales period is from Friday, July 24 to Monday, August 31, 2026. Some products may have limited sales dates. Participating stores include Gin no Mori Shop, Carité Lemon, Pâtisserie GIN NO MORI, Kamado, Mikuriya, and Kenbi Ippuku. Information on each brand’s limited-edition products will be released later. “Petit Bois Forest” is a forest-building initiative promoted by Gin no Mori under its “100-Year Forest Creation Plan,” which began in earnest in 2023. “Petit Bois” is the name of the signature cookie tin sold by the company’s pastry shop, Pâtisserie GIN NO MORI, and means “small forest” in French. The forest bearing this name completed its first tree planting in April 2026 and has only just begun its journey. Although it will take a long time for the forest to fully develop its functions, Gin no Mori will use this initiative to promote conservation of natural resources, coexistence with the local community, and environmental development for future generations. The company aims to return the asset of the forest to society and carry its value into the future. The original cookie tin-making experience is a workshop by Pâtisserie GIN NO MORI, a pastry shop created under the concept of sharing the blessings of the forest. Participants will combine baked sweets made with various ingredients gathered from the forest to create their own original cookie tin. Through the story of what it means to “eat” the blessings of the forest, participants can experience its gifts and comfort through baked sweets. The workshop will be held on July 25 and 26, and August 1, 2, 8-16, 22, and 23, 2026, at Pâtisserie GIN NO MORI Ena Main Store. It will not be held at other Pâtisserie GIN NO MORI locations. The participation fee is 1,500 yen including tax, covering one cookie tin set. Up to two people may participate per set. Advance reservation is required, and reservation details will be announced later on the official website and social media. About Ena Gin no Mori: Located in Ena City, Gifu Prefecture, Ena Gin no Mori is a food complex covering approximately 66,000 square meters, with seven distinctive specialty food shops scattered throughout a park surrounded by seasonal plants and trees. Visitors can enjoy food at facilities with different themes and take their time enjoying nature through strolls along the walking paths. The facility offers a range of specialties, including Western sweets, Japanese sweets, soup stock, rice accompaniments, and Italian cuisine. Guests are invited to enjoy carefully crafted products made in the nature-rich environment of Ena City, Gifu Prefecture. Ena Gin no Mori is located at 2711-2 Oi-cho, Ena City, Gifu Prefecture 509-7201. Tel: 0573-59-8880. Fax: 0573-59-8488. Opening hours are 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. from April to September and 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. from October to March. The facility is closed on December 31 and January 1. Regular closing day is Wednesday, though closures may vary during busy and off-peak periods; please check the website for details. Facility website: https://ginnomori.co.jp/. Official online shop: https://ginnomori.jp/. Operating company Gin no Mori Corporation has pursued the possibilities of food since its founding through businesses including the manufacture and sale of frozen foods for commercial use and frozen osechi meals, the production of Japanese and Western sweets, and the operation of the comprehensive park facility Ena Gin no Mori. As the company marks its 50th anniversary and enters its second founding phase, its new project is forest creation. Gin no Mori will continue working to develop food culture as a company that creates joyful food experiences connecting food, people, and nature. Head office: 112-2 Nasubigawa, Nakatsugawa City, Gifu Prefecture 509-9132. Tel: 0573-64-2501. Fax: 0573-64-2505. https://ginnomori.co.jp/profile/