In the Pines

ALOHA

2011-03-30T16:46:00.004-10:00

Crazy few weeks. Even as the news reports recede, my mind keeps surging with thoughts of the ongoing disaster in Japan.Here in Hawai`i the Japan-America Society of Hawai`i, along with many others have come together to create ALOHA for JAPAN to raise money for relief efforts. You can check out there website at www.alohaforjapan.com.I'm planning to lecture about 3/11 in my introductory anthropology

Chance to help Japan

2011-03-15T14:14:00.002-10:00

An acquaintance, Skye Hohmann, is selling some of her wonderful pictures of Japan to raise funds for relief efforts.This is a great opportunity to help the many Japanese who are now in need of assistance, while receiving a unique gift that will help you remember your contribution.Please have a look at Skye's website (link below) and open your eyes, mind, and heart. Japan Disaster Relief (North

tsunami

2011-03-11T13:13:00.002-10:00

A surreal night, watching the devastation in Japan while the blare of tsunami sirens bounced about the walls of Honolulu's myriad concrete buildings. Waves penetrated my sleep.Best wishes to all in Japan who are feeling as uncertain as the ocean.May calmer waters come your way.

2011-03-10T11:05:00.007-10:00

Reading David Abrams The spell of the sensuous: Perception and language in a more-than-human world and came across this gem of a passage in which he describes the role of perception in the life of an organism.Consider a spider weaving its web, for instance, and the assumption still held by many scientists that the behavior of such a diminutive creature is thoroughly "programmed in its genes."

Checking back in

2011-03-09T08:38:00.002-10:00

Hello? Hello. . .? Anyone still out there?After too long of a hiatus, I've finally found my way back to the blogosphere.Not sure what the content of my posts will be from here on out.I still have plenty to say about Japanese environments, rural communities, forest governance, and the like. But, my mind is wandering to other topics as well. Will have to see what comes out.Last night found my way

2010-07-08T16:48:00.002-10:00

Image courtesy of: http://www.butterflyworld.com/birdguide/JapaneseWhiteEyes.htmlDays and days and days go by with not a word on my blog. Then, today, one of these little guys decided to come along and wake me up. This morning as I sat in my office on the University of Hawaii at Manoa campus a Japanese White Eye decided to come for a visit. The bird announced itself with a light thud on the

Spring Snow 春雪

2010-05-14T08:57:00.002-10:00

While most of the archipelago is enjoying spring, with summer lurking just around the bend, Ontake-san still suggests winter. Well, at least in form. I'm in Hawai`i, so I have no tactile sense of the mountain, but surely its snows are heavy with water. The sun, in its increasingly long arc across the sky working to slowly dismantle the labors of winter. Winter does not give in so easily

原谷苑の桜　Sakura at "Haradanien"

2010-05-04T10:03:00.008-10:00

A short video taken before coming to Hawai'i of sakura (cherry blossoms) falling at Hara-dani-en (原谷苑) near Kinkaku-ji (金閣寺) temple in Kyoto.Sorry, I'm not savvy enough to include some fitting music or anything. . .so it's just video as is, which my wife Aki clarifies at the end.For those who haven't been to Haradanien is worth checking out during sakura season. . .guess you have to wait a year

お世話になりました。

2010-04-30T14:30:00.002-10:00

無事にハワイに着きました！王滝村の皆さん、２年間、本当にありがとうございました。

Walking on water: frozen shintaki

2010-02-07T17:08:00.008-10:00

Yesterday Aki and I visited Shintaki (新滝) waterfall with a friend.　　Last winter the waterfall froze for only a brief period and we didn't have a chance to see. I'm very glad we've taken the time to see it this winter.Recently, Otaki has spent more time on the negative side of the thermometer than it has on the positive side, so the ice on Shintaki has continued to grow and grow.The color of the

Winter wonders

2010-01-07T17:14:00.006-10:00

Evening walk in Kuzo hamlet. One of my favorite places in Otaki. The road we walked on, my wife and I, was covered in many spots in a good 5 centimeters of ice. From the forest above us we heard the "chi chi chi" of macaques calling to their comrades that there are bigger primates about.Only a few minutes up the road from our house a narrow valley opens enough to allow glimpses of Mt. Ontake.

2010-01-06T19:58:00.002-10:00

新年あけましておめでとうございます本年もよろしくお願いしますToday is the first day of the new year that I've spent in Otaki; I was in Kyoto over the holidays.Throughout the day I've marveled at the winter light as it plays across the landscape. The low and flat rays of the sun slink through deep gorges of the Otaki Valley, and leap out from ridgelines in the most amusing ways. This interplay of light and earth casts deep

Monitored: a visit from Japan's Forestry Agency

2009-12-14T15:38:00.006-10:00

Image source: Makino, H. and M. Mitsuo (1953).付知川に於ける材木伐出の沿革と檜解 (History of timber extraction in Tsukuchigawa).Tsukuchigawa, 付知川営林署 (Tsukuchigawa Forest Management Office).As I mentioned in my last post, a recent article in a Nagano newspaper, the Shinano-mainichi-shinbun 信濃毎日新聞, about my research and recent paper presentation in Philadelphia promoted the local Forestry Agency office to give me a

Post-Philadelphia: the writing life

2009-12-10T15:24:00.007-10:00

As anyone who glances even intermittently at this blog will know. . .my posting prowess has all but non-existent as of late. I will blame this on "the writing life". Since mid-October perhaps (I don't remember exactly) I have been living this life. Writing. Preparing funding applications and presentations for two conferences.In November I attended and presented a paper at the Anthropology of

bears and bells

2009-10-18T16:44:00.006-10:00

IMG_6093, originally uploaded by taintus.There has been a lot of talk about bears in the village recently. I've heard that there is an overabundance of chestnuts and acorns in the Kiso area this year (though I've heard conflicting reports of low volume), which means more bears.Regardless of this particular factor, many people in Otaki suggest that bear-human encounters are increasing. There may

first snow

2009-10-18T00:43:00.004-10:00

During a walk in Otaki's backcountry today I was greeted with the wonderful sight of Otake-san donning its robe of white for the first time this season. Rain yesterday in the village had translated to a light blanket of snow down to about 2,500 meters.As I gazed upon the mountain cool breezes rolled down the canyon and whispered in my ears. . ."winter is on its way". I walked back to town

Rice

2009-10-05T14:58:00.005-10:00

The days have cooled considerably here in Otaki, and the hillsides are beginning to blush. Stalks of rice, which were planted in May, have begun to hang their heavy heads. They look tired, having spent their days stretching to grasp the sun, which sits so impossibly far away, yet always taunts with its warm embrace.Because of Otaki's elevation, the growing season for rice is quite short. As a

Ontake-san in fall 秋の御嶽山

2009-09-23T14:58:00.004-10:00

Over "silver week" (a series of holidays that lined up this week in Japan) Aki and I climbed Ontake-san with a couple of friends. This was our first time staying in one of the mountains several lodges; it was a great trip.The 20th boasted perfect weather--not a cloud in the sky--but a drinking party on the night of the 19th had dissuaded me from thinking about climbing that day. So, our friends

a rememberance

2009-09-13T21:24:00.008-10:00

On the way to my job at Otaki's combined elementary/junior high school I stopped to take a shot of this buckwheat (soba) field. It was a beautiful morning.Today marks the 25th anniversary of the nagano-seibu-jishin 長野西部地震--Western Nagano Earthquake. The magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck at 8:48 AM on the morning of September 14th, 1984. The epicenter was located about 5 kilometers from the

stability and turbulence

2009-09-10T15:27:00.006-10:00

After a turbulent summer of rainy weather the skies over Otaki have stabilized, bringing to the heavens blues as deep as lapis lazuli.Temperatures, on the other hand, have de-stabilized, a pattern I recognize from last year's fall and this year's spring--a battling of the seasons that we humans get caught in the middle of. Although I know the ultimate winner of the scrimmage now under way--fall

back to the forest

2009-08-24T19:56:00.007-10:00

"Probably with my generation the village will go back to forest."This quote is from an August 23rd Japan Times article by independant journalist, Winifred Bird, in which she offers an account of what she dubs "Japan's creeping natural disaster"--the loss of satoyama 里山 landscape in Japan's rural areas.Find the original article here.In her article Bird points out what I would argue are the two

A map of common ground

2009-08-20T18:22:00.008-10:00

This bill increases wildness, protects endangered species, and detoxifies — once and for all — the word “wilderness.”In an op-ed piece by Yale Environment 360, a publication of the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, writer Rick Bass offers a look at the collaborative process that has resulted in the “Forest Jobs and Recreation Act” (known as the "Tester Bill" after Senator Jon

Mountain opening ceremony 開山式

2009-07-21T17:07:00.011-10:00

On Friday July 10th I climbed Ontake-san for the first time this season. July 10th is the date of the annual "mountain opening ceremony", known as kaizan-shiki 開山式 in Japanese. This year was my second time to climb Ontake-san for this ceremony (you can read my post about last year's ceremony here).The weather was not agreeable to the ceremony this year. My friend R-san, a Belgian philosopher

Forgotten roads

2009-07-13T19:24:00.002-10:00

There is a landscape that lays like lattice-work across the mountains and deep valleys of Otaki. This landscape is spiritual in nature--attuned to the sacred Mount Ontake, which stands at its center. Once well trodden roads articulate with points of power or significance where statues or other markers stand. However, these markers and roads are disappearing into forests that are now rarely

The rainy season

2009-07-06T18:58:00.002-10:00

It comes every year to Japan. It's both a nuisance and a pleasure. The rainy season. Any excursion includes a clunky umbrella, uncomfortable rain boots, and a jacket that is too much in the hot, muggy air. At the same time the rainy season landscape is undeniably beautiful. It's a mystical landscape where the lines between sky and earth become blurred and clouds haunt the hillsides like

The evolving debate over devolution.

2009-07-02T16:49:00.005-10:00

Today the wonderfully insightful and remarkably detailed blog, AMPONTAN, contained a post outlining the growing debate among Japanese politicians over "devolution". The term refers to the simplification of Japan's current system of governance based on provinces and municipalities, as well as a centralized government.Find the original post here.I'm not sure how I feel about the prospect of

The depths of Shizen-ko 自然湖: a kayak tour of Otaki's little known lake

2009-06-29T17:26:00.025-10:00

For details about Shizen-ko and kayak tours please call or visit the website of Ontake Adventure (おんたけアドベンチャー).0264-48-1208Some landscapes lend themselves to the aloof gazing of observers. For example, California's Yosemite Valley with its enormous walls of granite, or Japan's Kamikochi, which offers sweeping views of some of the Hida Range's finest alpine cirques, come to mind. Otaki's

Early rice

2009-05-27T15:27:00.004-10:00

This photo was taken about a week and a half ago. The paddies in Otaki have been flooded to allow for rice seedlings to be planted. This is known a ta-ue 田植. The process creates in the landscape a set of parallel worlds stacked vertically upon one another. I wonder, sometimes, if one is truer than the other.Rice seedlings sprouted early this year and so ta-ue was also moved up about a week.

Takibi 焚き火

2009-05-21T19:31:00.004-10:00

Coolness descends as darkness crawls from the valley-bottoms to consume the earth. Storm clouds abate, leave us merry. We drink sake and stumble over river rocks--roar with laughter and stare wide-eyed at stars burning holes in the stratosphere. The world takes on a warm familiarity as I post myself assuredly upon the apodictic earth unwavering beneath my feet. I watch the smoke rise from the

Freeing the Elwha. . .could it happen in Otaki?

2009-04-23T17:28:00.005-10:00

An April 22, 2009 article in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer describes how the Obama administration's stimilus package will speed-up a project to remove two dams on the Elwha River, located on Washington's Olympic Peninsula. The river used to be one of the Pacific-Northwest's most productive salmon rivers, but the dams now block them from all but the river's lower five miles. You can find the

Losing faith on the mountain: a changing vision of Ontake-san

2009-04-21T17:23:00.013-10:00

While the days here in Otaki have begun to lengthen and warm, the nights remain cold. Stable weather has ensured clear vision of the myriad stars that burn above the village each night. It was on such a night that I joined other village residents at the community center to listen to a lecture by resident historian, Tj-san. Though his oratorical skills leave something to be desired, Tj-san is a

Waiting on spring

2009-03-31T21:59:00.005-10:00

While the much anticipated blooming of cherry blossoms has begun in many parts of the archipelago, here in the Kiso Valley we continue to wait for spring to come. Winter breaks late here in the mountains, usually only after a long bout with the forces of spring—a warm day may be followed by a snowstorm, while a frosty night might give way to a scorching noon-day sun. Care must be taken so that

Whiling the winter away

2009-03-10T01:30:00.003-10:00

It's been a slow winter. . .not getting a lot done. Aki and I have both been working at Otaki's ski hill, Ontake 2240--me as a lift operator and Aki at a restaurant. Not the greatest work, but we both only work weekends and get free season passes, which leaves plenty of time for playing on the slopes.I've also been working on a paper idea for this year's American Anthropological Association

Ugui-gawa　鯎川

2009-02-17T02:20:00.019-10:00

About a week ago Aki* and I couldn't resist the spring-like weather and decided to take a walk along the Ugui-gawa which flows down from the mountains that form the southern boundary of the Otaki watershed. This area--like too damned much of Otaki--is national forest and therefore off limits to the general public. I should clarify: the road into the Ugui-gawa area is gated and therefore cars

Buzz Holling and Panarchy

2009-02-14T02:10:00.008-10:00

Just a quick note to give a link to a blog post at "Resilience Science" about a Worldwatch Magazine article by Thomas Homer-Dixon discussing the work of C.S. "Buzz" Holling, an ecologist who has worked with complex systems theory to formulate concepts such as the adaptive cycle and panarchy.Holling's work has been influential in the development of resilience thinking, which is an approach I used

"wakasagi" ice fishing

2009-01-29T01:39:00.011-10:00

With the spring-like weather we've been having lately, it seems impossible, but about a week ago I received a call from Y-san, asking if I was free to go ice-fishing. I was in the middle of lunch, and had research I COULD work on, but ice-fishing sounded vastly more interesting, and research can wait--besides. . .it's all fieldwork!I walked to Y-san's place near the center of town. He looked

Resource extraction in Otaki

2009-01-26T17:32:00.003-10:00

Last week I made a short presentation about my fieldwork during an anthropology seminar at Kyoto University. The paper I presented covers some of my early thoughts about thinking of landscape transformation in the context of resource extraction.Resource extraction and landscape transformation in OtakiToday, many of Japan’s rural areas are in a state of crisis. Rapid depopulation, lack of

HAPPY NEW YEAR

2008-12-31T19:14:00.005-10:00

明けましておめでとうございます！This year I welcomed the New Year in Kyoto with my in-laws. I want to say thank you to all of them for their unceasing warmth and kindness.いつも、ありがとうございます。In particular, I would like to say thank you to my mother-in-law for always working so hard to make the New Year holiday special--your food is incredible, as always.I would also like to express my deep gratitude to the people of

"Itabuki" 板葺: Otaki's traditional roofing

2008-12-26T02:16:00.011-10:00

In my previous post I wrote briefly about the wood plank roofing that used to be used in Otaki. These days most homes are roofed using sheets of red tin (I still don't know why red). The tile roofing that is common throughout most of Japan is rarely used--the heavy winds and snows of the area are not friendly.Wooden planks make sense in Otaki because the village is surrounded by forest. From

Waterwheel 水車

2008-12-20T13:10:00.002-10:00

A couple of days before I left for a trip to the U.S., S-san invited me to come by to see her family's waterwheel and mill. I thought I might be too late, but she assured me they would be using the wheel into the first week of December.I arrived at S-san's on a sunny Wednesday morning. She said she had just been on her way to grind some rice, so the timing was good. S-san's family owns the

Rethinking wildlife relations

2008-12-10T13:35:00.005-10:00

A recent post on KenElwood: Rewilding in Japan about crows reminded me of a TED talk that a friend had sent to me some time ago--also about crows.In the talk, Joshua Klein speaks to the intelligence of crows; and to the lack of intelligence on the part of humans in "dealing" with crows. Klein's point about taking time to rethink our relationships with other animals is well

San Francisco Interlude

2008-12-09T22:59:00.003-10:00

Fog slinking through the building tops,makes me rememberthe hip chill of San Francisco.

Becoming "アルプス"

2008-11-09T12:18:00.005-10:00

The blog One Hundred Mountains recently contained a post Weighing up Walter Weston, that explores the validity of Weston's title as "the father of the Japanese Alps".Weston's place in Japanese history has a lot to do with what was happening in Japan at the time as the Meiji government was creating a political space that required a reconfiguring of the entire landscape. Berkeley geographer Karen

寒山の御嶽山　Cold mountain, Ontake-san

2008-11-09T12:08:00.001-10:00

I'll be leaving Otaki in March of next year, and I'm not sure if I'll have a chance to climb Ontake-san on the other side of winter. I've wanted to see san-no-ike (三ノ池), Ontake's third pond, since I arrived here in Otaki. So, though it was late in the season, on Halloween day I decided to give it a go. This is the Ontake-san that had peaked out at me the morning of the previous day. . .

Common forests: rediscovering a good idea

2008-11-03T23:40:00.005-10:00

An article in Northern Woodlands Magazine entitled, A Forest for Every Town, talks about the Vermont Town Forest Program, which aims to ensure common forestlands for municipalities in Vermont. The program's idea has grown, in part, out of movements, such as the slow food movement, that strive to use local products. It sounds like the program is quite successful so far. From the article:

An anthropology of resilience: AAA paper

2008-11-03T12:08:00.013-10:00

The following is a link to a paper providing a brief overview of my research that I will be presenting during a panel discussion entitled, "Graduate Student Collaborations and Engagements in Environmental Change Research", at the American Anthropological Association (AAA) meetings in San Francisco this month.Take a look if it's of any interest. Socio-natual resilience:Anthropological engagements

Keeping with Tradition: "Aka-kabu" and "Sunki"

2008-11-01T14:02:00.019-10:00

*I've received comments from observant readers informing me that 赤カブ akakabu are not in fact "red beets", but rather are a member of the brassica genus, and therefore a variety of turnip.To order Otaki "aka-kabura-zuke" or "sunki-zuke" please write to otakimura@gmail.com.My good friend TS-san invited Chizuko and I to come watch her and two other women from a cooperative called "Himawari-market" (

Valley of waterfalls: Ontake's Kurozawa route

2008-10-29T23:15:00.000-10:00

time slipping by; writing and preparations for this and that. . .behind on work. . .so it goes.My friend, T-san, had been offering for some time to take me out and show me some of the sights around Otaki. Originally, the plan had been to go fishing, but the good season passed without us ever getting a date set. So, last week we finally forced each other to schedule a time when we could take a

Building on the past: restorations in Otaki

2008-10-14T16:07:00.012-10:00

Walking through the village the other day I had a chance to see a couple of renovations that are underway in Otaki.The first are two small homes that were purchased recently (for change) by I-san. The homes were built in the post-war period using local wood. This, for I-san, was crucial. Structures built with local wood, he suggests, will outlast their more contemporary counterparts that

Otaki in color: variations on fall

2008-10-13T12:09:00.017-10:00

I've been busy of late with preparations for the American Anthropological Association meeting in San Francisco next month, and a series of discussions about "resilience" here in the village this month. However, a visit by friends from Miyako-jima in Okinawa gave me a good excuse to get out and enjoy fall in Otaki.Days here in Otaki are warm--hot, when the sun is hitting directly--but the

The changing resource landscape: rising energy costs and community resilience

2008-10-07T13:51:00.007-10:00

An article on the Daily Yonder website suggests that in the U.S. rising energy prices will have a disproportionate impact on rural communities. The article's author, Penn State geographer Amy Glasmeier, states that:. . .for rural residents, high energy prices unleash a cascade of bad news that ripples through everyday life. Compared with urban areas, residents of rural areas are more dependent

A birth day: blessed by Grace

2008-10-03T16:55:00.002-10:00

Although I am already blessed to have four wonderful nieces and nephews here in Japan, the other day my little sister gave birth to a baby girl, Grace. This is the first baby in my natal family, so we are all thrilled. Grace came a little earlier than expected, and there were a few minor complications, but she seems to be coming along just fine and hopefully will be going home this

Japan and the art of sports festivals

2008-09-29T22:17:00.009-10:00

For those living in Japan, you know it's that time of year--sports days abound.For those not familiar with this Japanese custom, allow me a brief explanation. Sports festivals are held by most schools at all levels in Japan. Some municipalities, Otaki included, also do general sports festivals that everyone can participate in. The festivals consist of a variety of events: races, tug-of-wars,

Finding a balance of being

2008-09-27T12:47:00.011-10:00

A post called "Shareland" on KenElwood, a blog that I follow regularly, touched on a theme that I've been thinking a lot about lately--the balance between nature and society--or, a bit less abstractly: the balance within each individual between being in nature and being in society.KenElwood made a good point about extremes: being too much in nature and being too much in society. This is a

A visit to Dogen's Eiheiji 永平寺: thinking about mountains and waters

2008-09-19T13:29:00.014-10:00

These mountains and waters of the present are the expression of the old buddhas. Each, abiding in its own dharma state, fulfills exhaustive virtues.During a visit to Hokkaido in the summer of 2003 I developed a relationship with Dogen's san-sui-kyou (山水経)--Mountains and Waters Sutra. The words of the sutra solidified within me during a hike of Hokkaido's Asahi-dake; I've held a deep affinity for

Seto-gawa (瀬戸川): little known jewel of the Kiso Valley

2008-09-03T12:26:00.028-10:00

I've been away in Kyoto for the past week, busy with university busi-ness, so haven't had the time to post. However, just before I left for Kyoto I took an afternoon to walk into the Seto-gawa (瀬戸川) area here in Otaki, and have wanted to share a bit about the place ever since.I heard about Seto-gawa soon after I arrived in the village. People told me if I wanted to see a more "pristine" forest,

Eco-friendly burials on Japan's Mt. Ontake--a feasible idea?

2008-08-28T20:48:00.009-10:00

A friend in the village, I-san, has talked with me on a couple of occasions about creating a eco-friendly burial ground on Mt. Ontake. I'm intrigued by the idea, and so was happy to find the following blog entry recently.There is a growing literature concerning the negative environmental impacts of western burial practices (i.e., attempting to preserve a body with embalming fluid, coffin,

Keeping nature in mind in Japan's most beautiful valley

2008-08-28T01:52:00.008-10:00

I found an article in the Mainichi Daily News that I thought was relevant to my last post about environmental management. (Find the article here).The article discusses the vegetation growth that has occurred Yamanashi prefecture's Shosenkyo　(昇仙峡), a valley that was designated as part of the Chichibu Tama Kai National Park in 1950. Since that time the valley has become known as "Japan's most

環境整備: Maintaining the Environment

2008-08-26T21:43:00.006-10:00

Otaki is literally being engulfed by the forest. Abandoned fields and plots of forest have quickly become overgrown and wildlife has moved in. The areas of thick forest are also unappealing to most villagers, giving them a sense of becoming enclosed.For these reasons, residents of Otaki participate in 環境整備作業 (environmental maintenance/management/improvement activities--something like that).

Wildlife in Kiso: A chat with one of Nagano's top hunters

2008-08-22T12:33:00.013-10:00

The other day I had the privilege of meeting with T-san, widely considered Otaki's top hunter, and one of the best in Nagano prefecture. The conversation was illuminating. T-san has a detailed and nuanced understanding of the movement of wildlife in Otaki, the Kiso region, and Japan as a whole.T-san spoke of what he thought was the loonacy of the National Forest Agency's heavy cutting in the

Monkeys on the Move

2008-08-20T16:08:00.013-10:00

"I fell down right in my field and just started crying."These were the words of a neighbor here in Otaki, describing the experience of finding that about 100 stalks of corn she planted had been carried raided by monkeys; the ears of sweet corn devoured.These words came to mind as I scoured over various reports this morning about monkeys causing trouble in oddly different places in Japan. Most of

A Japan of regions. . .what of the local?

2008-08-19T14:02:00.008-10:00

(Hihata S. 1878. Kaisei Shinano no kuni saiken zenzu: zen. [Nagano] : Nishizawa Kitaro)In a continuation of municipal amalgamations that have been occurring since the Meiji Restoration (1868) , there is new talk of eliminating Japan's current 47 prefectures and creating about a dozen "regions". See Japan Times article here.Though the argument is made that creating large regions will allow for

the First Notes of Fall

2008-08-17T16:04:00.005-10:00

Walking yesterday evening I looked to the hillsides above the village. The fading light of the day lay on the tree tops at a low angle--not the sun of summer. The mountains had a crispness that is not present in the damp heat of July and early August. Each tree stood out clearly from it's neighbor, sharp shadows defined the spaces between.Clouds billowed into the sky like the tops of souffles

Sorting. . .

2008-08-15T13:45:00.009-10:00

I apologize for the long absence; I've been graced by visits from guests lately, so have been spending time playing in the mountains and canyons.I came across an article in the UK Guardian about a village, called Kamikatsu, in Shikoku that is striving to become a "zero-waste community" through a strict recycling program. The story intrigued me for two reasons. First, I wonder about the idea of

Unstable Weather

2008-08-06T04:42:00.016-10:00

Late summer in Japan is a time of very unstable weather, as typhoons and other monsoonal storms move up from the south. These rapid changes in the weather seem particularly pronounced here in Otaki. Because the Kiso Region is located at the southern tip of the Japanese Alps the area gets the first smack of all the storms rolling in from both the Japan Sea and Pacific Ocean.An amazing

Return to the Mountains

2008-08-04T01:59:00.007-10:00

I got back to Otaki yesterday evening after about 10 days in Kyoto. It feels great to be back in the mountains where the heat and humidity of the cities are things only talked about in expressions of pity for those sweating it out below.Otaki has transformed itself once again. The brilliant greens of early summer have settled into deeper, richer shades anticipating (despite the heat) the

The Art of Soba 手打ちそば

2008-07-23T13:11:00.018-10:00

A while ago a resident of Takigoshi 滝越 lent me a DVD copy of a television program produced by NHK (nihon housou kyoukai 日本放送協会--Japan Broadcasting Corporation ). The program was called 追い詰められた村

Japan's Forgotten Sacred Mountain: 御嶽山 Ontake san Pt. 1

2008-06-19T18:00:00.002-10:00

I have, as of yet, to write in any length about Ontake-san (御嶽山), the volcanic mountain upon whose southwestern slope Otaki sits. Ontake-san is an integral part of Otaki's geographical, historical, ecological--and probably any other "-ical" one can think of--landscape. There's a lot to say about the mountain and so I've labeled this entry as "Pt. 1"; I don't pretend, however, to have any depth

Searching for the road ahead

2008-06-11T16:13:00.002-10:00

Coming through a recent past where economic livelihood came, along with capital and infrastructure, from external sources--forestry, dam construction, and skiing--the residents of Otaki are searching for a road that can take them into the future.There is an interest among residents in developing Otaki's unique cultural and natural resources in order to attract tourists. It was with this purpose

Kaminari 雷

2008-06-10T03:54:00.005-10:00

A big storm came through Otaki yesterday. Thunder, lightening, and plenty of rain. I spent a good part of the afternoon watching the lightening strikes on the hillside across from my house. Nothing beats a good Utah thunderstorm, but yesterday's was pretty good. Our plants loved the rain as well.In the evening the storm broke just in time for the sunset. Today we had sunny skies again.

山菜 Mountain Vegetables

2008-06-07T12:49:00.008-10:00

Truly one of the best parts of living in the mountains is being able to find a variety of wild vegetables. The other evening while walking around the village, Chizuko and I found this warabi (left) and ninjinba.Back at home Chizuko boiled the warabi, cut it into pieces and served it with soy sauce and some bonito flakes. The ninjinba is a little bitter, so we've been using it in sauces and

Nakagoshi 中越

2008-06-04T02:36:00.010-10:00

The Nakagoshi section of the village sits on a wide butte above the Otaki River. The butte stretches out in a half circle from a large escarpment of rock and brush above which sits the school and the rest of the central village. A significant portion of Nakagoshi is made up of fields and rice paddies, probably the largest agricultural space in the village.On a cloud-filled afternoon, after

The Politics of Resiliency

2008-05-30T18:39:00.013-10:00

A recent trip to the Takigoshi 滝越 section of the village got me to thinking about "resiliency", a concept I employ in my current research. Located about 10 kilometers to the southwest of the central part of the village near Nagano's border with neighboring Gifu prefecture, Takigoshi is the smallest of Otaki's hamlets. One gets to Takigoshi by using a small, paved road laid out in bends and

In the Garden

2008-05-27T00:30:00.010-10:00

Chizuko started it all. Our patch of weeds out back was no match for the garden she was imagining. So, several long hours later--time spent in the sun, pulling weeds--our house now boasts a modest garden. Luckily, Chizuko also pulled me away from my transcribing (the boring part of fieldwork) for a couple of adventures. From the banks of the river that flows through the Seto and Noguchi

Gomaishura 五枚修羅

2008-05-24T02:28:00.007-10:00

On Friday Chizuko and I used our last day of sunshine before the rains of a typhoon expected in the Tokyo area came to go back to the Akazawa National Forest, our favorite spot we've discovered so far. This time we stopped at a place on the river called gomaishura. Shura 修羅 in Japanese means, "timber chute". This particular location was used up until the early part of the 20th century for

"The Wifey"

2008-05-20T18:18:00.002-10:00

Today I received a bit of constructive criticism--well, not criticism really, but an honest question--from a person whose opinion I hold in very high regard. This person. . .OK, it was my mom. . .asked why I always refer to my better half as "the wife" or "the wifey" or "the missus", a term that had misogynistic undertones where she was raised. I don't know that I had ever felt these terms to

Sawataritouge 沢渡峠

2008-05-19T01:47:00.016-10:00

Yesterday the wife and I joined an outing organized by the village hall. Along with about 20 other villagers we hiked along a trail used in the past by pilgrims on their way to Ontake from Kiso-Fukushima, which is located about 20 kilometers to the east.We all loaded on a village bus and left the hall at about 9:00. Our first stop was at a small stone monument that sits on the side of the road

新緑　"New Green"

2008-05-16T03:46:00.006-10:00

The hills around Otaki are fully green now. One can easily distinguish squared patches of planted pine trees among the more brilliant greens of the broadleaf varieties. The snows-lines on the Southern Alps and on Ontake-san creep ever higher, as if enticing me to see what lies in wait. The few paddies in Otaki are now being prepared and planted. The rich, muddy waters, having been thoroughly

上条区の祭り

2008-05-14T04:13:00.004-10:00

Last Sunday a festival was held in Kami-jo, the section of Otaki where I live. For those involved festivities began the day before with a drinking party after we had made preparations.Many events in Otaki are followed, inevitably, by drink and food. I met with the mayor of the village when I first moved here, and he asked, "do you like alcohol?" My answer came back in the affirmative, and he

Festival Preparations

2008-05-10T01:40:00.006-10:00

Rain today in Otaki. . .the temperature has dropped as well. Hard to believe it's May.Returned yesterday from Kyoto and found the hills around Otaki dressed in a new robe of green. On the upper slopes there are still mountain cherry trees--yama-zakura (山桜)--in full bloom.Today the wife and I went to the community center in our section of the village--kami-jo (上条)--to help with preparations for

Back to the Mountains

2008-05-08T05:38:00.004-10:00

Tonight is my last night in Kyoto for this go around. My time here has been pleasant, but I've been anxious to get back to my fieldwork, so I've been on edge. Perhaps it's more that I'm itching to get back to the hills. I've already begun to fall in love with Otaki. Here in Kyoto I miss the bird's songs in the mornings and the deep blue of the sky as it rides on the blue mountain ridges. This

Back in Kyoto

2008-05-06T04:50:00.004-10:00

Been back in Kyoto for the last few days--taking care of business, signing for money, and taking a break (perhaps more of the latter than anything else).Went into the city today with my wife for lunch: excellent, cheap Indian food at Kerala just north of Sanjo-dori on Kawarachi. After that we decided to visit Nazenji, the temple we were married at.Didn't go to the main temple this time however,

Ａｋａｚａｗａ　赤沢

2008-05-03T05:22:00.006-10:00

I’m in Kyoto now. It’s still the “golden” week and so everyone’s out for BBQs, sightseeing, and what not. I also have to check in at the university and sign for some money. . .well stipend. . .David St. Hubbins of Spinal Tap once explained that: “a stipend is like money; only it’s such a small amount that they call it a stipend”—I concur. Anyway, don’t wanna bore with details of that sort.

大型連休

2008-04-28T23:30:00.006-10:00

“Golden Week” has started here in Japan. It’s a series of holidays at the beginning of May that ends up giving people about a week off from work or school. Since I have no formal job I was a bit oblivious to it and was trying to go about my work as usual today, but found everywhere closed. So, errands will probably have to wait until after the holiday. People here in Otaki are still out

Takigoshi 　滝越

2008-04-28T03:56:00.010-10:00

Good Evening Ontake-san!!Today I visited a section of Otaki called Takigoshi 滝越, which is located about 10 kilometers from the village center at the back of a canyon that rolls out from Ontake-san's southwestern slope. This section was the hardest hit by a landslide caused by a large earthquake in 1984. A section of the hillside that had collapsed and carried a house away with it was pointed

Magome 馬籠 and Tsumago 妻籠

2008-04-27T01:44:00.007-10:00

Spent the day today in Nagiso town on the border of Gifu prefecture visiting two post-towns called Magome 馬籠and Tsumago　妻籠. The residents of the towns try to maintain a feeling of the Edo Period (1603-1867) when a foot path led from Miyako 京 (Kyoto) to Edo 江戸 (Tokyo); part of the foot path, known as the Nakasendo 中山道, still exists, connecting the two small post-towns. The Japanese novelist,

Into the village

2008-04-25T02:46:00.006-10:00

Made some good progress today on a couple of fronts. We still lack a washing machine, so the day started--as many do--with washing clothes by hand in the sink and then rinsing them in the bathtub. There's something satisfying about the work. . .my wife and I both comment about how hungry we feel and how much we look forward to lunch everyday--there's a sanctity to the menial tasks humans

In the fields

2008-04-23T13:10:00.007-10:00

Rain today. . .thin strings of mist rise up and out of the valleys, clinging to the tree tops before flowing into the gray swirl of clouds overhead.I spent the day yesterday introducing myself and talking with villagers. Most people were out working in their fields, so it was a bit difficult to interrupt. Also, it's hard to describe the look that comes over people's faces when a white guy

Rites of Spring

2008-04-22T14:18:00.005-10:00

Had to run up to Matsumoto yesterday to do some errands. Luckily, the cherry blossoms on the hillsides were in full bloom. Woke this morning to the sound of children yelling "ohayou, Ontake-san"--"Good morning Ontake!". They are part of some sort of program taking place; will have to go check it out today if I get a chance.Later this week the village-owned forests will be closed to all but

王滝村の紹介　 An Introduction to Otaki Village

2008-04-21T01:46:00.011-10:00

Today, the wifey and I had a chance to look around Otaki a bit.However, before I get into that, allow me to give some orientation as to Otaki's location in Japan.The village is located a little over 200 kilometers west of Tokyo, in the southwest of Nagano prefecture, along the border with Gifu Prefecture.Otaki lays at the southeastern foot of Mt. Ontake 御嶽山. This volcanic mountain is revered by

Otaki Life . . . "sta-to" (start)

2008-04-20T01:51:00.004-10:00

Finally arrived in Otaki yesterday!!! Fieldwork has officially begun I suppose. Though yesterday and today were spent getting the house straight. The wife and I are staying in a house built by the village to accommodate people interested in possibly living in the village. It's a nice little place--we have great views of the hillsides that lay to the south of Otaki. No leaves yet, but summer