If I wait til this is perfect to post, it will never happen...and as I am writing this, a troop of macaques is feasting on the leftover grain in our rice
straw pile across the street. It was the last straw for me (pun intended). So I will just post this and fix and add stuff to it as I have time. Bear with me please.
I would love to run over and scare the monkeys away, but I'm not willing to leave my napping 2 year old unattended. After a ruff night with little sleep, I don't want to risk it.
Rice straw is/was under the tarp in this picture.
Anyway, we are looking for help. We have too many things need done and not
enough hours in the day or people in our community with free time. We don't have any businesses yet or animals, so it's very flexible and low pressure. Help with what you can within your abilities a few hours a day or so.
The neighborhood:
Stuff on the list: Monkey patrol, preparing beds, preparing seeds, planting out, propagation stuff, general cleaning up and sorting of junk on the premises. moving stones and making small stone walls. sheet mulching and taking care of established monster grasses. planting stuff that's been patiently surviving in pots. tearing up floors, walls, ceilings, kitchens, refurbishing all manner of things. getting fences up to snuff.
Pretty much whatever your skills, we can find something helpful for you to do.
Stay for a day, stay for a week, stay longer....
You can stay in a studio type one room, I guess it's technically three rooms if you shut the paper thin doors, house with a tiny kitchen in it.
A no-flush toilet and shower/bath are a separate structure just down some stairs.
Our wifi just barely reaches, we currently live across the street. There is electricity and town water.
First I will try to scare you off:
Sorry, no tobacco/nicotine of any kind allowed.
Japan is very strict about "drugs", if you have a prescription, still check with customs.
Alcohol is fine.
While not many people live in this neighborhood, it can be loud due to town announcements over the loud speakers, random solicitors soliciting from their vehicle speaker, the garbage truck song, the police song, and noon and 5pm songs...mostly it is peaceful and meditative...and the mobile supermarket truck song.
There be venomous snakes, wild boar, occasional bear, giant hornets (suzume bachi), and the monkeys' usual route is on top of your roof, but once they know you are staying there, they
should stay away...the deer scream loud at night sometimes.
Other risks are typhoons, generally from August to December, heavy heavy rainstorms.
And as always the
nankai torafu earthquake is ever looming.
This is a
village of about 800 spread along the valleys of two rivers. Public transportation is bare minimum two buses a day.
We are tucked in the mountains, the roads close for heavy rain. Nearest mostly stocked
city is 45 min by car down the mountain. If there are any must-eats or must-not-eats for you, let me know so I can check on what's available.
People in our village are generally open and friendly, but I would ask you to keep in mind that you are an ambassador, representing all permies. From the villagers' perspective you are a person that we vouched for and welcomed into our home. As such you also represent us. Gossip is a huge pastime here. Word gets around. Your behavior will determine how the next guest is treated and how we are perceived and trusted. You must be nice and flexible and quiet and modest.
Being completely honest, we are just starting in this location and are still living a fairly conventional, modern lifestyle. We are between level 2 and 3 on the Wheaton eco
scale . Help us move to level 4! I can't account for what ever toxic gick the previous owners have left behind, but the place had been unoccupied for ten years or so.
There is a lot of rusty metal and plastic bits blown all around in the garden plots from years old "mulch".
It rains a lot and humidity is high; your house has a faint but lingering mildew smell. If you are sensitive to smells and dusts and such, you're gonna have a bad time. Of
course, during work PPE will be provided to your satisfaction.
Great, now for the attractions:
Mostly quiet and chill. Lots of wildlife. Picturesque mountains and rivers. Crystal clear river is 2mins walk.
Small library down the road. Small mountain trail behind your house. small museum across the river open Thursdays. Village offers a hot spring, sports park, golf course, local shrines and temples, The coast is 45 mins down the mountain. There is a sand beach, but mostly it's a rocky beach.
I will try to compile a list of possible learning opportunities in the village and add them later.
PM or reply if interested, Thanks!
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I'm supposed to go spend some time in Chiba/Tokyo next October, if those plans actually come to pass I will look you up to at least come and say hello!
