8 Things To Love About the Japanese Countryside 田舎

Truthfully this list could be any size. Why not 20 things? Or 100 things? Well, these things don’t always hit my brain at once folks!
So let’ appreciate them in small bites. Also I could go very broad and just say “nature” or something, but I don’t think that’s very interesting.
Instead I’ll list some tiny observations along the lines of, “things that make me smile on the inside” as they happen in my day.

1. 1. Baiten Stands 売店
      Within, say, a 6 block radius of my home I have a nice handful of these little sheds, typically stocked with vegetables grown in the field right next to it. Nobody is working at these little stores because they are self-serve on the honor system. Basically everyone grows vegetables, so why not sell your extras? These are all priced lower than the supermarket, usually around $1 US for most vegetables. Super-fresh and locally grown, Japan wins the battle of vegetable superiority.

      

      

      

   2. Changing of the Leaves, or Kouyou 紅葉
      It’s fall here in Japan right now and the colors are nothing less than stunning. Red, orange, yellow, green – and vibrant. It doesn’t ever get old. Coming from California (basically a seasonless land) it’s a beautiful thing to see, and also a powerful marker – a reminder that time is passing.
      

      

      

      
   3. Kids can run, breathe, and be free
      This gets to the core of why we moved here. Yes the early childhood education here is better and far cheaper. But even more than that…  I love that there are numerous huge parks around the city, and outside the city are fields, mountains, hikes, rivers, and everything a kid could hope for. Want to play in the dirt? Go for it. And the playgrounds here can get rather impressive.
      

      

      

      

      

      

      

   4. Home-Style Cooking 鍋物
      It always comes back to food for me somehow. I can’t help it. It’s a big part of all our lives. And yes, while i love sushi, and ramen… these are things that can be found in the US. What you see much less often in the US (because the average person is unaware of it) are the many home-style foods that most Japanese enjoy. When it comes to this, it varies a lot depending on region. But for example, where I am… Nabe (hot pots, soups, stews) is very popular. Especially as it’s getting chilly now.
      

      

      
   5. Rice 米
      Is all rice the same? Of course not. And like anything, the more of you eat the more difference you can taste. I’m certainly no expert, but I’ve had my fill of bland, mushy rice in the US. In the countryside everyone has a rice field 田んぼ, and we’re fortunate enough to receive some big bags of rice from family members. It’s delicious and healthy, and helps round out almost every meal. This year was the first year I was able to witness, and semi-document the process of a rice field coming to life, and eventually being harvested.
      

      
   6. Biking in Relative Safety
      I love walking and biking, because it gives you the opportunity to witness all the tiny details in your surroundings as compared to being in a car. Now… I would not bike in Los Angeles, because LA drivers certainly do not care about your safety – and even the ones who are good drivers are probably on their cell phone. Scary. Stereotyping? Yes. Here’s another one for you. Drivers in the Japanese countryside typically take great care to watch out for pedestrians and bicyclists.
      

      

      
   7. Local Festivals
      The city has very famous matsuri / festivals in the spring and summer which the tourists flock to. They are quite a spectacle. But the countryside is filled with many local food festivals, and farmers markets, and local events which are generally attended by the locals. I’ve been to more than one where I was the only non-Japanese person in sight. Nothing against tourists, but it’s nice to attend something which feels genuine and unique the neighborhood.
      

      

      

1. Onsen
   Ahh my favorite, the hot spring baths. I will try not to mention them in every blog post. But while many cities offer them (water piped in from natural spring) the countryside often offers a wide variety of Onsen which are right on top of the source. Literally, there are entire villages nearby which appear to just be a bunch of different Onsen locations/resorts/hotels. At times it looks like some have closed their doors, and I worry that visiting Onsen is not as popular as it once was. I only know I hope to visit hot springs across this country far and wide! (more about Onsen here!)
   

   

   

   

I could go on-and-on. And I will! Look out for upcoming blog posts about things to love about living in the Japanese countryside. Until then, check out my post about amazing Hida Beef – possibly the best beef in the world.

Do you live in the Japanese countryside, or want to? Comment and let me know something you love.