May 19, 2008
Starting my own agriculture
Finally I started my own agriculture with my friends (^^)
It's just a small field, just a few crops, but enough for us beginners.
And of course it's organic farming!!
I visited lots of farmers to help them, to experience their sense of power over their life.
Of course those were great experience for my life, but at the same time I felt some emptiness. I've never answered for crops, I've never followed crops growing all the time. And that fact made me still the other people from the agriculture.
But from now on, It must be changed!!
'Cause I'm responsible for my own crops, I'm taking care of them all the time (^^;
In this weekend, we cultivated the field,
looked for seeds and seedlings,
and sowed them jsut in imitation.
With much of hope and some of anxieties,
I'm finding my massive living.
It's just a small field, just a few crops, but enough for us beginners.
And of course it's organic farming!!
I visited lots of farmers to help them, to experience their sense of power over their life.
Of course those were great experience for my life, but at the same time I felt some emptiness. I've never answered for crops, I've never followed crops growing all the time. And that fact made me still the other people from the agriculture.
But from now on, It must be changed!!
'Cause I'm responsible for my own crops, I'm taking care of them all the time (^^;
In this weekend, we cultivated the field,
looked for seeds and seedlings,
and sowed them jsut in imitation.
With much of hope and some of anxieties,
I'm finding my massive living.
May 11, 2008
Farming as usual
This weekend I visited one of my University friends who is farming in the northern part of Hokkaido.
If I lose my way, I surely visit him and find what life is, who I am and so on.
Fortunately I've never been threatened by such kind of necessity (^^;
Anyway, since I've visited him lots of times, he and his family have become kinda family for me.
His father is really good at driving tractor.
His family bring up lots of crops, of course they include rice.
Thriving, which are being prepared for planting.
If I lose my way, I surely visit him and find what life is, who I am and so on.
Fortunately I've never been threatened by such kind of necessity (^^;
Anyway, since I've visited him lots of times, he and his family have become kinda family for me.
His father is really good at driving tractor.
His family bring up lots of crops, of course they include rice.
Thriving, which are being prepared for planting.
May 07, 2008
Horse pasture
In Japan, there is a special vacation in the beginning of May, called "Golden week"(GW).
It must be necessary for workaholic Japanese people(I'm workaholic too!!) to make a obligatory holidays, or people never take a rest by themselves.
Anyway, I visited kinda horse pasture during GW to be refreshed (^^)
Horses were quite big, warm and a little fool at the same time (^^;
People who live with horses were rustic, and being proud of their life with horses all the time.
By living a few days with them,
by helping their works,
I might feel some reality of life.
Agriculture, mountains, workcamps...
Now I'm finding my country little by little, finally.
Actually visiting these area is the second time for me.
Last time was in January, and I will come here next winter to join "Donto festival" again.
By visiting same town again and again,
making friends little by little,
adapting myself to the atmosphere...
This town must become one of the hometowm for me.
It must be necessary for workaholic Japanese people(I'm workaholic too!!) to make a obligatory holidays, or people never take a rest by themselves.
Anyway, I visited kinda horse pasture during GW to be refreshed (^^)
Horses were quite big, warm and a little fool at the same time (^^;
People who live with horses were rustic, and being proud of their life with horses all the time.
By living a few days with them,
by helping their works,
I might feel some reality of life.
Agriculture, mountains, workcamps...
Now I'm finding my country little by little, finally.
Actually visiting these area is the second time for me.
Last time was in January, and I will come here next winter to join "Donto festival" again.
By visiting same town again and again,
making friends little by little,
adapting myself to the atmosphere...
This town must become one of the hometowm for me.
March 23, 2008
Visiting neighbor to ...
From 20/Mar to 23/Mar, I visited Korea.
This was my fourth visit to this neighbor country (^^;
As usual I met some IYC friends,
and as usual I drank SOJU.
Some of them are working,
and the others are students.
In either situation, we are getting some changes from our each life.
Certainly, I felt kinda changes of them, and of course I must have changed.
Because my first time to be here was almost 3 years ago,
it must be natural to get changes in such a long time.
But I made sure that we still keep contact with each other, still be friends now.
And I assure that we can keep in this relationship in fature.
I hope you guys believe it too (^^;
I wanna say thank you for all of you.
See you again!
This was my fourth visit to this neighbor country (^^;
As usual I met some IYC friends,
and as usual I drank SOJU.
Some of them are working,
and the others are students.
In either situation, we are getting some changes from our each life.
Certainly, I felt kinda changes of them, and of course I must have changed.
Because my first time to be here was almost 3 years ago,
it must be natural to get changes in such a long time.
But I made sure that we still keep contact with each other, still be friends now.
And I assure that we can keep in this relationship in fature.
I hope you guys believe it too (^^;
I wanna say thank you for all of you.
See you again!
March 16, 2008
Solar Petite Kids' Camp
This weekend, I joined kind of kids' camp as a counselor.
Actually I've joined some of kids' camp as my main volunteer activities in my life, but Solar Petite Kids' Camp (sorry, but the HP is written only in Japanese) was quite unique and different kids' camp.
This camp was for the kids' who has quite serious diseases.
(There are same kind of camps in the world. here is one example, The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp in the US)
There are about 200,000 children who are struggling with their diseases in Japan.
They have a quite simple, but strong hope.
" I want to play in outside, run in nature."
Because their diseases are really serious, it's impossible for them to be in nature without any medical support.
But it's also difficult for doctors to go somewhere in nature with those kids because they need lots of medical instrument to keep their patients safe.
Then, some people decided to make those kid's dreams come ture.
They constructed kind of medical center in nature.
They called the camp, Solar Petite Kids' Camp.
Here, kids' can be in nature with enough medical suupports.
Though I joined lots of kids' camps, I didn't know there was such many kids' who wanted to join but they couldn't.
I didn't know such meaningful programs were held here in Hokkaido.
I really impressed from not only those kids' but from stuffs who put their lifes into this project, for kids.
Actually I've joined some of kids' camp as my main volunteer activities in my life, but Solar Petite Kids' Camp (sorry, but the HP is written only in Japanese) was quite unique and different kids' camp.
This camp was for the kids' who has quite serious diseases.
(There are same kind of camps in the world. here is one example, The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp in the US)
There are about 200,000 children who are struggling with their diseases in Japan.
They have a quite simple, but strong hope.
" I want to play in outside, run in nature."
Because their diseases are really serious, it's impossible for them to be in nature without any medical support.
But it's also difficult for doctors to go somewhere in nature with those kids because they need lots of medical instrument to keep their patients safe.
Then, some people decided to make those kid's dreams come ture.
They constructed kind of medical center in nature.
They called the camp, Solar Petite Kids' Camp.
Here, kids' can be in nature with enough medical suupports.
Though I joined lots of kids' camps, I didn't know there was such many kids' who wanted to join but they couldn't.
I didn't know such meaningful programs were held here in Hokkaido.
I really impressed from not only those kids' but from stuffs who put their lifes into this project, for kids.
March 11, 2008
Starting agriculture of this year
Though it still snowing in March in Hokkaido, farmers are starting to prepare for spring.
As always I visited one of my familiar farmers, I assisted some works with my friends.
In this time, we set up vinyl houses.
The vinyl is quite big and heavy, it's beyond our expectations (^^;
Even a little winds can blow off the vinyl.
So we need to fix it as much as possible.
Always I can feel to be satisfied here.
All of daily life here is peaceful and meaningful.
As always I visited one of my familiar farmers, I assisted some works with my friends.
In this time, we set up vinyl houses.
The vinyl is quite big and heavy, it's beyond our expectations (^^;
Even a little winds can blow off the vinyl.
So we need to fix it as much as possible.
Always I can feel to be satisfied here.
All of daily life here is peaceful and meaningful.
February 11, 2008
Sake brewery
Japanese traditional alcoholic drink Sake is only made from rice, water, yeast and Koji bacteria (which malt rice, producing saccaride from starch).
This weekend, I visited Sake brewerys in Akita prefecture.
I didn't know Sake brewers or even Sake itself so much, but... they were incredible.
They have a deep connection with rice farmers, and every year they discussed with farmers about the marerial rice - production Sake relations.
They have a great veneration and thanksgiving to Koji, yeast and other microorganisms.
And they know their products make us happy (^^)
The process of brew is not so complex.
Brewers just prepare the materials for microorganisms to malt and fermentate rice.
Steaming rice...
cooling...
and mix and wait for fermentation.
Especially the process of fermentation was such touching one.
There were bubbles continuously rose from the mixture.
It was breath of microbes.
Some people say, "Sake is alive."
Now I truly understand what they say.
Yes, Sake is becoming Sake by itself.
Also, I really impressed the fact that old people already knew the existance of invisible cretures and comprehended how to get assistance from them.
This weekend, I visited Sake brewerys in Akita prefecture.
I didn't know Sake brewers or even Sake itself so much, but... they were incredible.
They have a deep connection with rice farmers, and every year they discussed with farmers about the marerial rice - production Sake relations.
They have a great veneration and thanksgiving to Koji, yeast and other microorganisms.
And they know their products make us happy (^^)
The process of brew is not so complex.
Brewers just prepare the materials for microorganisms to malt and fermentate rice.
Steaming rice...
cooling...
and mix and wait for fermentation.
Especially the process of fermentation was such touching one.
There were bubbles continuously rose from the mixture.
It was breath of microbes.
Some people say, "Sake is alive."
Now I truly understand what they say.
Yes, Sake is becoming Sake by itself.
Also, I really impressed the fact that old people already knew the existance of invisible cretures and comprehended how to get assistance from them.
January 21, 2008
Discovering Japanese...
At Yamagata prefecture (in Tohoku area in Japan), there is a tradition of "Donto festival".
"Donto fes" is one of the famous Japanese festival in Tohoku area.
In this fes, people burn new year's decoration or some festive stuffs to be in good health during new year. Or in some regions, young people run around the town and drive out the evil spirits.
It's from the Japanese traditional belief "Shinto" thinking.
But in some regions, it becomes difficult to continue this fes because most of young people go leave from their hometown to urban city.
This time I visited one of those regions (it's quite countryside) to participate and help the festival.
Even though the depopulation goes on and goes on, people there has much stronger connection than urban people.
Young people, old people, farmers, office workers... everyone in this region helps each other to make this fescival. And they readily accepted our participating.
It's quite interesting festival, and I love it.
Because we Japanese don't have much chance to be naked and run around in the middle of the town (^^;
It must be a kind of precious experience, isn't it!?
"Donto fes" is one of the famous Japanese festival in Tohoku area.
In this fes, people burn new year's decoration or some festive stuffs to be in good health during new year. Or in some regions, young people run around the town and drive out the evil spirits.
It's from the Japanese traditional belief "Shinto" thinking.
But in some regions, it becomes difficult to continue this fes because most of young people go leave from their hometown to urban city.
This time I visited one of those regions (it's quite countryside) to participate and help the festival.
Even though the depopulation goes on and goes on, people there has much stronger connection than urban people.
Young people, old people, farmers, office workers... everyone in this region helps each other to make this fescival. And they readily accepted our participating.
It's quite interesting festival, and I love it.
Because we Japanese don't have much chance to be naked and run around in the middle of the town (^^;
It must be a kind of precious experience, isn't it!?
December 17, 2007
My home ground
Mt. Asahi is the highest mountain in Hokkaido.
Every winter I climb this mountain at first.
It may be a kind of function.
Every year, winter season starts from here for me.
Here the world is closed.
Snow, wind, sunlight, cloud... Everything here make my sence close up, make me meditate of my own life deeply.
Sometimes there are a little difficulty to move.
But, I need some tension of my life.
You know, tension or stress can prompt me to live more serious life.
Filling zip to my heart, I can live in the daily life.
Every winter I climb this mountain at first.
It may be a kind of function.
Every year, winter season starts from here for me.
Here the world is closed.
Snow, wind, sunlight, cloud... Everything here make my sence close up, make me meditate of my own life deeply.
Sometimes there are a little difficulty to move.
But, I need some tension of my life.
You know, tension or stress can prompt me to live more serious life.
Filling zip to my heart, I can live in the daily life.
December 02, 2007
Happy wedding
This weekend, I came along to my friend's wedding.
Actually this was the first time for me to go in the wedding of my close friend.
I might never think about the marriage seriously in my life.
In this time, I also thought that,
" Though she get marriage, I will drink or, of course, I will climb mountains with her."
Wedding.
Her friends from her hometown sang a song for her.
" I really happy about her, but I feel a little lonely." her univ. friend said.
Herself, parents, friends, partner...
What did the marriage mean to them?
Everyone here must have had some complicated feelings.
But everyone here blessed this happy day, this happy wedding.
Everyone here congratulated our precious friend.
This moment must be the irreplaceable time for us.
This moment could be the best PRESENT for her.
Actually this was the first time for me to go in the wedding of my close friend.
I might never think about the marriage seriously in my life.
In this time, I also thought that,
" Though she get marriage, I will drink or, of course, I will climb mountains with her."
Wedding.
Her friends from her hometown sang a song for her.
" I really happy about her, but I feel a little lonely." her univ. friend said.
Herself, parents, friends, partner...
What did the marriage mean to them?
Everyone here must have had some complicated feelings.
But everyone here blessed this happy day, this happy wedding.
Everyone here congratulated our precious friend.
This moment must be the irreplaceable time for us.
This moment could be the best PRESENT for her.
