Here you see the traditional style building with a thatched roof. The waterfall leads into a small trout pond near the entrance of the village.
After leaving the hustle and bustle of Tokyo, we now find ourselves in the Japanese countryside, living in a large, old house that we have come to know fondly as the “Farm House.” The Farm House rests on the edge of Saiko Iyashi no Sato Nenba, a reconstructed village that attracts Japanese tourists. The slower pace of the countryside has given us the opportunity to reflect on our surroundings, how they are today and how they were traditionally. After touring the village and learning more about the surrounding land, the Imagining the Global theme of Continuity/Change comes to mind. Some recent readings and experiences in the countryside help us to apply the dyad of continuity and change.
When thinking of tradition or things that are “traditional,” I often think of things that have withstood the test of time, unchanging. However, this is not necessarily the case. In The Consequences of Modernity, Giddens states that, “Tradition is not wholly static, because it has to be reinvented by each new generation as it takes over its cultural inheritance from those preceding it. Tradition does not so much resist change as pertain to a context in which there are few separated temporal and spatial markers in terms of which change can have any meaningful form.” In order to remain relevant, certain things from the past must be altered at least slightly to suit the needs of the time. The village of Saiko Iyashi no Sato Nenba is a perfect example of tradition reshaped in modern times.
The original village of Nenba was destroyed nearly 50 years ago after a typhoon triggered a landslide that hit the village. Then, in 2008, the village was reconstructed in its current location, complete with thatched roofs, traditional gardens, beautiful view of Mt. Fuji and even a small trout pond. The landscape retains a traditional aesthetic, but, at a closer glance, signs of modernity are undeniable. For example, the trout today are fed by tourists visiting the village. The traditional buildings now house gift shops, modern restaurants and, of course, soft serve ice cream stands. The traditional gardens and landscapes are maintained with modern tools. One of our neighbors mentioned that, historically, the thatched roofs were kept free of pests and rot by the smoke of wood burning stoves within the home. However, today, chemicals are needed to fill the traditional role. Though there is continuity in the aesthetic of the village, maintenance practices have changed and the village itself has been completely re-purposed. Today, city dwellers from all over Japan escape to the countryside to catch a glimpse of this traditional aesthetic. Instead of suiting the basic needs of its inhabitants, the village now caters to tourists. We can clearly identify certain continuities between the village that once was and the reconstructed village that exists today. However, this village (along with similar landscapes around the world) have experienced an incalculable amount of change throughout the process of modernization.
Living in the Farm House, I have learned a great deal about the traditional way of life in the Japanese countryside, and I have also developed a new appreciation for the expression of tradition in modern times. As things in life constantly change around us, it is comforting to hold on to some level of continuity. I will undoubtedly miss the Farm House when we leave this place to embark on our next adventure. But I won’t soon forget the memories made within these walls and lessons of Japanese tradition I have learned just outside my door.
Giddens, Anthony. 1990. The Consequences of Modernity. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.
This is a view from inside our beloved Farm House. We learned a lot and shared many memorable moments here.