First Summer in Takahama
April, May, June, July…4 months have passed since moving to a small town on the Japan Sea coast.
The neighborhood of Kotoshiro has become my new stomping grounds. Lying on a 1km stretch of land facing the Japan Sea, this once thriving fishing village still has an active fishing port and retains its spot as a beloved paradise for maritime adventurers, attracting surfers and beachgoers from all over Kansai.
Photo courtesy of amazing photo/videographer Florian Koschella.
I’ve discovered being underwater is really good for introverts; there tends to be far fewer people down here
Meikyodo Cave, a sublime example of how erosion + time creates form and beauty. Also an amazing place to snorkel!
My job here is to assist the local government in helping to promote the town. As there is a lot to learn, the past few months have been rather hetic. Work occupies the day and evenings have mostly been spent exploring Takahama’s coastline and narrow streets, trying to make connections with the locals, you know the fish, the cats (and sometimes the people). Most of my days off in May/June were used up making road trips between Kyoto and Takahama: the two hour car journey is something I can probably do blindfolded now, although I won’t be testing that bravado just yet.
So with all the above (and a lot more that I won’t bore you with), I wasn’t left with much time for anything else. Even my blog writing went under the guillotine, a tragic shame because writing for me is like taking a deep breath of air; without writing life feels shallow and unsatisfying - like a Japanese TV show.
One of the first neighbor’s I met. Socks is currently unemployed and can be found lounging around the car park which he treats as his living room.
New abode. A splendid traditional Japanese house, clad in sun-worn timbers and wrapped in rustic earthen walls. Currently in the process of renovating. No garden, but a 10 second walk (ridiculous, yes) to the beach eliminates that necessity. Coming from a drab landlocked British town in the middle of nowhere, to live next to the ocean is literally a dream come true, as ever since I was 5 years old I have dreamt (British spelling) of a house next to sea and the smell of seaweed every time I open the window. Well, the seaweed part wasn’t part of the original plan.
Of the many external features, the new home boasts an O-jizo-sama protector deity although their face is concealed (prob a little shy about the social media exposure), and a washing machine positioned outside of the home, apparently the prevailing style of the neighborhood.
SEE! I am actually doing work and not just sunbathing all day.
Photo also courtesy of amazing photo/videographer Florian Koschella. Thanks Flo for your amazing eye(s). Will be bringing more stories about Takahama, it’s history and culture and work in the Japanese countryside in general soon!
I’ll end with an old photo of the town courtesy of the local folk museum that I came across through my research on the town. You can see the top of a thatched Japanese house in front of a row of cherry blossom trees on the left, with the old JR train passing by and a lesiure boat cruising across the bay.
This photo was taken during the years when Takahama was a booming tourist town, that boasted more resort inns than anywhere else in Japan. I hope by collaborating with creative individuals that we can recapture at least some of that spirit again.