奈良県南部「吉野」と呼ばれる一帯には、人工林の世話をする「山行」という仕事がある。チェーンソー、ノコギリ、縄などの道具を抱え、森の急な斜面を軽々と上ったり下ったりしながら何トンもの木を伐り倒す、命がけの仕事だ。僕が住んでいる奈良県吉野郡川上村は吉野林業の中心地で、山行が多い。しかし、その数はどんどん少なくなっている。厚生省の研究機関によると、30年後の川上村の人口減少率は全国で一番高いと推測される。人口の大半が65歳以上だけど、僕は川上村をとても元気な村だと思っている。

僕は３年前、友達の結婚披露宴のために京都から川上村に来ていた。そこで近所の村民に会い、お話に夢中になった。「大昔から天皇やいろんな人がこの山々へ逃げて来てな。この山々は高くないけど、谷と川が複雑で逃げやすかったんや」と村民のおじさんは説明してくれた。僕は村の歴史を次々に熱く話してくれたおじさんに感動した。静かな渓流の谷からそびえ立つ山を見ながら、それぞれの風景を想像した。その翌年、僕は川上村の地域おこし協力隊としてこの村に引っ越した。

現在、ライティング、翻訳、通訳の活動をしながら、村民が作った野菜を集荷して回り、毎週土曜日の朝市で販売するのを手伝っている。若者が少ないため、僕は地区の祭りや掃除にできるだけ参加して、消防団にも入っている。冬の夜中に雪が積もったら、翌日の朝から道路の雪かきをする。暖かくなったら、川沿いの東屋で近所のおじさんたちと飲む。今年は村民さんの知恵を借り、釣りをしてみたいと思っている。

僕はアメリカ・ロサンゼルスに生まれ育ち、６年前に日本へやってきた。海外育ち、都会育ち、何十年と離れた世代。「限界集落」に住む村民さんと僕の間には「ギャップ」があるかもしれない。しかし、僕は「ギャップ」より「レンズ」という言葉のほうを好む。アメリカのレンズで見ると、この山々の歴史は圧倒的に長い。都会のレンズで見ると、野菜や蒸しパンのおすそ分けが素敵だ。僕の世代のレンズを通すと、毎日畑仕事をする90歳の村民がとてもパワフルだ。それぞれのレンズをなかなか外せないと分かっていながら、僕は川上村の村民と交流することによって、お互いの世界を理解し合い、新たな可能性が見えるかもしれないと思っている。

川上村は吉野川の水源地にある。だから僕はこちらでの生活を「上流の日々」と呼んでいる。読者のみなさんにカジカガエルの歌が聞こえ、柿の葉寿司の甘い香りが漂っていき、川上村の美しさを伝えられるように、この生活を綴れたらと思う。

Vol.1 The Village and Eric

 In an area called Yoshino in southern Nara Prefecture, the job of a “yamaiki” is to take care of planted forests. It’s a potentially deadly job in which they cut and fall multi-ton trees, all while easily climbing up and down the steep slope of the forest with a chainsaw, handsaw, rope, and other tools. Kawakami Village, Yoshino County, Nara Prefecture is where I live, and as this village is the heart of Yoshino Forestry, there are many yamaiki here. However, the number of them is decreasing very quickly.  According to the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare research institute, Kawakami Village has the highest anticipated rate of population decline in Japan for the next 30 years. More than half of the population is over the age of 65, but I think that Kawakami Village is a very lively village. 

Three years ago, I came from Kyoto to my friends’ wedding reception in Kawakami Village. There I met one of their neighbors and was absorbed in his stories. “Since a long, long time ago, emperors and many different people would run away to these mountains. These mountains aren’t very high, but the valleys and rivers are complicated and it’s easy to get away,” he explained. I was really moved by this older man who continued to speak so passionately about this village’s history. As I looked at the mountain towering up from quiet valley stream, I imagined all of the different scenes the man described. The following year, I moved to this village as a Kawakami Village Local Vitalization Cooperator.

Currently, while writing, translating, and interpreting, I pick up vegetables grown by local residents and help sell them at a market every Saturday. Since there are very few young people, I participate as much as possible in community festivals and cleaning work, and am also in the volunteer fire department. If it snows heavily over night, I shovel the roads the following morning. When it gets warm, I drink with the older men at the riverside gazebo. This year I am planning to borrow some local wisdom and try my hand at fishing.

 I was born in Los Angeles, U.S.A. and moved to Japan six years ago. Growing up abroad, growing up in a city, and generations separated by decades. These things may be “gaps” between residents of this so-called “marginal village” and myself. However, I prefer the word “lens” over the word “gap”. When I look through my American lens, the history of this village is overwhelmingly long. When I look through my city lens, the neighborly sharing of vegetables and steamed cake is beautiful. Going through the lens of my generation, the 90-year-old resident who  works their crop everyday is very powerful. Though I understand that I cannot remove those lenses, I think that by interacting with the residents of Kawakami Village, we can understand one another’s worlds, and we might be able to find some new possibilities.

 Kawakami Village is situated at the source of the Yoshino River. That is why I refer to my life here as “Upstream Days”. I hope I can write about this life so that the songs of the kajika frogs can be heard, the sweet aroma of sushi wrapped in persimmon leaves drifts, and the beauty of Kawakami Village is conveyed to all of you readers.