Episode 23: An Encyclopedia of Nameless Jobs That Supported Life in the Showa Era: 'The Well Cleaner—The Job of Reviving Water' (repost)

In the old days, where and how did they live?

Wells were a common sight in every household back then.
But as they were used over long periods, mud and fallen leaves would accumulate at the bottom, making the water murky.
That was when people relied on the 'well cleaner'.

Whether at a town well or in a village community, people would call them once or twice a year, saying,
'Please, come clean our well.'
Especially after a summer downpour, the water would often become too murky to drink.

What kind of work did they do?

The well cleaner would first wrap a rope tightly around their body and descend into the well with a bucket.
Once they reached the dark, damp bottom, they were enveloped in a chilly air, working by the light of a single lamp.

They would scrape out mud, scoop up fallen leaves and pebbles, and sometimes even find rotten wood or snake skins.
Up above, a partner would use a pulley to haul up the buckets.
When the shout of 'Hey, pull it up!' echoed on the surface, the neighborhood children would peek in with great curiosity.

What kind of people did that job?

Most were craftsmen who made their living digging wells.
They knew water and soil inside out, and because it was dangerous work, it required skilled hands.
Even if they were thin, they had the courage to dive into wells and carried an air of pride about them.

When they came up from the bottom of the well, they would have a smile on their mud-covered face,
saying, 'There, the water will be clear now.'
They truly were the people who protected the water of life.

Why did that job disappear?

Once water mains were installed in towns and villages,
the number of households relying on wells for their daily water dropped significantly.
Eventually, wells became 'relics of the past' in the corners of gardens,
and before we knew it, the job of the well cleaner had vanished.

Some houses still have wells today, but
they are mostly just for decoration or emergency water.

Could you give us one final word?

Well cleaning wasn't just about tidying up.
It was a noble job that revived the 'life of the water' that supported people's lives.
The taste of that single cup of tea made from freshly drawn, clear well water.
I still remember that it was all thanks to the well cleaner.

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