Living in Shinanomachi - Spring, Part 1

Introduction.

“Spring has come!” For me, it’s a season that makes me want to jump for joy. After the long winter, when the ground is finally covered in snow, the first thing I see is the soil. Plants start to sprout. I find this incredibly delightful.
Early April. On a Friday night, after work, I hopped on the Shinkansen from Tokyo to my hometown of Shinanomachi. I’ve briefly summarized that experience here. Compared to my previous winter article, which ended up having a rather dark atmosphere, this one is much brighter, so I would be incredibly happy if you could take a relaxed look at it!

※Click here for the previous article↓

From a world locked in snow to the season of budding life.

When people think of winter in Nagano, they often have positive impressions like, “Nagano is such a wonderful place,” or “I went skiing when I was a student and it was the best!”—thinking of silver landscapes, skiing, and monkeys soaking in hot springs at Jigokudani. However, as I wrote in my previous article, I think it’s a different story when it comes to “living” there.
In reality, it’s unbelievably cold every morning in winter, heating kerosene costs money, it’s heavy to carry, and so on—there are many things that feel difficult. After several months of such a winter, I start to feel spring approaching little by little around the end of March every year. Since this trip home was in early April, I really felt the spring. First, here are a few photos from that time.

The mountain cherry tree in the garden has bloomed beautifully every year since I was born. If it’s the same age as me, it’s already 26 years old. Whether the year has a lot of snow or a little, whether it’s cold or not, it buds every year without fail—I respect it. I can’t let myself be outdone.

The cover of this article also features butterbur sprouts, but these are ones that have just sprouted. They grow rapidly, starting from the places that get the most sun. Before I knew it, the whole garden was full of them. I love how the beautiful yellow-green color stands out against the brown soil.

“Easy, right?” said my younger brother, who caught this char while I wasn't looking. Every time I see them, I think about how beautiful the fish that live in mountain streams are. “This one is small, so I’ll release it. I’ll catch it and eat it when it gets bigger,” my brother said. (I thought maybe we should take it home and eat it even if it’s small... Have I lost my generous heart to coexist with nature while living in Tokyo...? Haha)
By the way, the river water is freezing cold. It’s amazing that they can even survive in such a place (I think it would be perfect for a cold bath after a sauna. Haha).

That said, it’s still early April. In Shinanomachi, especially in Kurohime Highlands where my parents' house is, there is still plenty of snow left. Looking at the wide-angle photo, it’s all snow, but if you look closely at the places where the snow has melted, you can definitely feel spring.

Living in Shinanomachi means, above all, feeling the mountains close by. In winter, the cold descends from the high altitudes of the mountains, and in spring, it rises from the lower altitudes. During this time, every time I step outside, I notice that spring is getting closer every day. They say Japan is a beautiful country with distinct four seasons, but Shinanomachi is a place where you can feel the seasons even more vividly. After enduring the harsh season of winter, a bright spring arrives. It’s simple, but I think it’s an important thing for people to live by. I feel like the people living in Shinanomachi also become more energetic during this season. Haha

Preparing for the next winter without fail.

When we think, “There won't be any more heavy snow,” we put the snowblower away. We don't just put it away; we carefully maintain it so it doesn't rust. I don't know anything about this maintenance, so my brother was doing it silently. Haha (If you neglect this work, you'll pay for it next winter, so it's a task that requires special concentration.)
By the way, this snowblower is about the same age as me. I have nothing but gratitude for how well it has worked for us.

A few days after I returned to Tokyo, while I was being jostled on a crowded night train, I received a photo from my brother.

"It's done."

A LINE message saying that the preparations for next winter's firewood were finished. I thought, 'Oh, I see. Just when I thought winter was finally over, it's already time to prepare for the next one.' (I buy the firewood from an acquaintance who sells it, but transporting it is our job. We load as much firewood as we can into a passenger car and make many trips back and forth to the house. It makes you want a light truck, or a friend who has one. Haha.)
I also used to prepare for winter before it arrived and prepare for the next winter as soon as it ended until I was 18... It was something I took for granted back then, so I didn't notice it, but after experiencing life in Kochi Prefecture where it hardly snows, and life in convenient Tokyo, I strongly feel that living in Shinanomachi is not easy.

That said, Shinanomachi is about to welcome full-scale spring (by the time this article is published, spring will be nearing its end). My parents' house will also have its snow enclosures removed and be set up for summer. This work is surprisingly difficult, and the coordinated efforts of the three brothers are essential every year.

In closing.

First, I was surprised that if I jump on the Shinkansen after finishing work on a weekday, I can make it back to Shinanomachi, even if it's the last train. I realized that Shinanomachi is more accessible from Tokyo than I had thought. Also, the Shinkansen from Omiya to Nagano costs 6,050 yen (the Kagayaki train, which stops in Nagano right after Omiya, is a bit more expensive), so even including the local train fare, it's about 15,000 yen for a round trip. Whether that's expensive or cheap is up to the individual, but you can get from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo to the great nature and star-filled skies of Shinanomachi in just a few hours. Personally, I think it's very cheap.
Some might say there are places like Okutama or Nagatoro, but please forgive me as I am writing this article as someone from Shinanomachi. Haha.

Next time.

This has become a bit of a disjointed piece, but thank you very much to everyone who read it! These days, I feel that I still need to improve both my photography and my writing. I would be happy if you could let me know what you think, whether by commenting on the Facebook post or directly on this article!
The next article will be about Shinanomachi in May. I hope to share what Shinanomachi is like as it heads from spring toward early summer.
Finally, everyone. Life in Shinanomachi is the best!
Even if you don't end up living here, please come and visit at least once!