[Oshu Reclamation Record] The Great Garden Mud Pit Operation! The Hardness of the Ground That a Shovel Can't Handle, and the Secret Story Behind the Birth of Our Home's "Pond"

What I am presenting this time is a record from about a year ago (early November 2025).
It is an event from a day when things had finally settled down after our whole family moved into our new home in Oshu City.

I am sharing the episode from when I decided to try my hand at large-scale exterior DIY, thinking, "Now that things have settled down inside the house, the next step is finally the garden!"

It is time once again for "Yama-san's Dream Introduction" this week.

Last week, while looking back on the turbulent first month since moving, I spoke passionately about the privileges of living in a "scattered settlement area" (200 meters to the nearest neighbor) that allows for loud karaoke, and about the priorities for my future dreams.

This week is a record of a man who challenged himself to a "mud resolution DIY" project in the garden to finally turn those delusions into reality.

1. Despair at just 5 centimeters of surface. The hardness of the ground and the teachings of Google-sensei

A major issue in our garden was the muddy area that turned into a swampy bog every time it rained heavily.
"Let's not leave it to the professionals and try to do everything we can ourselves!" So, I went to the home improvement store and proudly bought a shovel and an American rake.

"Alright, first I'll dig up the muddy spot and make a hole for the water to flow!"

I put my heart into it and thrust the shovel into the ground, but,
Clang...
With the shovel stuck into the surface of the ground, I stopped moving at a depth of only about 5 centimeters.

"Oh, this is definitely something that's impossible to do by hand..."

I understood it in an instant (lol).
Perhaps because old buildings had stood there, the ground in our garden was mixed with a large amount of gravel and had been compacted as firmly as possible.
It was so rock-hard that the blade of the shovel couldn't even make a dent.

Wondering if there was anything I could do, I immediately took out my smartphone and asked Google-sensei.
The search terms were "garden leveling manual labor hard."

Then, what appeared on the screen was a surprising solution.
"First, plow the ground with a hoe, and then..."

" ...A, a hoe!?!?!?"

If you're digging a hole, isn't a shovel the only choice?!
I realized how foolish I had been for assuming that.
The fixed idea that a hoe is a farming tool and certainly not for digging hard soil...
Leave it to the experts; I guess for the hard soil of a garden, a hoe is the way to go.
I ran back to the home improvement store and, trusting Google-sensei, bought a "hoe."

2. The miracle at the moment I renewed my determination, and our home's "pond"

Having acquired the new weapon, the hoe, I renewed my determination toward the rock-hard ground, thinking, "With this, I'll widen the hole even more and defeat the mud!"

The hoe dug into the ground surprisingly well!
Its ability to move soil is low, but its power to plow hard soil is tremendous, and I was digging forward all at once.
"Thank you, Google-sensei."
While whispering words of gratitude in my heart, as I dug further...

Pitter-patter...
Whoosh.

Yes, the inevitable rain (lol).

The spot I had worked so hard to dig up with a hoe turned into a beautiful puddle in the blink of an eye.
As I slumped my shoulders, thinking, 'Oh man, I worked so hard to dig that...', the kids peered into the puddle and said,

'Do you think fish will come to Toto's (that means Daddy's) pond?'

They said something so cute with their eyes sparkling.

With that innocent remark, the Great Garden Mud Operation peacefully shifted into 'playing pond-making' (lol).
We paused our work, and after that, we held a high-energy family karaoke contest in the large living room, and everyone had a blast.

3. Confusion over the 'simple flush' toilet. Humans are monsters of adaptability

It has been a while since we started our new life in Oshu.
Actually, in this new life in an old folk house, there is a facility that had our family just as confused as the hardness of the garden.

That is our home's toilet.
This house has a 'simple flush' toilet, which is a so-called septic tank type.
For our family, who were completely used to the high-tech flush toilets in the city, it was quite a culture shock at first, or to be honest, we were confused.

However, now that a month has passed since we started living here, what has happened is...
The whole family uses it quite naturally, and we have completely gotten used to it (lol).

I truly feel that human beings are 'monsters of adaptability'.
No matter how inconvenient a place may seem at first, or how different it is from the common sense we've known, once you start living there, it becomes your own comfortable 'capital'.

That is why, if there is anyone hesitating, thinking, 'I'm interested in country life, but I'm worried if I can endure the inconvenience...', I want to say it loudly.
'Don't worry, humans will definitely get used to it!' (lol).

It is a real shame to give up because of anxiety.
If you are really worried, I highly recommend starting with a 'trial move'.
If you're okay with me, I'd be happy to consult with you at any time and help you take that first step!

Now, let's continue to enjoy the inconveniences right in front of us with wisdom and smiles, and have the best days possible this week too!

📢 1 year later — A word from 'the current Yama-san'

A year has passed since that day when I despaired as the shovel bounced back, was moved by the power of the hoe, and laughed with the kids in front of the garden puddle.

So, as for 'me one year later (July 2026)', here is how things are...

The garden mud problem was improved by leaving it to the power of nature (weeds) (lol).
It has improved significantly by digging trenches to let some water flow and disposing of the trash buried in the soil (there was quite a lot of plastic, metal, and vinyl buried there (sweat))!
And as for that half-dug spot where the kids said, 'Do you think fish will come?', it actually still remains as a fun spot in the garden, though its shape has changed (lol).

When I recall that 'despair of the top 5 centimeters' from a year ago, I feel that the very gritty confidence that even the hardest ground can be changed by our own hands with just one tool and one bit of wisdom has become part of who I am today.

Regarding the simple flush toilet, I think I was just dancing to the tune of the word 'septic' and didn't understand what a simple flush toilet actually was.
Regarding the toilet issue, and other 'old house quirks' as well, home is where you make it, and if you move, the future will change.
I will continue to use my head and body to the fullest and keep reclaiming our home!

Look forward to the next article!

If you found this article interesting and want to support Yama-san's gritty garden building, please be sure to 'Like (heart mark)' and follow!

While working as a salaryman, I am fighting against the rock-hard ground and moving steadily step by step toward my ideal future.
If there is anyone who would like to support the "fish fund for the fun pond" or the "solving common old house problems fund," please consider giving a tip, even just a coin, via the "Support" button below. Yama-san will be overjoyed to swap his hoe for a microphone here in the land of Oshu!

Your support is a great encouragement for my daily reclamation work. Thank you for your support.

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