Roots Journey [Kyoto/Yamashiro Region ⑥] The Deep World of Minamiyamashiro Village

The place I am staying tonight is a region called Minamiyamashiro Village in "Dosenbo". As this is the only village in Kyoto Prefecture, you can enjoy a rustic flavor that is quite different from staying in the city.

The nearest station is JR Okawara Station. It is about 40 minutes from Nara Station, so why not extend your trip while sightseeing in Nara?

It has a somewhat desolate atmosphere that would likely appeal to ruin enthusiasts (though the station is, of course, still in operation…).

▼ In roots research, you sometimes end up staying in remote lodgings

As an aside, in roots research, I often visit remote places that one would not normally visit for sightseeing.

Even if transportation is inconvenient or there are no notable attractions like theme parks or castles, if you have the goal of "finding traces of your ancestors", it is strange how seemingly unremarkable vacant lots, parks, shrines, or temples suddenly turn into something exciting (since you might find a valuable stone monument in the corner of a park that explains the history of the place). The strange sense of satisfaction that

"I am the only one who understands the charm of this place" might also be the true pleasure of a roots journey.

Also, because they are not tourist destinations, naturally, places to stay are also limited. About a year after this trip, I went to Kochi Prefecture, where I stayed at a solitary inn in the mountains that was tens of minutes away from a convenience store, and the bus only ran once or twice a day.

It was a very old inn, and the facilities were completely different from the hotels and ryokans I was used to (for instance, the room doors didn't have locks). Dinner was full of natural ingredients like wild boar and sweetfish and was delicious.
The innkeeper was very helpful, even calling local people to help me get information about my ancestors.

Triggered by the information I gathered while walking around the area, I became increasingly immersed in my roots journey, and I ended up staying there several more times after that, but more on that another time.

▼ A guesthouse in a village where you can even fly drones

We stayed at a guesthouse called “Dosenbo Sanso” (looking at it now, it seems to have become a stylish website, but the inn itself doesn't seem to have changed much).
It is an inn with a rustic feel, with taxidermy of deer, wild boar, and flying squirrels displayed at the entrance. It was a quiet environment with delicious food, and I was able to spend a relaxing time there.

Currently, in addition to farming experiences and blueberry picking, they also offer drone flight experiences. It seems the young owner is boldly taking on new challenges.

The owner picked us up at the station, and it was past 3:00 PM when we arrived at the settlement on the mountain. Since it was late autumn, the sun was already setting.

▼ A cafe inside a nursery school building

After dropping off my luggage at the inn, I went out for a walk. I had learned online beforehand that there was the village's only cafe nearby, and I wanted to go.

The shop called “Yama no Table” was located inside a nursery school that was no longer in use. At the time, it seemed to be open only one or two days a week, and it just so happened to be open on the day I stayed. I really am lucky (omitted below).

I didn't manage to take very good photos, but it had high ceilings, a large table, and a tasteful, relaxed atmosphere. The pound cake was delicious😊

From inside the cafe, you can look out over the playground with equipment. Since this region is likely also experiencing a declining birthrate and an aging population, perhaps the playground equipment is no longer used.

On the way back from my walk, there were many pampas grass growing. I feel a sort of nostalgia that is somehow heartbreaking.

Dinner consisted of various delicacies and hot pot, but since I didn't take any photos, please enjoy this photo of the matcha pudding I had in my room.

▼ The next morning, departing for my uncle's house in Kyoto

The next morning, I had an early breakfast and the owner drove me to the station. On the way, he took me on a drive to show me the nearby tea plantations.

Although not visible in the photos, there were several tea plantations where the tea leaves were left to grow wild. Due to population decline, it seems some areas have become like abandoned farmland. I realized that maintaining the beautiful ridges of a tea plantation requires considerable daily effort. It has been four years since then, and I wonder if the situation has changed at all.

I arrived at the station. From here, it takes about an hour to head to my uncle's house in Kyoto. It is also the house of my late grandmother. Yes, that is the house where, when I was in elementary schoola mysterious white figureI saw. By the time I reached junior high school, I stopped staying over at my grandmother's house, so it has been quite a long time since I last visited that house.

(Continued in ⑦)

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