Discover Satoyama: How Japanese communities live in harmony with nature

euronews (in English)

Want an authentic, sustainable travel experience in Japan? Our reporter Anca Ulea explores two Japanese towns where the environment has defined the way of life for generations

Transcript

00:00 (dramatic music)

00:02 It's red leaf season in Japan,

00:05 and the landscape is ablaze

00:06 with the most beautiful autumn colors.

00:09 This time of year is popular with tourists,

00:10 but I won't be joining the crowds in the usual places.

00:13 I'm heading to lesser known corners of Japan

00:15 to see how different communities

00:17 are living sustainably with nature.

00:18 In the Nagara River Basin, life flows gently.

00:27 For generations, locals in the central region of Japan

00:30 have been living by the principle of Satoyama,

00:33 or harmony with nature.

00:34 The river takes care of them,

00:37 sustaining life and livelihood,

00:39 and they take care of it in return.

00:41 One of the most striking examples of Satoyama

00:57 is Gifu's fishing tradition.

00:58 Each season, fishing methods are adapted

01:01 to the ayu sweetfish's mating patterns.

01:04 Most ayu caught in autumn are sent to hatcheries upriver

01:07 to maintain the population the following year.

01:25 The remaining fish are sold to local restaurants

01:28 and shared with friends and family.

01:30 The Nagara River sustains this region in more ways than one.

01:41 Its crystal clear waters irrigate crops

01:43 like rice and vegetables,

01:45 making them particularly flavorful.

01:47 An abundance in medicinal herbs has also given rise

01:52 to the region's yakuzen, or medicinal cuisine.

01:55 (gentle music)

01:57 The variety of dishes was astounding.

02:22 From what the chef called skin beauty hot pot

02:24 to the region's famous hida beef,

02:27 which is among Japan's finest.

02:29 My next stop is Kinosaki Onsen.

02:38 A two and a half hour drive from Kyoto,

02:41 the town of seven mystic hot springs, or onsen,

02:44 is steeped in legend.

02:46 It's believed the natural hot springs

02:48 are a gift from the heavens, with the power to heal.

02:51 (speaking in foreign language)

02:55 Spirituality still surrounds the onsen.

03:05 Before taking a dip, I give thanks

03:07 at the Buddhist temple on the hilltop.

03:09 Others do the same at the Shinto shrine in town.

03:18 I want to get the full ryokan experience,

03:21 so I'm heading to Yamamoto-e Inn.

03:23 It's been operating for 350 years.

03:29 The inn is run by the Takamiya couple.

03:32 Historically, women have been in charge

03:33 of daily operations, one of the oldest leadership roles

03:37 they've held in Japan.

03:38 (speaking in foreign language)

03:42, (gentle music)

04:10 Strolling around in this yukata

04:11 with everyone else dressed the same

04:13 makes me feel like I'm in some sort of fairy tale.

04:15 In Japanese, it's called (speaking in foreign language)

04:18 which means walking at a leisurely pace

04:20 with no particular destination in mind.

04:22 The journey is the destination.

04:24 (speaking in foreign language)

04:27 But the onsen is the real treat.

04:29 The traditional ryokan experience consists of three baths,

04:33 one before dinner, one after dinner,

04:35 and one in the morning before departing.

04:37 Here, you're really forced to slow down

04:39 and take care of your body and your mind.

04:41 If I've learned anything from locals in Kinosaki and Gifu,

04:49 is that it's a gift to be able to slow down

04:52 and just enjoy the natural beauty.

04:54 (gentle music)

04:56 (upbeat music)

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