At the end of last school
year, I was faced with a tough decision.
I would not be able to stay in Osaka, as there wasn’t a job for me. However, I could
move to an unknown destination in Wakayama Prefecture and stay in Japan for
another year. While I obviously decided
to move, it was not an easy choice. The
information I could find on Wakayama didn’t paint it in the best light. Largely rural (by Japanese standards), it was
an area hard hit by Japan’s economic troubles and shifting populations. While rich in natural beauty, it didn’t seem
like a really great place to spend the next year. Good thing I don’t believe everything I read
on the internet.
I was placed in Wakayama
City, the area I was hoping for when I reluctantly agreed to stay with my
company. Although there are signs of
economic hardships, it is in no way the Detroit sized problem the internet made
it sound. And as far as the lack of bright
lights and constant distractions, Wakayama more than makes up for it with
abundant natural beauty, clean air with a hint of the sea, and a slower pace of
life. Here people spend Saturdays
fishing as a family, working in huge (by Japanese standards) gardens, or
enjoying barbeques on the beach. It is a
much simpler existence filled with early morning bird songs, dark nights full
of stars, and people chatting the evening away on balconies and porches.
It is also a whole
different kind of Japan. The streets are
narrow and they loop, zigzag, and dead end.
Cars have to wait, since many places aren’t wide enough for two to
pass. Ancient houses hide long family
histories and immaculate Japanese style gardens behind high walls, glimpsed
through always open gates. Fresh produce
and flowers are everywhere; sold in grocery stores and at little local stands
where you just leave your money in a can.
In many ways, it is the polar opposite of Osaka. This is a good thing. It will make my transition back to South Dakota
so much easier when I finally return.
Wakayama is a hidden gem,
it seems. Filled with all the things I
never realized Osaka was missing, but still close enough to Osaka for a quick trip to eat at my
favorite restaurants or to spend a day with my friends. In my short time in Wakayama many people have
asked me to compare my new home with my old one. I tell them it is impossible. Wakayama wa Wakayama. Osaka wa Osaka. It can’t be done. But one visit and many of my Osaka friends
fall in love with this quiet city. The
same way I did. There are things here I
never found in Osaka – darkness, thrift stores, amazing pizza, and the stunning
natural beauty of the Japanese coast.
But I have also been able to find many of the things that made Osaka so
comfortable – friendly people, welcoming hole in the wall restaurants, and an
easy, laid back style of living.
I have only been here a
few weeks, but I have a feeling I am in the right place at the right time yet
again. I think living here will
challenge, inspire, and strengthen me.
It will give me the time and peaceful environment I need to focus on my
personal growth. It will force me to
remember how to do housework and otherwise be a responsible adult (Otose
spoiled me with utilities included and cleaning of common areas). The sights, smells, and sounds will ignite my
imagination and rejuvenate my spirit.
There are things I will miss about Osaka, mostly the amazing people I
gratefully call my friends, but I will make the most of this new home. Ikimashou!
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