My Village Profile: Kitajima (Hyogo Prefecture)

https://maps.app.goo.gl/VH97KbLNxZQfPxYv8?g_st=il

Our village, Kitajima, is located in a beautiful satoyama in Hioki District, Tamba-Sasayama, characterized by a mix of man-made and natural woodlands near rural settlements with land use predominantly forests, paddy fields, black soybean fields, and vegetable croplands. Our village is nestled by the Sasayama river along which numerous Japanese cherries are blooming in the springtime. In summer, you can hear the sounds of frogs, birds, and insects, and the greenery is very much alive and beaming. As a farming village, it has many water canals reminiscent of the stable freshwater supply from the mountains used for rice paddies. In winter, you can appreciate scenes of snowy landscapes giving good contrasts and rest from the activities of previous seasons.

Kitajima is a small, quaint village at the east side of Tamba-Sasayama, where you can enjoy nature and growing food. It is a community rich in local practice, history, and culture, but what I love most and especially about our village is the people—they are generous, kind, and warm.

From our village, it takes about 15 minutes by car to the Sasayama Castle Oshoin—a town landmark, and is considered a type of upper-class architecture dating back 400 years ago (similar to that of Kyoto’s Nijo Castle architectural style); and almost the same travel time to reach the Kawaramachi Mercantile Houses District—famous for the traditional houses built in the Edo era running along both sides. 

Also, in the future, we aim to gather villagers and students together and hope to be able to share practical experience to students who are interested in Japanese houses and satoyama

Public School – Yes, Joto Shogakko (Elementary School)

Police – Yes. Hioki Police

Fire Department – Hioki Fire Station

High-Speed Internet Access – Yes, EO internet

Cellphone Reception – Yes, but it’s a bit weak.

What type of housing generally available? – Kominka Bank – Yuucho

Ginko - JP Post Bank

Grocery Store – SanSeven

Convenience Store – Lawson

Medical Services – There is a clinic (Kobata Clinic)

Other points of interest - Located in our village is a local sake brewery (Sakura Shuzo, Ltd.), and there is also a local shrine (Itsukushima-jinja). The community participates in a district-level summer festival (Gion-matsuri) at the nearby prefectural shrine called Houkabe-jinja, which has been designated as a tangible cultural property.

Plusses:

  • It is located in an agricultural area, so you have the best view of paddy fields, and at the back of the village is a small mountain where you can enjoy harvesting takenoko and sansai (wild vegetables).

  • We also have a village shrine and you can enjoy the sakura blossoms along the Sasayama River in the spring.

  • I’m also happy to say that our area is the place of origin of kuromame (Habe-guro variety) in Japan.

Minuses:

  • I cannot say much as people here are really friendly and kind. However, most of the residents here are elderly people (There is only one kid in our village).

  • If you don’t have a driving license, you cannot easily go to the center as the bus service is limited.

Contact: For more information, please feel free to contact Christmas at harenonanten@gmail.com and our YouTube channel is at www. youtube.com/@harenonanten. Also, to add - we are thinking to make our kominka a community and student center. We aim to gather villagers and students together and hope to be able to share practical experience to students who are interested in Japanese houses and satoyama living.