Life in Daisen — Meghan McCarthy
Visiting Japan has been one of those ideas that has always rattled at the back of my head since I was a university student - I studied Japanese as an elective on a whim, and my professor at the time strongly recommended traveling to Japan to really experience the culture and language in a way that no textbook can convey.
A few years later, I find myself living on my own for the first time in my entire life: nearly 10,000 kilometers away and across the world. (In case you were wondering, I am from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.) Once the jet-lag and honeymoon-esque excitement of being in a foreign country faded, I quickly found myself growing extremely fond of my new home in Daisen.
Daisen possesses a relaxing, peaceful atmosphere and an abundance of natural beauty. It actually reminds me of summer vacations I’ve had on Prince Edward Island, Canada (though with a few more convenience stores thrown in). Daisen is the perfect mix of small-town vibes and easy access to various amenities. Not too rural, but rural enough to be refreshing. Before I knew it, Daisen became a place that I can consider to be a second “home”. I feel that my transition to life in Japan was very smooth, and this can be attributed to the many kind and helpful people around me, whether it be from the random store employee, colleagues, or the fabulous people taking care of us at the Board of Education. The willingness of the local people to try to help the bumbling foreigner is not something to be taken for granted, and I deeply appreciate it. They have gone above and beyond anything I could have expected.
One of the stand-out points for me about living in Daisen is being surrounded by mountains. I have to say, they are fabulous. The region in Canada where I lived prior to moving to Daisen was more or less flat. It is such a majestic sight to have mountains on every horizon. I never get tired of looking at them, and seeing how they transition through the seasons and the day-to-day weather is always a joy.
In school, one of the questions that the kids like to ask is “What sport do you like?” When I first arrived, I gave the Canadian-standard response of, of course, “ice hockey”. However, since then, I’ve been able to pick up a few new hobbies, and one of those happens to be bouldering. There is a cute bouldering gym in the Yotsuya neighbourhood called Climber’s Studio Sunbow which my friend, Heather, and I have been attending almost every week for around 6 months now. It is great fun and gives a real sense of accomplishment when you finally get to the top of a course that was giving you trouble. Saying “I like bouldering” in response really seems to impress the kids.
After having lived an entire year in Daisen, I can say that, surprisingly, my favourite seasons have been winter, and the June rainy season. Visually, winter in Daisen is an enchanting season: everything is covered in a pristine layer of white, fluffy snow perfect for snowball fights and various snow-based construction projects. While the previous winter was apparently lacking in snowfall (I only slightly lament not being able to put my new shovel to much use), I was nevertheless introduced to an extraordinary phenomenon incorporated into much of Japan’s infrastructure: the pavement sprinkler. I could only shake my head and don my waterproof boots as the never-ending streams of water melt the snow as fast as it falls. As for the rainy season, accompanying the rain is the blooming of a plethora of gorgeous hydrangeas, my favourite flowers. Even driving the short distance to work became a real treat as the streets were lined with the blue and purple flowers.
I have been in Daisen for just over one year now and have loved every day of it. Even the snowy ones and the too-hot-to-think ones, punctuated as they are with fun events, festivals and fireworks displays to look forward to throughout the year. I am looking forward to another year in this wonderful place.
