new house, new home

and my life as a ghibli film

Hello reader, thanks for being here! I’m Kana and this is Tending Gardens, which you can read about here. If you like it and want more like it in your inbox, consider subscribing. 

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It’s been a couple of Sunday’s since my last update and the biggest change is that I’m living in a new home! I live alongside 2 dogs and 4 chicken (more in the post).

Thank you for staying patient with me—it’s hard not to feel guilty when I can’t post, but I write to share about my life and it only feels right to share when I’m not under pressure.

These weeks have been a whirlwind of cleaning, preparing and moving in—if you imagine a small tornado creating chaos and blowing dust and object around, that was me… I was the tornado. It’s been a cleaning frenzy and I can finally feel and see the calm after the storm.

everything feels (terrifyingly) real

I’ve been fortunate to travel and relocate quite often (pre-pandemic) after finishing university. I would define the last (nearly) decade as semi-nomadic—a series of packing and unpacking. I never felt strongly bound by geography and the question ‘where are you from’ was a very confusing question growing up (and still is).

Wherever I was physical, I was always one foot in and one foot out. I’d basically try to find balance on one foot planted on the ground and the other dangling midair trying to always figure out where to gain balance again.

Usually when asked, ‘how long are you here?’, I can give a definite reply. One more year because of my visa or contract. A couple of months because of this internship. But when asked the question here and now, ‘how long are you here?’, I don’t have an answer so I suppose by default that could mean indefinitely.

Moving into a new home this past week, was an equally terrifying and exhilarating moment when I realized that I’m here to stay.

my new house

The Japanese word "kominka" literally means "old house," and the term usually refers to houses built no later than the Second World War. I currently live in a renovated kominka where the outside looks traditional, but the inside is almost entirely renovated. It’s a two-story home with a living space, kitchen, bath on the first floor and two tatami (straw flooring) on the second floor. It’s spacey and cosy enough to be a space of gathering.

Rent is so affordable. If I told you you could rent a house on average for less than $100 USD all-inclusive for a month, would you believe me? Some homes you can rent for free in exchange for upkeeping the home. Many old houses of farmers are found in small, countryside villages and because of depopulation, there’s a lot of abandoned homes.

my home from the outside

The owner of the house moved into a property that doesn’t allow pets, so part of the rent agreement was that I would help take care of the dogs when the owner can’t come to the house. I’ve come to love Pepe and Aki (the two dogs) dearly and they bark whenever a stranger comes to the house. It’s a very convenient pre-door bell alert (not that I actually have a doorbell since it’s an old home).

I also live with 3 hens and 1 rooster. It’s been a dream to live with chicken! I love hearing the rooster in the morning, I thought it would be quite loud and obnoxious but it’s part of the morning symphony of wildlife. The bird’s chirp, the river stream runs, the wind rustles the leaves and the rooster cockadoodledoo’s.

I get farm fresh eggs a couple of mornings each week. It’s a lot of fun to see them graze the grass and roam around in the yard. I think I’ve always wanted chicken because for me raising chicken was a symbol that I lived a life far enough removed from the city where I could have enough space and time to tend to them. I also just love the ideas of fresh eggs. I love eggs.

tatami room cleaned up!

my life as a Ghibli Film

It’s hard not to feel like parts of my life are pulled out from Ghibli films. A lot of the movies take place in the countryside of Japan—open fields, rice terraces, old homes, and a connection with nature. ​All of this is within arms reach. Actually, all I have to do is open my door to step into this world.

In addition to the whimsical and beautiful depictions of nature, something I noticed when recently re-watching Ghibli films is the importance of cleaning. I can’t believe I hadn’t noticed it before, but cleaning takes places in many of the films.

In "My Neighbor Totoro”, Satsuki and Mei, the main characters move into a new home and are shocked by the dust and dirt inside their new home. One of the first scenes is of the family cleaning the home and Mei discovered a storm of little dust balls.

In “Castle in the Sky”, the main character also is overwhelmed by a kitchen that’s in shambles and she diligently cleans the whole place. In “Kiki’s Delivery Service”, Kiki, moves into a vacant house covered in dust and begins a new life in a new city.

All of these movie scenes reminds me of the importance of cleaning. Cleanliness is not only about scrubbing away dirt, dust, and debris (all in a physical sense), but it’s also about understanding how cleaning can be good for the state of mind and for the soul.

Cleaning has allowed me to let go of unwanted things and take stock of the things that matter the most. Moving to a new home has made me re-think what I want to put into my home so that my possessions don’t possess me, instead they give me the freedom to live the lifestyle I chose for.

My mom has always been my first and main source of inspiration for cleaning, she has always encouraged me to respect every single item I own and the use they provide. “Everything has a purpose and everything has its place”, was her cleaning mantra. And from a young age, my father also inspired me to keep daily habits of tidying up. It was never one big act to clean, but small daily tasks that maintained a sense of cleanliness in the home.

I’m certain that we’ve all at some point felt an impulse that overtakes so many of us every spring: to sweep dust, wipe away cobwebs, shedding away fragments of the old and making space for sunlight and clean air. It was a refreshing feeling to do that before moving into my new home. The calm after the chaos allowed me to enter my house with a deep sense of peace.

What I love most about having a home of my own is that I can create a space for gathering, cooking, raising animals, and eating with friends. I can feel the seasons inside and outside of my home.

I can hear the sounds of nature from my window. It’s an old house and it’s far from perfect (there’s a lot of bugs), but in this short time, it’s become a place of comfort, laughter, and play. I couldn’t have spontaneous gatherings at my host family’s home, but here I can embrace a created community and embrace life, friends, and conversations in all its fullness.

updates from Kamikatsu

The spring is in full swing here. The weather goes back and forth nearly every other day with rain and sun. Next month should be the rainy season when every day for nearly a month it will only rain. So I’m enjoying every sunny day that comes by.

There’s beautiful wild wisteria in the mountains. Light and deep purple flower that hangs from trees give off the most stunning colour and smell. It compliments the new green leaves that are budding from all the trees.

Two weeks ago, I was a guest on 上勝情報ラジオ (Kamikatsu Radio) where I shared my experience on voting in the recent local mayoral election. Only available in Japanese!

That’s it for this week! Thank you for your patience with me the past couple of weeks when I took some time for myself. Wishing you all a wonderful week ahead.

And, happy mother’s day. I wouldn’t be who I am without my mother and she’s a guiding light in my life. Thank you, mama, for all that you do for me!

Take care,
Kana

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I’d love for you to think of me as your penpal—sharing a note from a tiny village in Japan. With Tending Gardens, I want to bring you a small joy in the form of a newsletter. If you like it and want more like it in your inbox, consider subscribing.