hello everyone!
This is Takita from the Monosasu site secretariat.
Following on from the article introducing the members of the Suo-Oshima office, this time I would like to share with you some photos of what it was like on Suo-Oshima during my week-long stay there.
I would be happy if I could give you a sense of the atmosphere of Suo-Oshima, through the great outdoors surrounded by mountains and sea, the life and lifestyle I saw there, the shops I visited and the activities I tried out during my stay.
First, take a walk around the office.
The office is located in a small village with about 30 people. I rarely encounter people or cars. There are waterways here and there, and the sound of flowing water is refreshing. On my sixth day of walking, I finally got to talk to a local who was growing purple peppers. He told me, "It's an easy vegetable to grow and blooms purple flowers in the summer."
In early summer, loquats are everywhere. There are also peaches.
There are lots of nice little trails.
I get so excited that I end up getting lost. Even if I open Google Maps, I can't find the way back, but if I go down the hill I'm sure it will connect to the road along the sea, so I can easily get back to the office.
The connection between the town and the island, and between the islands, as seen from the observation deck
The famous Oshima Bridge connects the city to the island. In October 2018, a ship collided with a water pipe beneath the bridge, which is the only water route to the island. The island was cut off from water for about 40 days. Please read the article by Vice President Nagai to find out about life on the island at that time.
There are many other islands dotted around Suo-Oshima, and from the observation deck on the island you can see the following view. The gradation of the color of the sea and the silhouette of the islands in the background of the photo is beautiful.
By the way, the bridge that you can see from the office out to sea connects to another small island.
You can see fireflies on the nights of June in Okikamuro Island. They are not the type that glows dimly, but the small Himebotaru that shines like electric lights.
A brief glimpse into life on Suo-Oshima Island
As you explore the island, in areas overgrown with lush grass where no one dares to set foot, you may come across a sign like this (photo on the left) at eye level and a black plastic ring at your feet (photo on the right).
This is actually a trap for hunting wild boars. When a wild boar walks over it, the wire tightens. There is a rule that you have to attach a marker tag to a tree at eye level above the trap.
I had been hoping to see wild boar hunting since before my stay, so I asked Mr. Nagai's husband, who hunts, if I could. Then one morning, he told me, "This morning, a wild boar was caught in a trap." The three of us immediately got in the car and headed for the mountain slope. The wild boar seemed big to me, but it was apparently about 40 to 50 kg and medium-sized.
Speaking of which, for dinner on the third day we had wild boar curry at Nagai's house.
I was impressed by the delicious cabbage and cucumber salad that was also brought to us, but then I noticed that one of the beautiful cabbages I had seen in the field the day before was gone.
"This is how we eat the things we catch and grow," Nagai-san told me. In that short time, it was a moment where I was able to get a little taste of life on Suo-Oshima.
The wonderful restaurants and activities I found on Suo-Oshima, and the people I met who had moved there
While touring the island, we went to an organic restaurant called "Vegetable restaurant Valo" run by Yugo Ikemoto, who moved here from Tokyo. The exterior is very cute.
https://tuchinone.com/valo
The signature dish is the "Vegetable and Game Meat Set."
Vegetables from organic farmers on the island, roasted wild boar meat from Oshima, seafood directly purchased from local fishermen. Every bite conveys the feeling that this is "healthy for your body." In particular, the carrot chawanmushi (steamed egg custard) shown in the upper left corner was so gentle that it felt like it melted in my stomach.
I also went to a SUP test ride event. It was an event held by Setouchi Paddling.
http://setouchi-paddling.com/sea/HOME.html
There is a wide range of boards lined up, from stable designs to speedy designs for experienced boarders.
(Mr. Nagai, who had his own board, was choosing carefully.)
The beginners, who had been pedaling tentatively while kneeling, were soon able to stand and pedal. There were only a few operations to remember: "go", "stop", and "turn". Even someone with no athletic ability like me was able to enjoy it safely.
And here too, I met some new immigrants.
When I said, "I'm from Monosus," Ms. Koga replied, "I know Monosus!" She told me that she moved to Suo-Oshima five years ago. She told me that she runs a YouTube channel that introduces the sights and life of "Suo-Oshima, the Hawaii of the Setouchi" from the perspective of an American wife.
https://www.youtube.com/c/AmericanWifuOshimaLifu
At night it is pitch black and silent, and in the morning you wake up to the sounds of birds chirping.
That was the life that existed on Suo-Oshima.
Even on hot days, the cool weather in the mornings was very comfortable. When I went to the beach, the clear air and the misty mountains and sea cleared my head every morning. When my head was clear, I felt like my body was a little lighter. I usually get sick when I travel, but I didn't catch a cold even once.
Finally, here's a photo in front of the Suo-Oshima office where we were staying for a week (photographed by Yamada-chan).
I wanted to hear more about life on Suo-Oshima, and the stories of the locals and immigrants who live here. Next time I'd like to stay a little longer.
What did you think of this article, which conveys how much they enjoyed their stay?
After finishing his report on his stay on Suo-Oshima, Takita received messages from the people who stayed with him. We will introduce them at the end of the article.
Suo-Oshima Office: From Yamada to Takita
Before Takita came, the other members and I were talking about how he might be the least likely person to be on an island, but Takita seemed to have adapted to the island atmosphere and was enjoying himself, blowing that image away.
I started working with Takita-san as soon as I joined the company in February, and for a while we met online almost every day to work. It felt like I had only met him twice, but it was actually the first time we worked in the same space. Unfortunately, we were not able to work on the same project this time, but I think it was appealing to be able to ask random questions and chat with him by being next to him.
There aren't that many people in the Suo-Oshima office, and since we all work in the same space, the atmosphere changes considerably even if one person is added or removed. With Takita-san's addition, the direction of casual conversations sometimes changes and the scope of the topics broadens. Takita-san found stories in our stories and explained them in articles. I feel like he was like a voice from heaven watching over us, the "big brother, mom, and little sister."
The sea will surely become even more sparkling from now on, and the air is so clean that the moonlight feels bright in winter. Please come to Suo-Oshima during this wonderful season.
From Sugimoto, Monosasu Site Administrative Office, to Takita-san
I started working with Takita at the Monosasu website secretariat this spring, and I thought it was wonderful how Takita-san had a sincere interest in people, so I asked him to visit the Suo-Oshima office. I was sure that Takita-san would look upon the Suo-Oshima office and the members who work there with a warm eye.
He wrote me a passionate report that far exceeded my expectations, but what I noticed during our stay together this time was that Takita-san is just a very cheerful person. On the second night, he shouted, "Everyone should marry Takita-san!" What he meant was that he is someone who makes you happy when you are with him, both at work and in your private life. Next, the two of them are planning to explore the Kamiyama office. Please look forward to it!