What I learned in Niseko

There are times when you would never have imagined that wisdom would come out of nowhere.

I lived in Niseko before and there is one incident I keep remembering.

I moved on to a few places and finally I settled in Karatsu in Kyushu,

and when I'm figuring out a way to sustain the rich nature and environment here,

I remember the elder auntie that started talking to me in Niseko.

A lot of people already talk about the bright side of Niseko. Today I want to talk about keeping that brightness Japan has.

The Farmer auntie

When I moved to Niseko was few years before Covid-19 hit.

Niseko was experiencing a bubble, and there was new construction everywhere.

I started to live with a farmer who works in Niki, and helps out the harvest for the farmers in Niseko as well.

I joined the harvest in Niseko, and was introduced to many farmers.

Then one auntie was interested that I grew up in the Bay Area, California.

"Boy, I can't speak English so can you be the one to tell the developers that if you guys are here for the snow, please make sure you think about sustaining it"

She was worried that the nature is breaking in Niseko, while people are attracted to nature in Niseko.

hmm... She is right.

A few years later, the developers started to experience water shortages building resorts. I heard that there wasn't enough water to pump for all the rooms for the resort.

Same thing in Karatsu

Karatsu is a fish city rich in nature and I'm drawn to the potential it has on becoming a gourmet town like the San Sebastian in Spain.

But locals keep telling me that there aren't a lot of fish anymore like it used to.

After getting to know important players of the city, I realized that there is a pattern same as Niseko.

During the economic boom in Japan, Karatsu broke nature for economic construction. It was said back then that it will take decades for the sea to recover.

But the bright side is, it's already been decades since that happened.

And the sea is getting closer to what it was before.

Here is a video of local divers filming Yobuko, Kartasu.

The diver is amazed that there are rare fishes swimming by him just under one of the ports.

This place is actually where my colleagues and I fish Arakabu rock fish.

I've always wanted to try diving but after watching this and also knowing I live so close by I'm going to start diving, too:)