Looking for land, just like any other ventures, takes time, effort, strength, lots of thinking and consideration, and most importantly PATIENCE. As we searched for land, we encountered many stories of different farmers in Japan. According to the farmers we have talked with, generally in Japan, farmers are retiring from their job as a farmer mainly because of old age and no new people are willing to take over the farm. This is true to some extent but in my opinion there are other few big reasons as to why lots of land are being abandoned and no new farmers are taking over. I'm going to share this issue in another post.
We have found a nice spot in a relatively secluded area in Hokkaido. The climate in that area has cool summers but very cold winter. Surprisingly, even with the harsh winter, farmers can still grow very good rice and harvest quite a vast variety of fruits. The piece of land we have found is settled within the mountains in the Sorachi Area of Hokkaido. The good thing about the place is that it's not too far away from the city that marketing would be difficult and it's not too close that wildlife is still rich and alive.
Our Land in Moyo Town in Iwamizawa City
You must make some sort of guideline or a list of the characteristics that you want to see in your land. Here are some things listed;
Water Source- This is a must. No matter how beautiful or cheap the land is, if there is no source of water, then it's almost impossible to live on that land. That's the reason why early civilisations lived near rivers or water sources.
Sun-hours/Shading- If you're planning to grow good vegetables you must have good amount of sun-hours. North facing slopes and land surrounded by nearby hills or mountains generally receive less sunlight. If you're planning to grow mushrooms, shading is not a problem. This will depend on what you envision for the land. I even encountered lands where the slope is north facing with a mountain on the south but has one of the best soils.
Accessibility- The land must have a road. In tropical countries where there is no winter to think about, in my experience, you can do away temporarily with lands without road but in countries like Japan and specifically in Hokkaido where snow depth reaches a total of 13 meters road becomes essential.
Manageable slope- This makes gardening, building houses, and other tasks a lot easier than going up and down steep slopes. Depending on what you want to grow slope sometimes does not matter. There are shiitake mushroom farmers who place the mushroom logs on steep slopes.
Safety- In Japan this is not as important as other points but in countries where security is a concern the safety of the surroundings must be considered. In my experience in Philippines, safety is an issue wherever you go. This is the reality. In Hokkaido, as you go to the mountains, the chances of encountering bears becomes higher. Better struggle with nature than the evils of man
Land area- This largely depends on how many people you would like to feed with your land and how spacious you want to live on. It would also be nice if there is a possibility of expansion around your area if you plan to have a larger family.
It is essential that you do not steer too far away from your list for there will definitely be times when the things you envisioned will be tested. It is always good to be flexible but never compromise your principles. There is never a need to hurry or forcefully push to buy the land. In my experience, all things will go smooth as long as what you are doing is for what you truly desire and aligned with the universal nature of humans. Definitely, there will be numerous times where you have to start over again and look for a different place. Just be happy that another door has opened for you to explore.
In the end you will be happy that you encountered all these places so that when you settle in your domain, you will have no doubts, questions, or worries about your choice.
Another form of seeking the truth is by eliminating all that is not. Same with the search of land. Relax, flow as the river. No matter how far you travel, you will only end up to the sea as with everyone.
Good luck with the search! You are not the only one seeking and you will be definitely another one who will find it. Trust your guts. Seek help from your ancestors.
Eliminate that which is not. Let the wind lift the fog and see that the horizon is clear and endless.
Azalea flowers in Hakodate City, Hokkaido
