Visiting Japan, I want to see all sorts of things as it’s the best way to understand Japan. I visit small places with great interest. Also, as I get tired of living in a big city, going to the countryside is very relaxing for me.
One of the places that I’ve visited is Nishiseba Asahimura, Higashikuma-gun of Nagano Prefecture. It’s real countryside where people grow vegetables, make soba, keep chicken, go fishing and so on. It is an absolutely quiet place, so during our walks with my friend and her dog we’ve met just a couple of people who greeted us and talked very friendly. They were amazed to meet a visitor from Russia!
In Tokyo and many other cities of Japan, old temples and shrines were destroyed by wars, fires, and earthquakes. They were reconstructed and now many of them are made of concrete. In Nishiseba Asahimura, we went to really old jinja made of wood, with wonderful carving and a straw roof.
Visiting places like Nagano countryside provides an understanding that Japan is not just a busy city like Tokyo. It’s not only about modern technologies, geisha, anime, and manga. There are places with no cafes and big malls, but where people work hard and live a quiet life.
