The village of Nakashima in Yamato-machi straddles the road halfway between the small town of Kosa and the smaller town of Yabe. Mostly agriculture and forest, it once served as a rest stop between the two towns with a few restaurants and stores for those weary of the poor road, but the new road is so smooth that travelers no longer even notice the village, and the shops all closed. 12 years ago, they also lost their elementary school - the few remaining youngsters are now bused to Kosa, and the building was converted to an aged care facility. On the old school grounds, though, remains the symbol and pride of their village, a huge evergreen oak, a sapling gifted from Jingu Shrine in Nara in 1940 - 24 meters tall, 4 meters in girth and covered with moss, under which all community events take place.
It toppled in yesterday’s typhoon. Everyone in the village is devastated by this, but hope perseveres. One villager said, “The roots remain firm. We will somehow care for it so that it can recover.”
The full story and photo are at Kumanichi: https://this.kiji.is/254948436612269562?c=92619697908483575
- William
