C. W. Nicol is a Japanese citizen and the C. W. Nicol Afan Woodland Trust is a Japanese foundation, however, 'Uncle Nic' also speaks English and our trust has English-speaking members. This little corner is to keep in touch with them and for any of our Japanese friends who might like to polish their English.

October 2009.

GROUND-BREAKING FOR OUR NEW AFAN CENTRE

   In 1985, together with Tanigawa Gan, the famous Japanese poet, I translated a work by Miyazawa Kenji called 'Wolf Forest, Colander Forest, Thief Forest'. In this story farmers and they families search for new land, and traipse into the mountains. They finally come to a place they think suitable for agriculture and for their new dwellings. I quote from a part of this story:
'Now the four men, each facing in the direction of his choice, called out all together.
   "Can we hoe fields here?"
   "Yes you can!" answered the forests in unison.
The farmers shouted again.
   "Can we build houses here?"
   "Sure!" the forests straight away answered.
All together, the farmers asked again.
   "Can we make fires here?"
   "Yes you can!" came the forests' immediate reply.
The farmers shouted once more.
   "Can we take a little timber?"
   "Sure!" chorused the forests.
The men clapped their hands with delight, and the women and children, who had kept so quiet, faces pale with strain, became suddenly frolicsome, the children so happy that some of them squabbled, then to get their heads rapped by their mother.
Already, by nightfall, a small log hut thatched with pampas grass was built.'

   When I was working on this translation, I remember discussing it with Gan-san (whom I had known since I returned from Ethiopia to Japan back in 1970, and who was the main reason for me settling here in Kurohime)
   "That's the way it should be" I said, "we should ask the land, the forests, the rivers and so on for permission to do whatever we do. Even if they don't answer, we are asking the question in our own hearts. That might stop a lot of destructive and wasteful projects."

   In considering where to build our new centre, it never crossed my mind to cut down woods to clear ground. Luckily, I had already bought a parcel of land adjoining the woods, back in 1984. I got that land even before I purchased the adjacent land on which Yayoi Pond and Kingfisher Pond were dug. It was agricultural land, with a derelict old house on it. We repaired the old house and fixed it up so that for a while my assistant Tetsuya could live there. The place became known as 'Kame Mushi Goten' - 'Shield Bug Palace' - because there were so many bugs living in the house that Tetsuya claimed he couldn't name them all and thus gave them numbers.

   Anyway, that old house gives way to the new centre, and I'll encourage insects to stay outside. We held the 'Jichinsai' ceremony, which moved me. 'Jichinsai' - if looked up in and English dictionary it will be called a 'ground-breaking ceremony' but it is a lot different in concept from the western ceremonies.
   Ground-breaking rituals have been a part of every ancient civilization since the beginning of time. Most consecrate the ground and ask the deity for blessing. Many ancient ceremonies included sacrifice, often human sacrifice. Modern western ground-breaking ceremonies involve important officials and people connected to the project digging a symbolic shovel-full of dirt. Some, but not all, also involve a religious leader asking for a blessing for the project.

   The Shinto ceremony is unique, because it explains the project to the 'kami', and begs understanding. In Japan, the land does not need a priest to consecrate it, because the land itself is holy. 'Jichinsai' seeks to pacify the spirits of the land for cutting plants, breaking ground, and digging holes.
   I have described the 'Jichinsai' in some detail for the December article in my regular 'Old Nic's Notebook' column of The Japan Times, which is online for anybody interested.

   As I said, I was moved by the ceremony, especially when the sun shone through dark grey, rainy skies, as if the 'kami' smiled on us.
   Once the centre is opened and functioning, I hope that we will do a different kind of 'ground-breaking'…in other words, innovative and exciting… with our various projects, research and seminars. When I say 'our' I obviously mean not only the trust staff and researchers, but also you, dear friends and members. This centre will be for you, not for visitors, and I look forward to sharing time and thanking you in the future.

C. W. Nicol MBE
Chairman
The C. W. Nicol Afan Woodland Trust
Nagano
Japan

Past Contents

September 2009.    "TWINNED FOREST"

June 2009.    "GREEN BANKS"