7-8.Oct.2023 Suidani/Talifilu Ayabe
ソロモン諸島、マライタ州のスイダニ閣下とタリフィル氏の日本滞在を計画するに当たり綾部でのファームステイを入れた。
なぜか？
まずは拠点とした京都市から近い。そして日本の過疎地問題や農業についても視察してほしかったからである。過疎、農業問題はソロモン諸島や他の太平洋島嶼国共通の課題だ。マライタ州では農業の開発が期待されている。若い人口は都市部、そして首都ホニアラに流れていく。
お世話になったファームステイのOrigin さんは親子３代で経営。地元の素材を利用した朝食をいただいた。意外な事に外国人の利用が多いという。
綾部市から睦寄町までは車で30分ほど。日本の農村、森林、そして整備された道路など彼らにどう映ったであろうか？
睦寄町は「水源の里」で有名だ。「限界集落」というネガティブな命名ではなく「上流は下流を思い、下流は上流に感謝する」という思いがある。このアイデアはお世話になった四方源太郎京都府議のお父様で、元綾部市長四方八洲男氏の発案なのだそうだ。
名前は重要である。翌日は「水源の里」での稲刈り体験だ。
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We included a farm stay in Ayabe in planning the Japan stay of Hon. Suidani and Mr Tarifilu from Malaita Province, Solomon Islands.
Why?
Firstly, it is close to Kyoto City, where we were based. And because we wanted them to see the depopulation problem and agriculture in rural Japan. Undeveloped rural areas and agricultural problems are common issues in the Solomon Islands and other Pacific Island countries. In Malaita Province, agricultural development is expected. The young population flows to urban areas and then to the capital Honiara.
The farmstay we were taken care of "Origin", is run by three generations of grand mother, mother and daughter. We were served breakfast using local ingredients. Surprisingly, many foreigners stay at the farmstay.
It takes about 30 minutes by car from Ayabe City to Mutsuyori-cho. I wonder how was our guest from Solomons impression of Japanese farming villages, forests and well-maintained roads would have been.
Mutsuyori is famous for being a "village of origin of spring water". It is not negatively named 'marginalised village', but rather 'upstream thinks of downstream and downstream is grateful to upstream'. The idea was the brainchild of former Ayabe Mayor Yasuo Shikata, father of Gentaro Shikata, a Kyoto Prefecture councillor who provided us with a great deal of help.
Names are important. The next day was a rice harvesting experience at "village of origin of spring water".
