Map of those who share a mountain ridge: Sanka territory and the landscape of their companions (Showa Period)

Map of those who share a mountain ridge: Sanka territory and the landscape of their companions (Showa Period)
The Sanka's movement and livelihood appeared to be free, but in fact it was supported by an elaborate order. While Japan's rural society was slowly moving toward modernization from the mid- to late-Showa period, the world of the professional people who moved from one place to another in the mountains and fields was alive with its own boundaries and mutual aid systems. People with diverse skills, such as bamboo craftsmen, knife sharpeners, and medicine sellers, had their own spheres of activity and knew not to encroach on each other's territory.
In the Sanka world, there was an unspoken territory based on valley lines and villages, and agreements were naturally passed down from generation to generation on how far to go along the river and which villages to visit on a yearly basis. Who would cut bamboo in which mountain, which stream to hang a temporary hut in, which village knew each other, etc. This information was not passed on by blood, but by experience and trust. This information was passed on not by blood, but by experience and trust. Respect for territory was not only a way to avoid conflict, but also a way to prevent the depletion of the mountain's resources. The sense of moderation of those who lived with the mountains was to not cut down too many trees, but to allow the bamboo to grow when the next year's harvest returned.
The names of fellow workers had a unique ring to them that was difficult for the outside world to understand. Those who excelled in a particular skill were given nicknames to indicate that skill, and nicknames were also used to describe their temperament and physique. Although few written records of the society existed, there was a definite social contour to the world. The sense of camaraderie was strong, and greetings and the exchange of information among those who shared the same territory were indispensable.
It is interesting to note that this territorial system was not at odds with the local community. People in rural and mountainous areas did not regard mobile artisans as completely outside the community, but accepted them as half-villagers who could be relied on when necessary. They would ask them to mend their baskets, fix their farming tools, and occasionally chat with them. This relationship was established as one of mutual mutual complementation. The Sanka also saw the villagers not as enemies, but as co-existing partners, and the distance between them was a soft mixture of tension and familiarity.
The Sanka's territory and fellowship were not mere nomadic rules. It is a system of quiet cooperation between local communities and artisans in the transitional mountain society of the Showa period, a unique form of harmony that emerged between exile and settlement. The map did not remain on paper, but it was certainly drawn by the memories and steps of the people.