Encounter at Yamabushi Waterfall - Memories of Sanka and Otakarashu (1983)

Encounter at Yamabushi Waterfall - Memories of Sanka and Otakarashu (1983)
The old man I met at Yamabushi no Taki in 1983 was one of the "Otakarashu," drifting bamboo craftsmen who traveled around the Owari region. The way he spoke freely about the shape of the mountains, the medicinal properties of plants and trees, and even the movements of birds and animals, embodied a knowledge of life deeply rooted in the land. The stories led to further research, which revealed that the Otakarashu were artisans who toured farming villages, repairing and making winnows, miso strainers, vegetable baskets, fish baskets, and other items. They lived by a code called "kimari," moving seasonally from one temporary settlement to another called "hatamura. Sanka" is the general term for the drifters who existed throughout Japan, and the Otakarashu of Owari were a regional branch of this group. This encounter quietly brings to life the pride and skills that lived between the mountains and villages, and the remnants of a vanishing culture.