Satoyama: Japan's Hidden Water Garden 
By
Rebecca Anna Coleman

Chapter One: Satoyama 
-A Rural Japanese Village in the Japanese Alpine Region-

James took a deep breath as he peered up at the snow capped mountains that towered over the humble cottages most the villages lived in. Satoyama was not what the sixteen year old  American expected when he signed up for his school foreign exchange program. He was hoping for the neon lite nights of Tokyo, or Kyoto with its historical temples and beautiful gardens. Instead he ended up here, in rural Satoyama, a traditional Japanese style village located in the heart of the Gifu Mountains. 

Of course there was the problem that James spoke English, though his English was tainted with a very pronounced Southern accent that never failed to make the natives of this tiny village laugh. Though by and large his Japanese was getting better. Though his spoken Japanese had taken on a Southern accent. This was much to the chagrin of the woman that was hosting. Who was still getting over the shock of having a teenage boy living with her.  She had been expecting a teenage girl. 

You see James passport instead of having the name 'James' printed as the first name had the name 'Jennifer' printed on it. In fact, instead of having his full name 'James Richard Sharbrough' printed on it. It had the name 'Jennifer Emma Sharbrough' printed on it.  And so when James stepped off the old railroad carriage and onto the open air, wooden platform of the village train station. He was shocked to see the whole village gathered around the station holding paper signs welcoming 'Jennifer-Chan' to the village instead of a 'James-kun'.

Anyway the woman who had agreed to host him for a year had been expecting a teenage girl. And well she was also the solo teacher at the school that James would attend. Of course 'She' turning out to be 'He' had thrown the whole village into pandemonium. They were expecting  a stunning American beauty, one with long, flowing brunette hair and hazel colored eyes. One that would charm all the local's with that famous charm that women from the south were known for. 

They had been sorely disappointed and had demanded answers. The answer came a few hours after the train had pulled away from the station. It seemed the person filling out the paperwork had taken one look at the photo needed for the passport and thought that there must have been a mistake. Somebody had cruelly misnamed this girl! She looked like a 'Jennifer' so that had been the name this nameless clerk had decided on. The clerk also liked the middle name 'Emma' so that had gone down instead of 'Richard' and of course the family name would have to remain 'Sharbrough'.

Anyway it would be a huge dishonor if they just tossed James out of the village and Gifu City, the nearest  city with a rail connection to Tokyo, was two hundred  kilometers away. So they decided to host him after all it was only for a year.  All of that had transpired just a day ago. 

Slowly James released his breath. The sun had almost now vanished over the snow capped peaks. And the once pastel blue sky had turned into a pastel purple twilight that was dotted with billions of twinkling stars and the soft songs of the Cicada's echoing off the mountains seemed to be his personal sonnet. And slowly a small smile formed on his face. Maybe this year abroad would not be so bad.

Feeling a little better about his lot in life, James then turned toward the cluster of houses and shops that formed the village proper. He'd only traveled seven meters when he noticed a tomboyish girl speeding toward him faster than a bullet train. Large dust clouds were forming behind her as she pushed hard on her bike. 

“Yo!” She cried out. “Jennifer-Chan!” She cried out as she brought her bike to stop. “Mahoro-Sensei sent me to fetch you!” She tomboyish girl said as she peered toward James. “She is not really worried about you, but it's almost dark and she wants you home before the street lamps come on.”

James blinked as he peered toward the tomboyish girl.

“Thank you.” James muttered a little as he felt a blush forming a little on his face as he looked down at the dirt path he was standing on. “Thank you Anju-Chan.” 

Anju smiled a little and then started to giggle a little as she turned her bike around. “You are so adorable when you blush. You know you could really pass for a girl if you wanted too. Oh! Mahoro-Sensei told me to tell you that tomorrow evening there is going to be a big gathering at the shrine to welcome you to the village! Everybody is going to bring a dish!”

James blushed a little and nodded his head.

“What should I wear Anju-Chan?” James asked as he stuffed his hands into the pocket of his shorts.

Anju smiled a little and then tossed her head back and laughed a little as she peered toward James. She still could clearly see the blush forming on his high cheekbones and with his longish brown hair spilling over the collar of his shirt he really did look like a girl to her. All he would need were a few modifications and he could easily pass as one of those idols you see on television.

“A dress!” She said smiling. 

“A dress!?” James exclaimed! His face flushed red again. 

“Yes! Miyuki-Chan is sure to have one that fits you! And Mahoro-Sensei would be more than happy to help dress you! Plus most of the villagers were expecting a girl anyway! Many of the older villagers would not be happy if they found out they sent a boy instead of a girl. As they were hoping for.. a southern girl with charm and grace! One that could become an idol. A village that has an idol really draws in the tourists from the surrounding cities and communities.” Anju said. 

“...” James blushed and turned around out of sheer frustration he folded his and stomped his foot down upon the ground.

“You know, you're not helping your case!” Anju-Chan said.

James was just about to respond when a sudden gust of cold wind came rushing down from the mountains. The cold wind wrapped itself around James and Anju and caused both to shiver a little. James being from the southern united states shivered the most but Anju having been born and raised in the village only turned her attention toward the mountains.

“You think with it being almost summer the Yuki-Onna would be retreating higher into the mountains. But there were some hints of their power in that wind. And with it being almost summer, we should be on the lookout for Kappa in the mountain streams as this is their favorite time to hunt for careless swimmers and rude fishermen. And the Kuchisake-Onna will start stalking the village again. It is almost that time again. So please be careful Jennifer-Chan or you will up on a poster before school starts again in the autumn!”  Anju exclaimed.

James, still shivering a little, peered at Anju-Chan and then slowly blinked.

“What are all those things?” James asked.

“Oh that right, you're not from Japan! How foolish of me to assume you would know of the supernatural threats that linger in these mountains and in the shadows!” Anju-Chan said with a sigh. “No wonder Mahoro-Sensei wanted you home before the street lamps came on!”

James blushed a little and shook his head. And Anju sighed and shook her head as well.

“Well hop on!” She said as she turned her bike around and faced toward the village. 

James blinked and blinked.

“Don't be foolish! You are still two kilometers from the village! If you keep going at the pace you are going it will take you almost till midnight to reach the village! It would be so much faster if I gave you a lift!” Anju-Chan said she was almost barking!

“But! I can't!” James had watched enough anime to know that only close friends shared bike rides or sharing a bike ride with somebody was reserved only for possible boyfriend and girlfriend. James also knew that if he was seen holding onto Anju-Chan waist the other villages would talk.

“BAKA!” Shouted Anju-Chan so loudly that a resting flock of birds in a nearby tree flew into the sky. “Don't be so foolish and hard headed! It's not like I want to give a dumb boy a life home! I wish I was giving a cute demure girl in a pastel floral sundress a ride home! But Mahoro-Sensei sent me on this mission and I'm not going to let a hard headed boy foil it!” 

James blushed and so blushing climbed on to the bike. Blushing hard, he reached out and wrapped his noodle-like arms around Anju's slender waist. He could feel her warmth and smell her scent. She smelled like flowers. Was it perfume? No Anju was too much of a tomboy to wear perfume; it must be her deodorant.

Soon the dirt road was giving way to paved roads just as the rice seedlings were giving away to concrete buildings. Anju and James had now entered the cluster of buildings that formed the main business district of Satoyama. The main business district was a wide two lane street that was lined with stores, well since most of the stores were family owned businesses the stores were really houses, with the storefront being the front of the house and the family owning the store living in the back of the house. 

Of course this being Japan there were some vending machines scattered about.  To these vending machines James paid no mind as Anju pushed her little bike as hard as she could go. James could feel the wind whipping at his face as Anju pushed on harder and harder. It was like she intended to break a land-speed record! 

Of course this being the first day of the summer holiday, the concrete sidewalks were filled with people. Farmers tired from a day of planting and tending to rice were enjoying a few hard earned beers at the local bar. Housewives carrying woven baskets were rushing to the shops, hoping to catch some last minute sales and the young people were busy chatting and swapping stories. Though all of this activity stopped as Anju, speeding once more like a bullet train flew through the center of town. And James, yelling at the top of his lungs holding on tightly to her wrist.

“Hold on!” Anju called out as she took a sharp turn around a corner.

A few minutes later Anju stopped her bike in front of an iron gate. Through the iron bars of the gate one could see a simple concrete path that led up three concrete steps that lead up to a wooden door that had a brass handle screwed into it. A halo of bright illuminating light lighted the concrete steps that lead up to the wooden door.

“We'll.” Anju said. “Here's where you get off. I gotta get home and take a bath! I really worked up a sweat taking you home! Really! Jennifer-Chan you need to get a bike. Everybody in the village has either a bike or car! And if you want to get into the big city you need a bike!” Anju scolded.

“Sorry.” James said, looking down at the ground. “Thank you for the lift home?” He said blushing a little as he rubbed the back of his neck and looked down at the ground. Full darkness had fallen now and the cool air of the countryside had given way to the hot, humid air of the city.

“Do you know how to ride a bike?” Anju said it was a direct question.

“No.” James said blushing as he looked down. “Listen Anju-Chan you really did not need to give a lift home! I mean..”

Anju held her hand up.

“Okay, we'll work on that, I'll tell the others and we'll teach you how to ride a bike and maybe see if we can't get you one.” Anju Said.

A brief silence fell between the two.

“Okay see you later!” And with that Anju peddled away into the inky darkness.

End Chapter 1.

I would personally like to thank Malady of the BGTS Discord for his help. Without him this chapter would not be possible! Thank you Malady, you are the best! Also I would like to thank Marissa Lynn of the BGTS Discord for keeping me laughing as I pushed back on writers block! You two guys are the best friends a writer could ask for!