Long ago at the bottom of a lake lived a large, white snake—revered for his great powers, the local people implored this mythical creature to reform the landscape so that they could cultivate crops and survive the winter. According to the oft-told tale, after striking a deal with the chieftain, the snake god replaced the lake with a clear river and fertile farmland.
This is the origin story of Kamusari, fictional location in Mie prefecture and setting of Kamusari Tales Told at Night by Shion Miura. Storyteller Yuki Hirano is a relative newcomer to the area, having just started working there as a forester the previous year. Although his name means “courage”, he must summon it when confronting the dangerous conditions on the mountainside or unfamiliar customs of the villagers.
In his spare time, Yuki secretly records his adventures on an old computer, but he doesn’t have much privacy, living in a multigenerational household with his coworker Yoki, his wife Miho, and Granny Shige. Even though he harbors little hope of his manuscript ever being read, Yuki claims that imagining an audience helps him to write more fluently. Directly addressing his imaginary readers, he recounts anecdotes from his daily life and folktales he hears from fellow residents, but at twenty years old, he tends not to take himself too seriously. This is reflected in his colorful use of language as well as his tendency to follow more lyrical passages with humor or self-deprecation.
When we’re on the mountain, birdsong echoes through the trees. Bushes sway, and I can sense animals watching us. Every step on the forest floor’s soft soil releases a moist, sweet smell… The breeze is clear and smooth, not a grain of dust in it. (Except for pollen season).
This technique of his can be seen again when he describes his crush, elementary school teacher Nao.
And when I encounter her tenderness, it’s as if the cool breeze from a mountain in summer is caressing my cheek. I close my eyes and want to fill my lungs with that transitory breeze, make it mine.
I’m kind of a poet, hey? Love has made poetry spring again in my heart. When I was in high school, I secretly wrote a Book of My Poems. Don’t tell.
But it is the local legends that are the strongest aspect of the novel: a zelkova tree with a divine presence so powerful that even foresters can’t approach it with their chainsaws, a small shrine dedicated to the fox deity O-Inari-san who helps villagers find lost objects, and a variety of traditional ceremonies leading up to the festival of Oyamazumi-san. Despite Yuki’s skepticism of putting faith in the gods of Kamusari, these stories reinforce the importance of upholding traditions and maintaining good relationships within their small community. As a teacher, Nao makes an easy-to-understand comparison to explain the practices to him:
“Greeting people helps to smooth relationships, and it kind of lifts you up, too, I think. Kamusari ceremonies are an extension of that. Just like in the morning you tell people Good morning, people here offer specific greetings at specific times of year to the gods, whose presence they take for granted. That’s how I see it.”
Kamusari Tales Told at Night is the second book in the “Forest” series, which along with The Easy Life in Kamusari was translated by Juliet Winters Carpenter. The novel is lighthearted yet acknowledges realities of modern life: rural depopulation and aging society may result in a shortage of citizens who can perform rituals and maintain shrines. Throughout the duology, Miura’s attention to detail is evident, not only in the descriptions of forestry work, but also in the development of the local culture and legends. Taking place over seven select days throughout the year, Yuki’s ever-developing manuscript gives readers a peek into the changing seasons of a charming village in Japan’s countryside.