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Few young Japanese wish to live the life of a tea farmer in the beautiful and remote mountains of central Honshu. As a result, many farms are abandoned and left untended after the aging farmer dies or decides to retire. This tea field was likely abandoned within the last year as the shape of the plants is still distinct yet the rows are clearly overgrown and no tea has been harvested. Within another year the tea plants will likely be completely overgrown and the site barely recognizable as a tea field. I sometimes happen across such fields which have been completely reclaimed by the forest, with the only sign of man's former presence being the distinct stone walls of the field's terrace. After I filmed this video I wandered down the road another 100 yards to a dead end where a lovely old farm house was found. The home was modest yet full of charm and life, all of which was the doing of a spry old woman who is the home's sole occupant. I would not have troubled the woman had she not been outside tending her garden when I passed by. She was very happy and talkative and clearly delighted to have a visitor. Her garden was lovely with a modest vegetable plot and many potted plants and assorted bonsai. Water from a nearby stream trickled through pipes to fill a small carp pond. And a small cemetery plot could be seen above her home which is often a sign that the family has been living in this spot for a very long time. I was a bit uncomfortable as I feared I was intruding so I did not try to film or ask her any prying questions though I gathered that the abandoned tea field in this video may belong to her, and as it seems she was living alone I suspect that her husband may have passed recently and this may be the reason the field is untended. This is speculation to be sure though the pattern is one I have seen unfolding often in the remote villages of these high mountains. ---- Welcome to Abandoned Japan. My name is Kurt Bell and I am delighted that you have taken some time to share a little of Japan's lost and forgotten places with me. I'm available on social media at the links below and can be reached via email at dinnerbytheriver@gmail.com. Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/softypapa Find me on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LylesBrother On Google+ https://plus.google.com/u/0/109050782163582511388/posts Instagram: http://instagram.com/softypapa LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/kurt-bell/b/416/754 My blog: http://softypapa.wordpress.com ---- THE PATH OF WILDNESS The Path of Wildness is easy to find The course of a stream Leaves blown in the wind A beast's track through the brush And the direction of our first inclination The Path of Wildness is an answer and response to a prescribed way of life which may leave some individuals with a sense that their living is little more than a series of pre-determined, step-like episodes between birth and death. The stages of living between these events: childhood, adolescence, adulthood, parenthood and senior are themselves natural and in accord with the needs of the species and most individuals. Many find their satisfaction in living this course and to these individuals I have little or nothing to say. Others though long for something more; something innate, genetic and seemingly calling. Adventure and change can give a degree of satisfaction and relief yet even these may seem too tame. To those who feel drawn to something beyond the entertainment and stimulation of senses I offer a walk along The Path of Wildness. Don't bother penciling the event in your schedule, preparing a pack with goodies and supplies or even inviting a friend along, for this experience is along the course of your first inclination and you must surely always go alone. Learn more about The Path of Wildness here: http://wp.me/P5A2F-As ==== CHANNEL CREDITS "Japanese Falls" image is by the artist Lane Brown. See more of Mr. Brown's work at the following URL: http://lanebrownart.blogspot.com/p/portfolio.html Channel Theme Music "Song For Kurt" used with permission by Nowherians. Discover more about the artist and their music at the URL below. http://nowherians.bandcamp.com