I lived in a small village deep in the West Fukushima mountains for a bit. Population: ~1000. The summers bustle with rice, baby's breath, and millions of drag

I lived in a small village deep in the West Fukushima mountains for a bit. Population: ~1000. The summers bustle with rice, baby's breath, and millions of dragonflies in the paddies. The mountain water is so clean it almost tastes sweet, and people keeps tight tabs on the comings and goings of each other. It's one of the most densely alive places I've experienced, with food growing everywhere, even in the cracks of the driveway, and mountain creature sounds wafting about. Heck, the place even casually boasts village remains dating all the way back to the mesolithic and the second oldest swamp in Japan. I wouldn't say it's any more or less real Japanese than other places here, but it's definitely singular!