This article from the Kiwi Yamabushi newsletter got more than 1,000 reads, so I decided to put it here for everyone. Get articles just like this in your inbox by signing up here. Paid subscribers get priority access and access to the full archive of over 100 articles.

For reference, as those who have watched the following video, and who have read my other stuff would know, my father died in 2016. Also, my mother is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, she no longer remembers who I am.

(Re) Discovering my origin story

How I came to live in rural Japan. 

My brother came and visited me recently. 

Here. North Japan. Where no one ever comes. 

And it was because of this visit I realised something profound I had either long forgotten, or never knew at all. 

Something I will be eternally grateful for.

You see, about once a week I get asked; “Why are you in Japan? Let alone a rural part no-one ever visits?”

And I always tell them the same old story, something along the lines of this video:

However, this video completely brushes over something hugely important to my origin story:

Why Japan?

Why Japan in the first place? Why not China, Korea, or somewhere even more exotic?

And to be honest, until last night I couldn’t tell you. 

I had completely forgotten. 

I always tell people it revolves around my older brother studying Japanese and living in Tokyo for a year during high school. And because of that we hosted many Japanese homestay students at our house when I was a highly impressionable primary school student. 

Buck teeth and all.

Hearing the stories and seeing the photos of my brother’s experience, and then interacting with Japanese people was all the motivation I needed. 

I started learning Japanese the first moment I could.

High School. Which in New Zealand typically starts at the ripe old age of 13(!). 

23 years ago.

For those counting. 

This means I’ve at least known primitive Japanese for close to two thirds of my life. In fact, I cannot remember a time I didn’t know Japanese. 

But that’s not important.

What is important is that there was one other thing that until last night I couldn’t remember:

Why my brother started studying Japanese in the first place.

The whole reason I got into Japanese in the first place. 

Last night we were sitting in a bar in Sakata, one of my friend Natsuki’s favourites in fact. My brother had known Natsuki for a number of years through YouTube, and we arranged for the two of them to meet. 

And thanks to Natsuki’s curiosity, 

they hit it off.

Natsuki is an extremely curious dude as you can tell from this video. This makes him amazing to talk to. 

Also thanks to Natsuki’s curiosity I found out something I had either long forgotten, or never knew at all. Something profound I will be extremely grateful for.

You see, Natsuki asked my brother:

Why Japan? 

Why Japan in the first place? Why not China, Korea, or somewhere even more exotic?

And my brother explained;

‘When I was about to enter high school, my parents told me I had to pick up a language. I chose Japanese.’

That’s it.

That’s all. 

That’s why I’m sitting in my house in rural Japan piecing together this prose just for you.

And I couldn’t have done it if not for the love and care of my parents some 25-odd years ago. Parents who, sadly, are no longer ‘with’ us, but I am eternally grateful!

This is exactly why we do the things we do. If not for our parents or other mentors, but for all the things the universe conspires to put on our plates.