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I was born and raised in Ouchi-juku and had a strong longing for the city, so after graduating from high school I went into the food and beverage industry in Miyagi Prefecture. From that time I loved talking with people and was able to gain many experiences and learn a lot. At 30, feeling that as the eldest son of the 11th generation I had to take over the family home, I returned to Ouchi. There, I once again felt strongly the appeal of this thatched-roof village and the need to pass on its preservation techniques. With the desire to preserve this village that our predecessors have protected for generations, I am currently also learning roof thatching. There is still so much I don’t understand, but...
Ouchi-juku has maintained the village’s rules within an independent administrative district completely separate from the town. I, too, as a resident of Ouchi, belong to organizations such as the administrative district, the tourism association, the preservation society, the youth association, the fire brigade, and the Yui-no-kai. So that this village can be a place of solace for many people, we residents continue to study landscape conservation and the like, following the example of Shirakawa Village in Gifu Prefecture. Going forward, we hope to keep taking on various challenges so this village remains a place where our children can feel, “I’m glad I was born here.”
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