Two men revive farming in earthquake-hit Japanese village
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Nakamura Kazuo and Tokumitsu Yukio, both 69, returned to the uninhabited village of Magaki in Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, to cultivate rice after it was struck by both the Noto Peninsula Earthquake and subsequent heavy rains.
The village, known for its traditional bamboo fences called “Magaki,” once housed around 40 residents who lived a mixed farming and fishing lifestyle.
The earthquake on January 1, 2024, destroyed all the homes, and a landslide cut off road access, leaving residents stranded for two weeks. After the initial disaster, Nakamura and Tokumitsu began working to restore the rice paddies, but the fields were then flooded by heavy rains on September 21.
Despite the setbacks, including damaged infrastructure, lost crops, and the likely demolition of most buildings, the two men continued to farm, hoping for a better harvest next year and inspiring the remaining residents to consider rebuilding. They repaired about one hectare of rice fields, though the yield was only half of what it usually is. The village’s unique landscape is designated as an Important Cultural Landscape by the national government, and its close-knit community had always relied on mutual support.
Though nearly 80% of the structures will be publicly demolished, the villagers haven’t given up on reconstruction.
