Ōno’s 50-Year Journey to Protect Its Water Cycle

Episode 4 – Science Reveals the Invisible River

How Isotope Research Helped Visualize Ono’s Water Cycle

In 2012, the City of Ono had an opportunity to hear a lecture by Professor Nakano of the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature (RIHN), titled “Collecting a Thousand Waters: What We Learned from Sampling a Thousand Points.”
Inspired by this work, the city requested that a similar investigation be conducted in Ono.

A collaborative research initiative was launched involving RIHN, Kagawa University, Doshisha University, and local elementary schools in Ono.
Using data collected from approximately 8,000 wells across the city, a comprehensive groundwater temperature survey was carried out.The purpose of this survey was to determine whether rising air temperatures due to recent global warming have affected the temperature of Ono’s groundwater.

Students in the 4th to 6th grades of local elementary schools participated by simultaneously measuring the temperature of groundwater used in their households on designated survey days.
This approach not only enabled continuous monitoring of groundwater temperature changes across the city, but also fostered environmental awareness among children from an early age.

In addition to RIHN, Ono has collaborated with other academic and research institutions.
Since 2013, the University of Tsukuba has been conducting water cycle analysis in the Ono Basin using stable isotope techniques.

Furthermore, the National Institute for Land and Infrastructure Management under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism analyzed the groundwater flow of the Ono Basin over a two-year period (2013–2014) using a hydrological circulation model.

Through these collaborative scientific efforts, Ono has increasingly attracted attention in recent years as a valuable research field for understanding groundwater-based water circulation systems.

Foreign-born Leaders Revitalizing Japan’s Rural Mountain Communities

Episode 5:  Cultural Mediation Through Faith

Religious Practices as Bridges Between Communities

As interactions between Nepalese residents and local Japanese communities in Toyama gradually increased through various cultural exchange activities, Dhalma began to introduce elements of Nepalese religious traditions into these exchanges.

In Nepal, where daily life is deeply intertwined with religious practices, rituals are not confined to temples or sacred sites but are often conducted within households and local communities. Dhalma believed that sharing these practices could provide a meaningful way to deepen mutual understanding between Nepalese residents and their Japanese neighbors.One such initiative involved organizing Buddhist memorial services and prayer ceremonies led by Nepalese monks. These events were held in collaboration with local communities and offered Japanese participants a rare opportunity to observe and take part in traditional Tibetan Buddhist rituals.

For many Japanese participants, it was their first time witnessing prayer ceremonies involving chanting, incense offerings, and the application of tika — a red blessing mark traditionally placed on the forehead.

Dhalma also introduced workshops on traditional Tibetan Buddhist painting, drawing on his own experience as a Thangka artist. Participants were invited to learn about the symbolism and techniques involved in mandala painting, as well as the philosophical ideas embedded within these visual traditions.

“These activities are not intended to promote any particular religion,” Dhalma explains. “Rather, they provide opportunities for people to learn about each other’s cultural backgrounds and values.”Through such initiatives, religious practices became a platform for dialogue and trust-building between Nepalese and Japanese residents.

Participants often commented that the shared experience of preparing offerings, listening to chants, or engaging in artistic expression helped to create a sense of familiarity that transcended linguistic and cultural differences.

These events also allowed Nepalese residents living in Toyama to reconnect with their own cultural heritage, which they might otherwise find difficult to maintain in their daily lives abroad.As these exchanges continued, Dhalma began to recognize the potential of faith-based practices as informal yet powerful tools for fostering intercultural understanding within rural communities.

Related Topics

• Cultural Mediation in Rural Communities
• Faith-based Community Exchange
• People-to-People Diplomacy
• Intercultural Dialogue in Mountain Regions
• Community Leadership Across Cultures

Learn More

This episode highlights how cultural and faith-based exchanges can foster trust and mutual understanding between communities, creating informal yet meaningful pathways for cross-cultural collaboration in rural mountain regions.Related initiatives can be found in:
• Intercultural Community Engagement Programs
• Faith-based Dialogue Initiatives
• People-to-People Exchange Platforms

Episode 9: Devotion to “Onbasama”

Hello everyone,
I am Takano, Director of the Tateyama Museum in Toyama Prefecture.

In Ashikuraji at the foot of Mt. Tateyama, a statue of a mountain deity known as Uba-son is enshrined.
Locally, it is affectionately called “Onbasama”, and even today it is deeply revered, especially by women in the community.
In this episode, I will introduce Onbasama and the faith surrounding it.

(1) Who is Uba-son of Ashikuraji?

Uba-son is depicted as an elderly woman, with sagging breasts, seated with one knee raised.
Some representations resemble Datsueba, the old woman said to sit by the banks of the Sanzu River in Buddhist cosmology.

It is said that in the past, the Uba Hall housed three principal statues, along with 66 additional figures—matching the number of provinces in Japan during the Edo period. However, in the early Meiji era, the hall was destroyed, and many statues were lost. Today, 24 statues remain, preserved in Enma Hall and the Tateyama Museum.

The exact origin of Uba-son worship is unknown, but the oldest surviving statue bears an inscription dated 1375 (Eiwa 1), indicating that the cult existed at least as early as the Nanbokuchō period.

In the Edo-period encyclopedia Wakan Sansai Zue, Uba-son is described as the mother of the founder of Mt. Tateyama, Jikō Shōnin (also known as Saeki no Ariyori or Ariwaka), and is sometimes regarded as the mother of Tateyama Gongen—suggesting her role as a mother deity.

According to the “Origin Story of the Uba Hall” from Nikkōbō in Ashikuraji, she is the mother of all beings, said to have flown down holding grains in her left hand and hemp seeds in her right—symbolizing the blessings of food and clothing.Thus, Uba-son embodies multiple layers of meaning:

• A water deity worshipped by agricultural communities 
• A mountain deity revered by hunters 
• A Buddhist figure, later interpreted as an incarnation of Dainichi Nyorai 

Scholars suggest that over time, the original “Uba deity” evolved into “Uba-son” under Buddhist influence.

(2) What Was the Uba Hall Like?

During the Edo period, the Uba Hall stood on the left bank of the Uba Valley River (now Ubadō River).Architectural drawings by Yamagami Zen’emon, an official carpenter of the Kaga Domain, show that the hall measured approximately:

• 9 meters (five bays) wide 
• 7 meters (four bays) deep 

It was built in the irimoya (hip-and-gable) style.

The hall was destroyed by fire in the Tenmei era (1780s). While the three principal statues survived, many accompanying figures and decorations were lost.
As an officially funded construction of the Kaga Domain, it was rebuilt in 1787.

Numerous fundraising records (kanjin-ki) and origin texts (engi) from this period suggest that active donation campaigns supported its reconstruction.

Today, the site is marked by a foundation platform constructed in the 1960s, with a stone water basin donated in 1844 placed in front.

(3) Devotion to Onbasama

Faith in Onbasama extended even to feudal lords.

• In 1466, Jinbo Naganobu, deputy governor of Etchū Province, donated tax revenues
• In the Tenshō era, Sassa Narimasa made offerings twice
• Maeda Toshiie of the Kaga Domain donated land equivalent to 100 koku

One of the most important rituals at the Uba Hall is the “Omeshikae” (Changing of the Robes).

This annual ceremony involved:

• Seven women aged 61 or older
• Ritual purification beginning on January 8
• Spinning hemp, weaving cloth, and completing garments by February 5
• Offering prayers on February 9 before dressing the deity

By renewing the garments at the arrival of spring, the ritual symbolized:

• Renewal of the deity’s vitality
• Gratitude toward the mountains

Today, the ritual continues on March 13, with cotton cloth garments prepared by local women’s groups such as the Ashikuraji Women’s Association.

This living tradition offers a rare glimpse into the continuity of Tateyama faith.

In March 2024, this ritual was officially designated as a national intangible folk cultural property requiring documentation and preservation, recognizing its importance for future generations.

Next time, we will introduce the Nunobashi Kanjo-e, a Buddhist rite for the salvation of women practiced in Ashikuraji.
We hope you will continue to follow this series.

For Further Reading

If you would like to learn more about Onbasama, we recommend:

• The Earth Mother of Tateyama: Onbasama 
• Enshrining Uba-son 

For purchase inquiries, please contact the Tateyama Museum.

Ōno’s 50-Year Journey to Protect Its Water Cycle

Episode 3 – Citizens and Rules
Governing Groundwater as a Shared Civic Resource

In Ono City, groundwater has not been treated merely as a resource to be managed by administrative authority, but as a shared civic asset sustained through collective responsibility.

As early as the 1970s, the city began establishing rules to ensure that groundwater would be protected by the community as a whole.
Regulations requiring prior notification for groundwater extraction and restricting the use of groundwater for snow-melting during winter were introduced—not simply as technical controls, but as social agreements embedded in daily life.A distinctive feature of Ono’s approach lies in citizen participation in groundwater monitoring.
Since 1976, local residents have continuously measured groundwater levels at observation wells distributed across the city. These measurements, conducted daily at multiple locations, are publicly displayed—transforming environmental monitoring into a shared civic practice.

Agricultural land has also played a vital role in sustaining groundwater.
Since 1978, the Winter Paddy Field Flooding Project has utilized rice paddies during the non-growing season to retain water and promote infiltration into underground aquifers.
In this way, farmland functions not only as a site of food production but also as infrastructure for groundwater recharge.Recognizing that groundwater conservation extends beyond hydrology, Ono City has sought to preserve the cultural practices associated with spring water.

This perspective led to the formulation of the Echizen Ono Spring Water Culture Revitalization Plan in 2011, which integrates environmental protection with the transmission of water-related cultural heritage to future generations.

Institutional measures have also been taken to safeguard the forested headwaters that support the groundwater system.
In 2012, in response to emerging concerns over land acquisitions by external capital, the city enacted the Ono City Forest and Water Conservation Ordinance. 
This ordinance requires prior notification not only for land transactions but also for the construction of structures within forested areas—an early local policy reflecting public attachment to the forests that sustain the city’s water sources.Citizen engagement has further contributed to spring restoration efforts.
At Honganshimizu, the southernmost habitat of the landlocked Itoyo (three-spined stickleback) and designated National Natural Monument, community-led cleaning and rehabilitation activities began following severe spring depletion in the late 1970s.
Through sustained collaboration between schoolchildren and local residents, some of these spring water sites have since been successfully revived.

Taken together, these initiatives illustrate a model in which groundwater is not governed solely through regulation, but through the combined efforts of institutions, agricultural practices, and civic participation.

Foreign-born Leaders Revitalizing Japan’s Rural Mountain Communities

Episode 4:  Building Connections Through Cultural Exchange

Festivals as Platforms for Mutual Understanding

The primary objective behind establishing the Toyama–Nepal Cultural Exchange Association (hereafter referred to as the Association) was to foster mutual understanding between local residents and the growing Nepalese community in the region through direct interaction.

Unlike major metropolitan areas, rural prefectures such as Toyama had, until recently, relatively few opportunities for everyday contact with foreign residents. While international tourists occasionally visited the area, the number of long-term foreign residents remained limited. As the Nepalese population has increased rapidly in recent years, this demographic shift inevitably generated a degree of uncertainty and, at times, friction within the local community.

Dhalma believed that, as someone positioned between these two groups, it was essential to create opportunities for meaningful engagement in order to build trust and understanding.

As a first step, the Association began organizing events that introduced Nepalese culture to local communities across the prefecture. Among these initiatives, the annual celebration of Dashain has become particularly significant.

Originally a Hindu festival held in autumn, Dashain is now the largest national celebration in Nepal. Lasting nearly two weeks, it provides an opportunity for family members and relatives who normally live apart to gather and celebrate together.

Since 2016, the Association has hosted a Dashain event each year during a weekend in late October. In 2024, approximately 80 Nepalese residents living in Toyama and neighboring areas participated, joined by around 30 Japanese residents. The two-day event was held at Meditation Village in Nanto City, located in the southern part of the prefecture.

Toyama is one of Japan’s most mountainous regions, and several municipalities have established sister-city relationships with towns in Nepal. Nanto City is among them, which is why it was selected as the venue.

However, the site is located far from the population centers in the northern part of the prefecture, such as Toyama City and Takaoka City, where many Nepalese residents live. Public transportation options are limited, and many Nepalese residents do not own private vehicles.

To address this, Dhalma coordinated with local acquaintances who owned larger vehicles to transport participants from various parts of the prefecture to the venue.

“That journey itself often becomes the starting point for exchange,” he explains. “Not everyone who offers a ride can speak English, and many Nepalese participants are not yet fluent in Japanese. But during the two-hour drive, people often become surprisingly close.”

Upon arrival, participants gathered around cooking equipment, food ingredients, and propane gas cylinders transported by Japanese volunteers using small trucks. Together, Nepalese and Japanese participants began preparing traditional Nepalese dishes for dinner.Japanese, English, and Nepali languages were heard throughout the venue, creating a warm and collaborative atmosphere.

“We don’t insist on perfect authenticity,” Dhalma says with a smile. “Even if the dishes don’t turn out exactly right, it doesn’t matter. The important thing is that we cook together, eat together, and talk together.”

Before attending the event, I had assumed that most Japanese participants were either familiar with Nepal or had previously visited the country. While some had indeed spent time in Nepal as members of the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers and spoke Nepali fluently, the majority of Japanese participants admitted that they had little prior knowledge of Nepal before being invited by Dhalma.

“At first, I joined simply because Dhalma asked me to,” one participant said. “I thought it might help keep my mind active.” However, after participating once, many returned year after year.

For Nepalese participants as well, the event provided an opportunity to discover the presence of fellow Nepalese residents living nearby. Many had not realized how many Nepalese people were residing in the region until they attended.

Daily life for many Nepalese residents in Toyama typically consists of commuting between their apartments, workplaces, and Japanese language schools, with limited opportunities for social interaction beyond occasional shopping trips.

For them, Dashain has become a rare occasion to speak Nepali freely, share meals, sing traditional songs, and dance together late into the night.

Unlike in Nepal, where differences in regional origin, ethnicity, or caste may shape social relations, here participants reaffirm their shared identity simply as Nepalese people.

New friendships often emerge through these gatherings, not only between Nepalese and Japanese participants, but also among Nepalese residents themselves.

“That wasn’t something I initially anticipated,” Dhalma says with a laugh. “But as the event has grown, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for me to manage everything alone. The Nepalese population here will likely continue to increase. Still, I’m sure we’ll find a way.”Perhaps that optimism is one of Dhalma’s defining strengths.

Related Topics

• Social Integration in Rural Mountain Communities

• Multicultural Community Building

• Cultural Exchange in Aging Societies

• Informal Networks for Local Cohesion

• Everyday Coexistence in Rural Japan

Learn More

This episode highlights how cultural exchange initiatives can foster social integration and trust-building between local residents and foreign-born community members in rural mountain regions.Related initiatives can be found in:

• Community-based Cultural Exchange Programs

• Multicultural Integration in Local Communities

• Participatory Social Inclusion Models

Series 8: The Nationwide Spread of Tateyama Faith

Hello everyone, this is Takano, Director of the Toyama Prefectural Tateyama Museum.In the previous article, we introduced Ashikuraji and Iwakuraji, the two temple-settlements that served as major centers of Tateyama faith during the Edo period.
In this installment, we explore how the monks (shuto) of these communities spread Tateyama faith throughout Japan.

(1) Missionary Activities by the Monks of Ashikuraji

The monks of the 33 lodging temples (shukubō) in Ashikuraji established networks of followers across the country, known as dannaba—regions where believers of Tateyama faith were concentrated.

Every year, during the agricultural off-season from autumn to spring, they traveled to places such as Edo (Tokyo), Osaka, Owari (present-day Aichi), and Shinano (Nagano) to conduct missionary activities.

At these destinations, they gathered people in village headmen’s houses or temples and displayed hanging scroll paintings called Tateyama Mandala. Using a storytelling technique known as etoki (picture explanation), they vividly explained the teachings—sometimes with gestures and dramatic narration.

These presentations began with the origin story of Tateyama.
Men were encouraged to undertake the sacred mountain pilgrimage (Tateyama Zenjō), while women were invited to participate in the Nunobashi Kanjochō ritual. At the same time, the monks promoted their own lodging temples, offering guidance and support for pilgrims visiting Tateyama.

They also sold amulets (gofu), sacred medicines, burial garments (kyōkatabira), and texts such as the Ketsubonkyō. Payment was collected the following year—after the promised spiritual benefits had been received—creating a unique system in which faith and trust sustained the relationship.These religious and economic activities were collectively known as kaidan haisatsu (itinerant preaching and distribution of talismans).
Records called danna-chō (registers of patrons) still exist today, documenting these activities in detail.

(2) Missionary Activities by the Monks of Iwakuraji

Meanwhile, the monks of the 24 lodging temples in Iwakuraji focused their activities mainly within the domain of the Kaga clan—covering Kaga and Noto (present-day Ishikawa) and Echū (Toyama).

The Iwakuraji temple complex was entrusted by the Kaga domain with the management and maintenance of the Tateyama mountains. This required funds for repairing subsidiary shrines and facilities such as Murodō, as well as maintaining pilgrimage routes.

To raise these funds, they obtained official permission to hold dekaichō—special traveling exhibitions of sacred images and temple treasures—circulating through temples across the region.

A central object of worship in these exhibitions was a statue of Amida Nyorai (Amitābha Buddha) from Tateyama.
This statue is known for a small hole in its left chest. According to legend, the founder of Tateyama, Saeki no Ariyori (or Ariwaka), shot an arrow into a bear, which was in fact an incarnation of Amida. This gave rise to the name Yakizu Amida Nyorai (“Amida with the arrow wound”).

During these exhibitions, Tateyama Mandala were also displayed, encouraging men to undertake pilgrimages and inviting them to stay at the monks’ lodging temples.

(3) The Devotion Inspired by Tateyama

During the Edo period, Tateyama faith spread widely among the general population.

Numerous offerings were dedicated to the mountain, including stone Buddhas, lanterns, scriptures, and ritual implements.
The Maeda family of the Kaga domain strongly supported Tateyama faith, funding repairs of temple buildings and granting tax exemptions.

At Iwakuraji, close relationships developed between the monks and the domain lords and their retainers. At Ashikuraji, a portable shrine (mikoshi) for the Tateyama Gongen festival was donated by the Maeda family.

Moreover, high-ranking women—including those in the Ōoku (women’s quarters of Edo Castle) and daimyo households—prayed to the deities of Tateyama for health, peaceful afterlife, and the stability of their families.In this way, the monks of Ashikuraji and Iwakuraji spread Tateyama faith across all levels of society during the Edo period.
It is no exaggeration to say that these efforts laid the foundation for Tateyama’s reputation as a sacred mountain that continues to this day.

In the next installment, we will explore Onbasama (Uba-son), the mountain deity who continues to attract the devotion of women in Ashikuraji.We hope you will continue following this series.

Note for Visitors

At the Tateyama Museum, visitors can explore the Digital Tateyama Mandala, an interactive display that allows detailed viewing of the mandala imagery.
The nearby Mountain Culture and Future Center exhibits a large mikoshi said to have been donated by the Maeda family, offering a glimpse into the deep devotion people held for Tateyama.

If you have the opportunity to visit Tateyama, we warmly invite you to stop by the museum.

Ōno’s 50-Year Journey to Protect Its Water Cycle

Episode 2: When the Water Disappeared

“We Almost Lost Our Water”Falling Groundwater Levels and the Drying of Springs

Ōno City has long lived in close relationship with its abundant spring water. However, from the late 1960s through the 1970s, groundwater levels began to decline.
At the peak of this crisis, approximately 1,000 households experienced their wells running dry. Renowned spring sources such as Oshozu—selected as one of Japan’s 100 Exquisite Waters—and Hongan 

Shozu—later designated among the Heisei Era’s 100 Exquisite Waters—also ceased to flow.Several factors have been suggested as contributing causes:

1. The construction of dams upstream on the Kuzuryu and Mana Rivers

2. Land improvement projects in upstream urban areas, which reduced natural fields and weakened the land’s water retention capacity, thereby decreasing groundwater recharge

3. The expansion of the textile industry, with approximately 200 factories in the city drawing heavily on groundwater resources.

Changing Conditions in the Water Environment

Changes in land and water use, population decline, and climate change associated with global warming have all altered the natural water cycle.
As a result, challenges such as flooding, water shortages, and impacts on ecosystems have become increasingly apparent.

These developments have heightened awareness of the need to maintain a “sound water cycle.”

Citizen-Led Action: Restoring the Habitat of the Itoyo

One example of civic engagement is the ongoing conservation effort at Hongan Shozu, a habitat of the Itoyo (freshwater stickleback), designated as a National Natural Monument.

In the past, local children would swim and play alongside these small fish. However, in 1978, the spring ran dry, leaving the habitat in a state of near collapse.
In response, citywide efforts to restore the spring began in the early 1980s.

Through sustained initiatives—including joint cleanup activities involving elementary school children and adults—some of these spring sources have since been revived.

About the Itoyo

• A small fish that has inhabited the Earth since the Ice Age, surviving only in cold, clean water

• Its population declined sharply in the postwar and high-growth periods

• Now found only in extremely limited locations, and still decreasing

Within Ōno City, the species is present at only a few sites, including Hongan Shozu and Nakano Shozu.

• Ministry of the Environment: Listed as a Threatened Local Population (LP)

• Fukui Prefecture: Classified as Endangered Category I (landlocked type)

As a biological indicator of environmental quality, the Itoyo is an exceptionally valuable species.

Foreign-born Leaders Revitalizing Japan’s Rural Mountain Communities

Episode 3: Connecting Communities Across Borders

Disaster, Diaspora, and Local Action

In the aftermath of the 2015 earthquakes in Nepal, information about the devastation in rural mountain communities was not widely covered by international media, which tended to focus on the capital and well-known tourist regions.

However, mobile phones were already widely used across Nepal at the time. Survivors in affected villages were able to communicate directly with family members and friends living abroad, sharing details of the damage and seeking assistance.

Shortly after the earthquake struck, Dhalma began receiving messages from relatives and acquaintances in his hometown of Lisank Village. Fortunately, his immediate family members were safe and their home had not suffered major damage. However, roads connecting the village to the nearest main highway had collapsed in multiple locations, and many homes belonging to friends and neighbors had been destroyed.

Dhalma’s family owned relatively large agricultural landholdings in the area, and the Lama lineage had long played a significant role as spiritual leaders within the Tamang community. He felt a strong sense of responsibility to respond.

Yet as an individual, there was little he could do alone.

He therefore reached out to Ms. Kawabuchi, the director of a Toyama-based NGO called as Asia’s Dream for Children, which provides support in disaster-affected areas both within Japan and abroad. Although they had no prior personal connection, Dhalma established the Toyama–Nepal Cultural Exchange Association, creating a platform through which assistance could be directed.

“I couldn’t simply ask for help for my own family or village,” he explains. “So we created an organization that could serve as a recipient for support.”

Ms. Kawabuchi responded immediately. Within a week, emergency relief supplies that were difficult to obtain locally — such as tarpaulins — were prepared in Japan. Accompanied by members of the NGO and several Nepalese residents in Toyama, Dhalma traveled to Kathmandu to coordinate their delivery.

His elder brother had already arranged transportation to their home district.

“Our approach is somewhat unconventional,” Ms. Kawabuchi notes. “We are a small organization, so rather than waiting for formal procedures, we focus on delivering support quickly to areas that are often overlooked by governmental assistance.”Dhalma had anticipated that the Nepalese government would face challenges in providing timely support to rural areas. Indeed, a report released in April 2017 indicated that nearly 90 percent of the approximately US$4.1 billion in reconstruction funds provided by foreign governments and international organizations had yet to be disbursed.

The support provided by Asia’s Dream for Children extended beyond emergency relief. Through discussions with local residents, it was agreed that materials required for repairing the road connecting Lisank Village to the main highway would be provided on the condition that villagers would carry out the reconstruction work voluntarily.

Approximately two years later, members of the NGO returned to the village to assess the progress of the recovery effort — a visit that I accompanied in November 2016.Following the initial relief activities, Dhalma remained closely involved in the reconstruction project while maintaining regular communication with Lisank Village. Over time, he began to consider how the connections that had been formed between communities in Toyama and Nepal might be transformed into more sustained, everyday exchanges.

Around the time Dhalma moved to Japan in 2005, Nepalese residents were still relatively uncommon in rural regions such as Toyama. However, their numbers began to grow rapidly in the following years. Many were young workers employed by small and medium-sized enterprises, often with limited opportunities to interact with local Japanese residents.

Dhalma therefore decided to develop the Toyama–Nepal Cultural Exchange Association into a platform for fostering mutual understanding and integration within the local community.“I became the chair — although in reality, it mostly meant coordinating requests and handling various tasks,” he says. “Many of the people who supported us were those I had come to know through my work in agriculture.”

Related Topics

• Community-led Disaster Recovery in Mountain Regions
• Transnational Mountain Communities
• Diaspora Networks in Rural Revitalization
• Local-to-Local International Cooperation
• Cultural Exchange and Community Integration

Learn More

This episode highlights how informal networks and diaspora communities can play a critical role in supporting recovery and long-term resilience in remote mountain regions.
Related initiatives can be found in:
• Community-based Mountain Resilience
• Cross-border Cultural Exchange Programs
• Post-disaster Rural Reconstruction

Ōno’s 50-Year Journey to Protect Its Water Cycle

In Ōno, groundwater is what people drink every day.

Ōno City in Fukui Prefecture—often called the “Castle in the Sky”—was founded approximately 450 years ago by Nagachika Kanamori, a retainer of Oda Nobunaga. Modeled after Kyoto, he constructed a castle town laid out in a grid pattern, complete with an advanced water supply system for its time.

At the southern edge of the town, a spring known as Hongan Shozu served as the primary water source, supplying water for daily life throughout the settlement. The original town layout—structured around this water system—remains visible today, as shown by the red lines on the map below.

Ōno is also known for its long-standing citizen-led efforts in water conservation. The Ōno Basin has long been blessed with abundant groundwater, which has supported drinking water, agriculture, and industry alike. Numerous spring sites, including Oshozu－ selected as one of Japan’s 100 Exquisite Waters－ are scattered throughout the city.

Over generations, a unique culture has emerged—one that lives with water and reveres it. Local lifestyles, customs, and oral traditions reflect a deep relationship between the people of Ōno and their groundwater.

However, during Japan’s period of rapid economic growth, groundwater levels began to decline, and springs gradually diminished or dried up. The continuation of Ōno’s distinctive springwater culture was at risk.

In response, the city has undertaken a series of initiatives to conserve and sustain its groundwater resources.This six-part series introduces Ōno City’s efforts to protect and pass on its water heritage.

Episode 1 – The Castle in the Sky, City of Water

What you see above the clouds is sustained by what lies beneath the ground.　

Ōno is not only a city built on water—it is a city that lives by it.

A City Built Inside a Natural Basin

Ōno City is located in eastern Fukui Prefecture, nestled within the Ōno Basin and surrounded by mountains. Of its total area of 872.43 km², approximately 87% is covered by forest, making it a richly natural regional city.The Kuzuryu River, originating from Mt. Hakusan, along with its tributaries—the Mana, Kiyotaki, and Akane Rivers—flow northward through the basin. For centuries, abundant springwater has sustained life here, affectionately known by residents as Shozu.

The Ono Basin functions as a natural underground dam, storing abundant groundwater that has sustained the city’s water culture for centuries.

Around 450 years ago, Nagachika Kanamori developed a castle town that utilized these springs. Remarkably, it featured both water supply and drainage systems—an advanced form of urban infrastructure for its time.

Even today, groundwater remains central to daily life in Ōno. Many households in the city center have private pumps installed, drawing groundwater for drinking, cooking, bathing, flushing toilets, laundry, and even car washing. It also continues to be widely used in agriculture and industry.

In 1985, Oshozu was selected as one of Japan’s 100 Exquisite Waters, followed by Hongan Shozu in 2008 under the Heisei-era list. In 1996, Ōno City itself was recognized as one of Japan’s “100 Villages of Water.”These recognitions reflect the exceptionally deep connection between the city’s residents and their water resources—one that has nurtured a distinctive culture of coexistence with groundwater.

Springs That Shaped Everyday Life

Approximately 70% of all households in Ōno own private wells—totaling over 8,000.
New wells continue to be drilled as residential areas expand.For most residents, drawing groundwater and using it directly as drinking water is simply part of everyday life.

Groundwater That Stays Within the City

Not only does Ōno possess abundant usable groundwater,
but the flow of groundwater is largely contained within a single municipal boundary, creating a unique local water cycle system

Foreign-born Leaders Revitalizing Japan’s Rural Mountain Communities

Episode 2: Rethinking Agriculture

Innovation in the Face of Structural Challenges

Although Dhalma never expected to become the successor to a Japanese farm, he felt that it would be wrong to let the enterprise disappear simply because there was no one to take over.

“The previous owner had spent decades improving the soil, developing cultivation techniques for komatsuna, and building relationships with buyers,” he recalls. “It didn’t feel right to abandon all of that just because there was no successor.”

In Nepal, when Dhalma was growing up, inheriting farmland was traditionally reserved for the eldest son. While this norm has begun to shift in recent years due to increasing labor migration abroad, Japan appears to have faced similar structural changes much earlier than Nepal. Yet agriculture — the foundation of human livelihood — should not be easily abandoned.

Although Dhalma was taught all the technical aspects of cultivation, there was one practice he found difficult to accept: the disposal of produce that did not meet size standards at the time of shipment.

Of course, vegetables that are wilted or damaged by pests cannot be sold. However, even when seeds are sown on the same day, grown with the same fertilizer, and harvested at the same time in the same greenhouse, variations in size are inevitable in living organisms. Nevertheless, produce that is even a few centimeters too large or too small is rejected by distribution channels such as the Japan Agricultural Cooperatives (JA).

As a result, the farm’s average disposal rate reached nearly 20 percent.“It felt wasteful — and environmentally irresponsible,” Dhalma explains.

To address this issue, he introduced a new approach: washing, cutting, and packaging out-of-spec produce for direct sales to local schools and eldercare facilities. A small prefabricated building was constructed next to the farm to serve as a processing facility, complete with freezing equipment that allowed the packaged vegetables to be stored for several days without compromising quality.

As demand grew, Dhalma began processing not only komatsuna but also other vegetables such as turnips and green onions on a small scale.

Word of mouth soon spread among local residents, and households began requesting direct purchases as well. While the profits from these sales were modest, Dhalma notes that the relationships built with people who had previously had no connection to the farm became one of the most meaningful outcomes.

Encouraged by advisors, he later established Happy Farm Co., Ltd.,  formalizing the business.“Throughout the process, I received support from many people,” he says. “Everyday conversation in Japanese wasn’t too difficult, but the language used in official procedures and documentation was entirely different. I was also surprised by the various support systems available in Japan, such as subsidies and tax incentives for starting a business. I wouldn’t have been able to apply for them on my own.”

Happy Farm has since been recognized as a model agricultural enterprise in the region. Looking ahead, Dhalma hopes to establish a café that utilizes produce grown on the farm, creating a space where he can engage directly with customers and explore new ideas.

At the same time, he faces ongoing challenges in securing labor. The core workforce currently consists of more than a dozen part-time employees, most of whom are women in their sixties with farming backgrounds. How long they will be able to continue working remains uncertain.

In addition, several young people from Dhalma’s hometown in Nepal are currently learning agricultural techniques and farm management at Happy Farm, with the aim of returning home in the future. However, the evolving policies governing foreign workers in Japan create an uncertain outlook.

Succession also remains an open question. Dhalma’s eldest son is already enrolled in a university in Tokyo, and his younger son, now in high school, will likely follow a similar path.

“For now, I’ll keep doing my best,” he says. “And after that, we’ll see what the future brings.”

Related Topics

• Japan’s Aging Rural Communities
• Sustainable Agriculture in Mountain Regions
• Reducing Food Waste in Agricultural Supply Chains
• Community-based Food Distribution Models
• Foreign-born Entrepreneurs in Rural Japan
• Japan Mountain Day Foundation – Homepage 

Learn More

This story highlights the structural challenges facing mountain agriculture in aging rural communities, including labor shortages, food waste, and succession issues.

Related initiatives can be found in:

• Sustainable Mountain Agriculture
• Community-based Rural Revitalization
• Food Loss Reduction Strategies