The cost of living in Japan：安いのは米だけ (The only thing cheap is rice)

This morning I listened to a TBS podcast interview with a Japanese economist, Hiroko Ogiwara. She was speaking about the 生活のコスト　SEIKATSU NO KOSUTO (cost of living) in Japan.

It was interesting to hear about changes in how people live, and I was particularly curious as to what she said about a remote village in Shikoku called 神山 KAMIYAMA - literally Mountain of the Gods.

Firstly, on the cost of living, Ogiwara said:

自給率が低い JIKYUURITSU GA HIKUI (self-sufficiency is low). To prove the point, she explained Japan produces only 37 percent of it’s food.

輸入が多い YUNYUU GA OOI (Imports are high)

物の値段 MONO NO NEDAN - the cost of things is 山のように上がっていく YAMA NO YOUNI AGATTE IKU (rising like a mountain)

Some of this story sounds a little like the UK. The story soon becomes more particular to Japan.

Rice is cheap

安いのは米だけ YASUI NO WA KOME DAKE (The only thing cheap is rice)

Ogiwara suggested 米 KOME (rice) is better for breakfast than the toast favoured by many urban dwellers.

米 KOME (rice) is now much cheaper than パン PAN (bread).

The cost of a 6 slice loaf, a 六枚切り ROKU-MAI-GIRI, has gone up from 150 yen to 180 yen. A rise from 25 yen to 30 yen a slice, and that’s before we put the butter on it, she said.　　

Rice is still cheap though, 25 yen a bowl apparently.

Rice isn’t imported, so extra costs from fuel etc are avoided. Thanks to continued government support, rice is still an important part of the economy.

Ogiwara said to listeners: 米を食べましょう OKOME O TABEMASHOU (Let’s eat tice)

People are leaving Tokyo.

The cost of living crisis has affected people’s living choices as well. Tokyo’s population has started shrinking for the first time, earlier than anticipated.

人がいなくなっちゃって HITO GA INAKUNACCHATTE (People have gone)

The population isn’t decreasing in 山手線の内側 YAMANOTE-SEN NO UCHIGAWA - within the circular Yamanote line that runs around the middle of Tokyo.

However, the population is shrinking in the sprawl of the 山手線の外側 YAMANOTE-SEN NO SOTOGAWA - outside the circular Yamanote line.

Mountain of the Gods

This bleak picture suddenly got a lot of brighter.

Ogiwara said 移住がすごくて IJUU GA SUGOKUTE　(Migration is incredible).

Ogiwara told the story of office workers migrating to Kamiyama, a small town hidden in the hills of Shikoku island that seems to have turned into a wifi junkie’s paradise.

サテライトオフィス SATERAITO OFISU (Satellite offices) have been set up in the town.

According to Ogiwara, many of these remote workers finish work at 四時か五時 YO-JI KA GO-JI (4 or 5 o clock) then either have a ホームパーティ HOUMUPAATI (homeparty) or つりに行く TSURI NI IKU (go fishing)

Travellers can spend the night in Kamiyama enjoying the stunning views while staying connected online. This lodging looks like a great place to escape to: about WEEK｜WEEK 神山について | week神山 (week-kamiyama.jp)

I have stayed in Kamiyama a couple of times before. It is incredibly peaceful.

I’d love to go again. Shikoku is the gentlest of the four main islands and often gets forgotten. It doesn’t have a bullet train or bears, no volcanoes or earthquakes have thrown it into news headlines in recent years.

Shikoku is green, wet and beautiful though, blessed by Buddhist monks and pilgrims who circle the island walking the 88 temple pilgrimage.