There is a village in Japan, with millions of years of eucalyptus leaves!

There is a small mountain village in Japan.

Like many remote mountain villages,

The population is outflowing here and it is seriously aging.

More than half of the residents over 65 years old,

20% of the population is 80 years old.

But the nursing home here was closed because no one was staying.

Because the old people are keen on selling leaves online,

No time to get sick and pension!

You didn't get it wrong, yes, sell the leaves.

An ordinary, uninhabited tree leaf that grows in nature.

The grandmothers here are selling leaves,

A total of 260 million yen can be earned each year.

Amazing Apo can earn tens of millions of yen a year.

Have to be amazing,

What kind of small village can have such a miracle?

Sugawara shed field in Katsu-cho

It turned out that this is in Sakae-cho, Tokushima Prefecture, Shikoku Prefecture, Japan.

The most famous landscape here is the “樫原棚田”, which is the terraced field.

It is said that it maintained its original appearance 200 years ago.

Also known as "the original scenery of Japan",

It was incorporated into one of the 14 most beautiful villages in Japan.

Shangsheng Town used to develop three industries: mandarin, forestry and construction.

However, a chill in 1981

It almost brought the village to the crisis of destroying the village.

However, even if there is no bad weather,

Not many people in the aging villages can afford these physical labor.

At this time, the appearance of a foreigner changed the fate of the village. . .

At that time, Yokohiko, who was only 22 years old, was sent to Shangsheng Village as an agricultural management instructor after graduating from university.

Once in the rain,

The town office will be occupied by a bunch of uncles holding bottles.

Because whether it is mandarin, cutting trees or building a house,

Can't continue working.

After the cold disaster,

He feels that this is not the way to go.

So began to coach the village people to transform, began to plant wild vegetables.

However, the results are minimal.

until one day,

After crossing the city, Hengshi will go to the nearby sushi restaurant for dinner.

"so beautiful!"

A woman next to the house saw the maple leaf decorated in the plate horrified.

Also carefully wrapped the maple leaves with a handkerchief.

Yokoishi thought,

This leaf is everywhere in our village.

Why bother?

Next second,

Hengshi patted his head,

Unlimited business opportunities are coming!

He rushed back to the village,

I found this shocking discovery with the villagers.

The result was ridiculed by the uncles.

"Are you a raccoon yourself? Can you turn the leaves into banknotes?"

Everyone laughed and dispersed.

Although ignored,

However, Hengshi still insisted on his plan.

He traveled to the local farmhouse where he planted flowers and trees.

I found four dubious big brothers to join.

He also created a brand [color],

Specializes in the beautiful leaves of Sakae-machi.

But how can entrepreneurship be so easy.

As expected, the sales were extremely poor.

In order to promote these colored leaves,

Yokoishi thought of a way.

He licked his own pocket and ate the kiosk in Kyoto.

After two years passed, he almost spent his salary.

I finally came up with what kind of leaves are most popular.

At the same time, he also established a deep friendship with the owner of the kiosk.

With sales, Hengshi began to focus on quality management.

He requires the same kind of leaves to be consistent in size and color.

Shangsheng Town has four distinct seasons.

There are representative plants in each season.

So he made a file for the most seasoned sense of the kiosk.

Take control of the best time to ship each leaf.

Gradually, placing colorful leaves on the plate becomes the fashion of the kiosk.

And the preferred [color] leaves.

Because the color leaves of their home are both beautiful and of good quality.

Even some other restaurants have followed suit.

The business went up, and Hengshi began to swear again.

Only four big men are obviously not enough.

So Hengshi thought of another way:

He began to mobilize the villagers to collect the leaves together.

The requirements for the leaf are clearly defined and paid to the villagers.

Hengshi also specially developed a software suitable for the elderly.

And installed a computer or tablet for the grandfathers.

Let them know at any time which leaf should be harvested that day.

Even Microsoft and Japan's Docomo have come to this small mountain village to cooperate.

As a result, all seniors are busy selling leaves to make money.

The nursing home here was closed in 2007 because no one was staying.

Old people in other places depend on pensions for a living.

The 80-year-old man here pays taxes every year.

The legend of Shangsheng Town has just begun

Can have a career to support themselves,

The old people here are also confident,

In 2003, they became the first village in Japan to call out the “Zero Garbage Declaration”!

The goal is to achieve zero return of waste that needs to be buried or incinerated by 2020.

The villagers are so committed to environmental protection, the reason is actually -

Because living in the upper reaches of the river, if the river is polluted, it is awkward to the people downstream.

In fact, before this,

On Katsu-cho, the garbage classification was carried out as early as 1997.

From the initial nine items have increased to 34,

It is the finest village in Japan.

In Katsushiro-cho, two garbage incinerators in the town were closed in 2000.

There are also no garbage trucks collecting garbage everywhere.

All the recycling products are spontaneously transported by the villagers to the distribution center.

However, when you walk into the distribution center,

What I saw there was not garbage.

But the materials that are cleaned up,

People in need can take it home at any time.

Some recycled old clothes or daily necessities,

It was also remade by the elderly as a groceries.

Put it in a nearby store for sale.

In 2019, the village opened a "Shangsheng Department Store".

There are hundreds of kinds of goods such as rice, oil, salt and vinegar.

But there is no packaging.

Consumers must bring their own containers,

Buy rice should bring its own rice can, soy sauce should bring its own oil bottle.

It seems to have returned to the old days.

Even the terraces that have maintained the original scenery have undergone new changes.

Shangsheng Town has launched “Tiding Ownership”.

Rent farmland to the city,

Let people who are far away from nature also use the holidays to come to the mountains.

Sowing, fertilizing, farming, harvesting,

Experience the fun.

Now, twenty or thirty people come here every year.

Apply to move to Sakae-cho.

This small mountain village with a simple heart and returning to nature.

It has become a model of rural rebirth and has attracted countless people!

I think this is not a legend of one person.

in fact

Useful or useless, only between one mind

Many good things are around you, but you have never noticed