Atarashiki-mura (Kanji)

Atarashiki-mura -- New Village

This article was originally published in Milky Way Tsushin in April 1988 (the Milky Way was a cooperative in Tokyo). Many things have changed since, including my views on the mura.

The reason I entered Milky Way was because of an interest in co-operative systems as opposed to the competitive society around us. Japan is an ideal place to study such systems, as it has the third largest co-operative set-up in the world, after the Israeli kibbutzim and the American Amish. But in Japan there are all kinds of different co-operatives, each putting the emphasis of their existence of a different facet of communal life.

Atarashiki-mura, where I spent one year, even resent the title "Kyodotai" (= co-operative, commune) as this can imply subjugating one's individuality to the will of the group, and could also lead people to infer similarities with other groups where in fact no such similarities exist. It is the second oldest commune in Japan, and was founded in Miyazaki Ken in 1918 by the famous author Mushanokoji Saneatsu. In 1939 the local council decided to build a dam, which meant that the mura's rice-paddies would all be flooded out. The search for land brought them to Saitama Ken, and this is where the mura has stayed ever since. There are still about five people in Miyazaki, who keep in contact with and are also to a certain extent financially dependent upon the Saitama mura.

Over the years Atarashiki-mura has had to go through many hardships -- in the beginning they were very dependent upon Mushanokoji Saneatsu and his friends for money (it was partly for this reason that Saneatsu himself left the mura and worked as a writer outside) and during the war years the population dwindled to one family in each mura. But at the moment it is flourishing -- the population of the Saitama mura is around 55 people (45 people working, the rest children or elderly) and it does not need any financial support from outside. Permanent members will tend to have a house to themselves, and those who have just entered or only plan on staying for a short time (as I did) get a 4.5 mat room at least. Food and clothing is also catered for, and there is a monthly pocket-money allowance of 28,000 yen with twice-yearly bonuses.

Everybody works inside the mura, although if you want to work outside in your free time that is entirely up to you. The work is basically agriculture, with a 6-day working week of 8-12, 2-5 with two half-hour tea breaks … compared to most salarymen, a quite idyllic existence. This is mainly thanks to starting egg-farming 13 years ago -- there are at present 50,000 battery hens in the mura, with 20,000 chicks. I found the cages repulsive, and this was one of the main reasons I hesitated about entering the mura, but it must be said that most of the people dealing with that side of the work do not enjoy it, and see it simply as an evil necessary to keep the mura going. For example, the turnover produced by four people doing organic vegetables for one year is less than the profit generated by one person working on eggs for one month and is not even enough to keep one person fed, clothed and housed for a year.

The other products are plums (chemical pesticides a necessity), peaches (pesticides used, but only in small doses), rice, tea (both need pesticides and fertilizers) shiitake mushrooms (no chemicals needed at all), dairy cows (which of course get sold for slaughter once their output falls), pottery and the income from the internal art museum and hairdresser's. All work is fixed, so that the people doing it can become experts — but conversely of course, if you don't enjoy your work then you have to get someone to swap, or start up a new branch of work in your free time and make it profitable. Meals are also cooked by set people: surprise surprise almost all the mura's women.

So far so good -- not that different from any other farm I hear you say. And admittedly if you only stay there a couple of days you may not gain any profound insights into the working of alternative systems. The differences come out in the twice-monthly meetings: the Work Meeting and the General Problems Meeting. True to the principle of individual freedom and responsibility, attendance is officially optional and some people do indeed seldom turn up: but if you're a provisional member watch out for the comments the next day! In the Work Meeting, a chairperson asks everyone in turn for a brief report on how their work has been going and what plans they have for the future, and then any problems are discussed. In the General Problems Meeting, the chairperson first asks people with something they want discussed to put it onto the agenda, and then they are discussed in order. There is nothing fixed -- if you want some new tatami in your room, or would like to suggest a twinning relationship with a kibbutz, both will be discussed. Everyone is free to voice an opinion, and the final decision has to be unanimous (although it will often take several months to reach a unanimous decision, and unless the opponent is really stubborn, Japanese tend to be good at compromising for the sake of group harmony). I also noticed immediately some traditional Japanese aspects to the mura -- the women hardly ever speak, and elders are almost invariably treated as superiors: Mushanokoji himself is referred to as "Sensei".

Written reports of the mura tend to portray it in quite an idealistic light -- partly due to the fact that most of them have been produced as advertisements for the mura's way of life. But there are indeed problems, and when I first applied to join the mura, the members seemed very wary as I might have too high expectations, be disappointed and then start criticizing everything. If someone applies to join for just a month, they will normally be accepted, as even if they don't fit in, it will not be such a hardship for the existing members. One year (given a trial period of one month first) is also not bad, as it is long enough to develop an understanding of the underlying way of thought. However any period in-between can lead to opposition -- especially in the case of foreigners. This is not pure prejudice: it is true that if you can not speak the Japanese language well it can be difficult to learn the work quickly, let alone have deep philosophical debates about Life, the Universe and Everything. In addition, those who are not used to the Japanese way of thinking will be prone to annoy everyone around them, more so than if living on one's own in Tokyo etc.

And even if you do speak Japanese and accept the Japanese way of doing things, it truly does take some time to understand Atarashiki-mura: I have begun to understand much more now I have left. The main problem with pure idealism seems to be that it ignores the fact that all people are different. In the mura, inter-personal relationships are certainly the biggest cause of disputes. No matter how much the mura's principles stress individualism, and no matter how much everyone will re-utter the words at the meetings, some people still have a desire to be leaders, and use the fact that they have been in the mura longer than other people to get their own way. Many of the people who do not turn up to the meetings say that it is because there is no point, as nothing ever changes anyway. I have even come to respect Mushakoji "Sensei" for the way in which his influence managed to hold all these people together. Some of the most interesting times are when everyone gets drunk, and the inner truths come out. In comparison, everyday life seems to be concerned with doing the work necessary to keep going -- one of the problems of success is that the need to change immediately one's own surroundings disappears. And of course all significant problems were already solved by Mushakoji before he died (sic).

However, I noticed that all of the children born and brought up at Atarashiki-mura have left and almost all started "conventional" life-styles. This is what I would take to be a sign of failure: the children should have received the most influence from the mura and know it best, but do not seem to be attracted by it. Many people who are attracted to it are in fact those who rather than having high ideals, have a problem in coping with normal society and regard this problem as being in the society instead of inside themselves. If the mura could adapt to all the members all would be fine, but it seems that the members have to adapt to the mura's firm and fixed way.

Nevertheless, it is a fascinating place, and a great way to escape from Tokyo -- I often go back and am always welcomed. For those of you who want to try, get in touch (bearing in mind that few people speak any English at all) at the address below, or alternatively (if you do not plan on actually staying there) just turn up for a half-day visit:

Atarashiki-mura, Tsuzuranuki 423, Moroyama-machi, Iruma-gun, Saitama-ken Tel: 0492-95-4427
Stations: Tobu Tojo Bushu Nagase, JR Hachiko Moro

(c) Copyright Ben Jones 1996.
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