Nagano lettuce farmers living the good life

Kawakami Village in Nagano Prefecture is considered Japan’s premier lettuce producing village. Located not too far from Tokyo and with just the right conditions for farming, residents have been able to pull in a good chunk of cash from their own brand of lettuce, earning it the nickname “Miracle Village”.

Bumper crops such as their Chinese cabbage are booming so well that the village’s 4,759 people boast and average annual income of over 25 million yen. However, all work and no play makes for a dull boy, so the mayor of Kawakami is sending the call to all Japan that some eligible bachelors may soon be hitting a ski slope near you.

In stark contrast to other rural areas of Japan, Kawakami has been experiencing a growth in young people who come and stay in the area. It’s estimated that 70% of the wives living in the area all hail from urban centers such as Tokyo. Such an influx of young urban women in a vastly different lifestyle has even led to a greater sense of community in the area as these women help each other adapt to their new lives.

Kawakami’s 74-year-old mayor Tadahiko Fujiwara has been especially fervent in promoting the village and its men to single women in Japan.

"Aside from the high average incomes, there are lots of reasons to love Kawakami. The Kawakami Inu (dog) is a unique symbol of the village," he said. "Also, there are lots of single men between the ages of 20 and 40, so women are always welcome.”

Although the seven-time mayor certainly loves his town, there’s a reason that he gets especially enthusiastic as the summer draws to a close. “These guys aren’t migrant workers during the winter, they’re migrant playboys. In many cases you can find them hitting the ski slopes around Japan.”

Due to the nature of the lettuce game, these men find themselves toiling throughout the summer season, only to be gifted with a hearty pay check and ample free time in the winter.

There may be one downside to married life in Kawakami Village depending how you look at it. According to Livedoor News, there has been a sharp increase in the number of married couples sharing the property with the husband’s parents. Because of the high income and large properties, more and more young couples have been opting to build two homes on the same lot and having the parents live in the extra one.

If being in such close proximity to your in-laws isn’t a problem, then you should have no trouble enjoying the quiet life with an excellent education system and teacher-to-student ratio for your children. Also, as you enter old age you can rest assured thanks to the high level of medical care in the town, including 24-hour house calls.

Source: Livedoor News

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