As I write this in my home outside Kurohime, it’s astonishing to realize it has been 36 years since I came to live in the hills of northern Nagano Prefecture.
Back then, as I still am, I was eager to learn more about the wildlife and legends of our mountains, so I studied to get the permits I needed to join the local hunting association. Actually, though, the members generously let me go along with them as a beater even before I’d completed all the exams and shooting tests and satisfied all the police checks required to qualify for my gun and hunting licenses.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.