36歳にして初めて自分が出産しなければいけない時に、
ごちゃごちゃしている東京ではどうしても出産という気分
にはなれなかった。
自然の豊かな屋久島で出産したい、と心に決めて始めた
屋久島の生活も早一年になろうとしている。
その間いろんなことが起こった。
その間いろんなことが起こった。
女として36年間生きてきて、まだ体験していない体の痛み
や変化というものを出産を通して経験した。
それだけでも大変なのに、今度は世界中がコロナ菌に侵され、
それだけでも大変なのに、今度は世界中がコロナ菌に侵され、
このまま世界経済が破綻するのではないかという現象が一時
垣間見まれる。そんな数百年に一度の現象を、まるで夢でも
みているかのように屋久島で鑑賞していた。
鑑賞していた、というのも正しい表現である。
鑑賞していた、というのも正しい表現である。
何故なら私の周りに暮らしていた屋久島の南で、コロナに関
して悲観している人が、圧倒的に少ないという事だった。
私は知人に会うたびに「コロナで大変でしょう？」と尋ねる
のだが、「はて？ はて？そうかなぁ、自分はこの時間を楽しん
でいる！」と目を輝かせてそんな応えが返って来た。
何度も同じ質問を繰り返すのだが、周りの人は、大変だ、とは
言わなかった。別に意地を張っている様子でもなさそうだ。
現に観光客がいなくなり、仕事が激変したはずなのの屋久島
現に観光客がいなくなり、仕事が激変したはずなのの屋久島
の観光業で働く、私の知り合いのガイドさんはこの空いた
時間を写真を撮るのに使っているそうだ。
プロ並みの腕利きの写真家だが、今まではガイドの仕事で
忙しくなかなか写真を撮れずにいたが、コロナのお陰で仕事
が減り時間が余り、思う存分写真を撮りに森に入るらしい。
近所の喫茶店に通う常連客さん達もみな口を揃えて云うのが、
近所の喫茶店に通う常連客さん達もみな口を揃えて云うのが、
「屋久島では食べるのに困らないから何の心配もしていない」
果たしてそんな単純な事だろうかといろいろ考えてみた。
確かに家賃はべらごうに安い屋久島だ。
行きつけのカフェで働くお姉さんなんかも「家族5人で5千円の
家に住んでいる」と自慢そうに語ってくれる。
その通りだ。ここ屋久島で「月に4万円の家賃を払っていると
いると云うと「まずそんなに払う島に住んでいる子はいないね」
と言われる。
僅か数千円の家賃、そして安くて新鮮な魚や野菜が手に入る、
僅か数千円の家賃、そして安くて新鮮な魚や野菜が手に入る、
只それだけで年収数億円稼いでいる東京の大金持ちより良い
暮らしが出来る。そういう愉快さを感じる島の暮らし。
良く考えてみなくとも、東京やニューヨークで地位がある職
良く考えてみなくとも、東京やニューヨークで地位がある職
を持ちバリバリ稼いでいく人たちよりも、屋久島でコロナ菌
の心配もあまりせず、おいしい空気を吸い、朗らかな人々に
囲まれて子育ての出来る方が断然気楽だ。
一体この生活に値段を付けるとしたら、いくらで私は売り渡す
一体この生活に値段を付けるとしたら、いくらで私は売り渡す
だろうか？
おそらく何千万円のお金を渡されても、住んでいるだけで数十
万かかり、いつ菌に侵されるか分からず、ビリビリしている東京
やニューヨークには住む気になれないな、と私は正直思った。
「菜甲」より
ココ 倉富
When I had to give birth for the first time at the age of 36,
When I had to give birth for the first time at the age of 36,
I just couldn't feel like giving birth in the messy Tokyo.
The life of Yakushima, which started with the decision to
The life of Yakushima, which started with the decision to
give birth on Yakushima, which is rich in nature, is about to
turn into a year.
During that time, various things happened.
During that time, various things happened.
I have lived as a woman for 36 years, and this time I experienced
physical pain and changes that I had not yet experienced
through childbirth.
Even though it was difficult, there was a glimpse of the
Even though it was difficult, there was a glimpse of the
phenomenon that the world would be invaded by coronavirus
and the world economy would collapse as it is. I was watching
such a phenomenon once in hundreds of years on Yakushima
as if I was dreaming.
It is a correct expression to have been watching.
It is a correct expression to have been watching.
The reason was that in the southern part of Yakushima,
where I lived around, there were overwhelmingly few people
who were pessimistic about corona.
Every time I meet an acquaintance, I ask, "Isn't it hard in
Every time I meet an acquaintance, I ask, "Isn't it hard in
Corona?"
Well, I don't think so. I'm enjoying this time! With their eyes
shining, such a response came back.
I ask the same question over and over, but they didn't say it
was hard. It doesn't look like they're stubborn.
A guide I know who works in the tourism industry in Yakushima
A guide I know who works in the tourism industry in Yakushima
is using this spare time to take pictures, even though the
number of tourists has disappeared and his work has changed
drastically.
Although he is a professional photographer, he has been busy
with his guide work and couldn't take pictures, but thanks to
Corona, he has less work and more time, so he seems to go
into the forest to take pictures as much as he wants.
All the regular customers who go to the coffee shop in the
All the regular customers who go to the coffee shop in the
neighborhood say, "I'm not worried because I don't have any
trouble eating in Yakushima."
I wondered if it was such a simple thing.
Certainly Yakushima is a very cheap rent.
A young woman who works at a coffee shop I go to proudly
says, "I live in a house of 5,000 yen with five family members."
That's right. Here in Yakushima, when I say, "I pay 40,000
yen a month for rent."
"People who live on the island don't pay that much," they say.
On Yakushima, you can get rent for only a few thousand
yen, and cheap and fresh fish and vegetables. By itself, you
can live a better life than the rich people in Tokyo who earn
hundreds of millions of yen a year. Living on an island where
you can feel that kind of fun.
Even if you don't think about it, you don't have to worry about
Even if you don't think about it, you don't have to worry about
coronaviruses on Yakushima as much as those who have jobs
in Tokyo or New York and earn a lot of money. It's definitely
easier to do it.
How much would I sell if I were to price this life on Yakushima?
How much would I sell if I were to price this life on Yakushima?
I honestly thought that even if I was given tens of millions
of yen, I wouldn't feel like living in Tokyo or New York. It costs
hundreds of thousands of yen a month just to live, and you
have to live a tingling life without knowing when you will be
affected by the fungus.
「Saikou」
Coko Kuratomi
