April is the perfect time to spend a night in Satoyama and experience the slow life of the countryside.

Lately, besides the frightening PM2.5 (definitely not 2:30 in the afternoon), the major topic everyone has been discussing is probably the water shortage crisis. This ought to be the season of lingering spring rain, yet not enough rain has come, and this has left the Satoyama residents scratching their heads a bit. The rice paddies that are eager for water can still draw water from the streams, and the citrus orchards also need pumped irrigation. And the best delicacy of Satoyama in April and May, makino bamboo shoots, also need plenty of rain to coax them out of the ground.

That is right, the April "Go Stay a Night in Satoyama" will bring everyone together to learn about bamboo, which is closely tied to life in Satoyama. In the countryside, bamboo is a wonderful material that can be eaten, used, played with, and used to build houses, and the makino bamboo shoots that begin shooting up in great numbers around Qingming are a top-tier wild delicacy of Satoyama. Let us head into the makino bamboo grove together, learn about the ecology of makino bamboo, learn to harvest makino bamboo shoots, and at the same time use bamboo to make folk toys, cook a delicious bamboo feast, and then head out into the Satoyama night to observe the rich ecology of Satoyama.

The April Go Stay a Night in Satoyama will be held on 4/18-19, and is expected to enroll five families or small groups to stay together in Satoyama, deeply experience life in Satoyama, and take in the deliciousness and wonder of Satoyama. Spots are limited, so sign up quickly.

[Go Stay a Night in Satoyama - April. The Fragrance of Satoyama Makino Bamboo event brochure]