The Easy Life in Kamusari

Forest, Book 1

By: Shion Miura, Juliet Winters Carpenter - translator

Narrated by: Brian Nishii

From Shion Miura, the award-winning author of The Great Passage, comes a rapturous novel where the contemporary and the traditional meet amid the splendor of Japan’s mountain way of life.

Yuki Hirano is just out of high school when his parents enroll him, against his will, in a forestry training program in the remote mountain village of Kamusari. No phone, no internet, no shopping. Just a small, inviting community where the most common expression is “take it easy.”

At first, Yuki is exhausted, fumbles with the tools, asks silly questions, and feels like an outcast. Kamusari is the last place a city boy from Yokohama wants to spend a year of his life. But as resistant as he might be, the scent of the cedars and the staggering beauty of the region have a pull.

Yuki learns to fell trees and plant saplings. He begins to embrace local festivals, he’s mesmerized by legends of the mountain, and he might be falling in love. In learning to respect the forest on Mt. Kamusari for its majestic qualities and its inexplicable secrets, Yuki starts to appreciate Kamusari’s harmony with nature and its ancient traditions.

In this warm and lively coming-of-age story, Miura transports us from the trappings of city life to the trials, mysteries, and delights of a mythical mountain forest.

©2012 Shion Miura. (P)2021 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved. Translation © 2021 by Juliet Winters Carpenter.

Critic reviews

“Narrator Brian Nishii brings the wide-eyed antagonist of this enchanting audiobook to life with subtle humor and warmth.... As he builds relationships and picks up the local dialect, Yuki discovers his new environs hold mysterious secrets, as well as a deep connection to Japanese culture. Nishii's performance captures Yuki's earnestness and frustrations as he learns how people survive off the land.” (AudioFile Magazine)

“Fans of all ages should enjoy the author’s blend of the traditional and the contemporary.” (Kirkus Reviews)

“Miura (The Great Passage, 2017) takes readers on a journey with Yuki, a directionless young man, to the remote mountainside villages of Japan where the trees are plentiful, but cell reception is minimal. Miura lovingly depicts the shifting seasons and the challenges they bring to those who work in the forestry industry in Japan’s mountains.” (Booklist)

Fun story and look at rural Japan

I enjoyed this book about a young man who, after he graduates from school, is signed up by his parents to participate in a government-sponsored job program to promote logging. Great characters and a good perspective about what is actually important in life. It was a fun look at a different culture and the rural life there. The narrator, Brian Nishii, does a delightful job of bringing the main characters to life. If you want a lighthearted and fun read, this is a good one!

It was calming

It was good. A little slow at some parts but good. Truly an easy listen.

I love Shion Miura and Brian Nishii

I love how Shion Miura take a topic that most people neither think or care about and make them think and care about it and how she prints so much magic in her characters that we got invested on their lives even when they are normal people. I have to admit that I did not fall in love with this novel as I did with Shion's previous work but I definitely admire what she did here. Also, I consider myself a fan of Brian Nishii, great performance as always.

Interesting information on Japanese life of a Forestry Intern

I enjoyed learning about forestry in Japan. Having spent time in the urban areas it was great to learn more about rural life.

Big Tree

A city boy from Yokohama goes the small town of Kamusari where he experience small town life & work among the trees in the forest....delightful read.

Wonderful.

The Easy Life in Kamusari is a low stakes, disarmingly funny and soothing experience. All the warmth and charm of a Hayao Miyazaki picture in novel form.

I really liked the voice and how he acted each character and how I was able tell what character was talking.

I liked the story it was really nice and relaxing but also funny. I did not really know how much I would come to like the plot.

A tip to the Japanese village

In love with this audio book . Whimsy, funny yet deep with enchanting elements this book takes you on a trip to a Japanese mountain village like no other , introduces you to its people , invites you to live and work with them and makes you fall in love . The narrator is pretty enjoyable as well !

Slice of Life.

The narrator helped bring the village to life. The story itself was a comfy listen, with elements of excitement interspersed. Over all well done.

I wanted it to be a true story

I would love to visit Kamusari and see all the forestry techniques first-hand. Ones which I had absolutely no interest in before reading this book. Making a boring subject interesting is an impressive skill.