The Abundance of Less: Lessons in Simple Living from Rural Japan

by Andy Couturier

Inspiring stories of 10 people who left urban Japan to live ‘the simple life’ in the rural mountains—for anyone interested in sustainable living, Japanese counterculture, and Eastern spirituality
 
“Subversive in the best possible way.” —Bill McKibben, New York Times –bestselling author

The Abundance of Less captures the texture of sustainable lives well lived in these ten profiles of ordinary—yet exceptional—men and women who left behind mainstream existences in urban Japan to live surrounded by the luxuries of nature, art, friends, delicious food, and an abundance of time. Drawing on traditional Eastern spiritual wisdom and culture, these pioneers describe the profound personal transformations they underwent as they escaped the stress, consumerism, busyness, and dependence on technology of modern life.
 
This intimate and evocative book tells of their fulfilling lives as artists, philosophers, and farmers who rely on themselves for happiness and sustenance. By inviting readers to enter into the essence of these individuals’ days, Couturier shows us how we too can bring more meaning and richness to our own lives.

Genres: Nonfiction, Japan, Philosophy, Self Help, Japanese Literature, Audiobook, Memoir

432 pages, Paperback

Published August 1, 2017

About the author

Andy Couturier is an essayist, poet and writing teacher. He lived in Japan for 4 years, where he taught, was a journalist, and worked on environmental causes. His first book is Writing Open the Mind and he has written for The Japan Times, Adbusters, The North American Review, Kyoto Journal, and The Oakalnd Tribune. He is the director The Opening, a center for courses in writing. http://theopening.org"

Reviews

[Cavak · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone curious in minimalism and reducing their carbon footprint, this book didn't answer too many things I already didn't know before. It's no Marie Kondō book. But then that's not what Couturier was really trying to offer with this book. At least, not to me it wasn't.

What Couturier offers are life stories and personal philosophies from ten different perspectives. From a materialistic Western perspective to a spiritual Eastern perspective. To me, it's not with the intention to teach so as to emulate, but to absorb their words. To consider how they think and what these words mean to us. His writing to describe the landscape and the photos included to capture those brief moments adds hefty weight to their words. While it took me more time than I thought to finish reading this book, it was refreshing to be invited into another home that feels so long ago yet so rich in the modern day.

I love how he met these people by chance. Four of the people are couples, but they are valued and written as separate individuals. The wives having dramatically distinct personalities and independence from their husbands isn't always common in a "traditional Japanese" setting, so this was an outstanding cultural read too. And the self-deprecating humor and contradictions from his speakers are so Japanese that it earned me a nostalgic chuckle; it reminded me of the times when I was learning Japanese. I think Couturier wrote his book in a way that you can still appreciate the experience with no previous exposure to the language, but it does add another flavor to the text if you do know some Japanese.

Couturier states multiple times throughout the book that it took him fifteen years to complete. It certainly shows. Aside from the talks that he had from the first edition of his book, he includes a return visit years later and how they have changed. The afterword is a treat to me, since it's literally Couturier's personal takeaway from all of this. He is modest about what he has done with life and with this book, but I felt it was phenomenal how fulfilled he feels in each of his days.

If you're a person who looks at someone penniless and is utterly flabbergasted at how they can ever be happier than you, then try to be patient and read this book. This collection of leisurely conversations may help open your mind to a world that you don't sense.

I received the book for free through Goodreads Giveaways.

[Jane G Meyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book made me stop and think and rethink a thousand things in my life. I felt like I was continually being pulled away from our culture, out into outer space so I could see our world and life more objectively, then plopped back down into my little room, where I sat, with the book in my hand and my cup of tea getting cold nearby...

I read it in small chunks so that I had a chance to digest. My only criticism is that I wish the folks interviewed in the book were more diverse spirituality (most have strong Buddhist leanings) and that most of them weren't within the same circle of past experiences, marriage, friendship, etc...

But, wow, I will reread it again as I seek to shift some of the ways that I live on this planet and interact with others.

[Leanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been a fan of Andy Couturier for more than a decade. The original edition of this book sits out on my coffee table because I want to share it with everyone who comes over to our house. Beautifully written, it is also so evocative of my favorite country in the world (Japan). It is also tremendously important.

About the writing. Couturier is a writing teacher. He wrote another wonderful book about writing called Writing Open the Mind about using the subconscious to unlock creativity in your writing. I really love that book and have have read it countless times. Sometimes I just open it like the i-ching to a random page and try and employ his techniques to whatever I am writing. Because he is such a fantastic writer, The Abundance of Less is not only engaging for the ideas but it's also a total pleasure to read.

The ideas are also so important.

As one of the reviewers said below, it is not just Japan. In Europe too there are people who live mindfully about nature and the environment; people who try not to consume more than their fair share and believe that life is so much more than the American rat race.... we have indeed become consumers and producers.

I truly believe that resisting this producer/consumer model is next to impossible in the US. Healthcare is tied to your job and schools are tied to your wealth--this is a generalization but it with exceptions I think it is very hard to live an alternative lifestyle in the US. If you don't have kids and if you can gamble till you go on medicare with your health, then yes, it is possible--but you will also have to live in a city maybe since otherwise you will have to drive a lot too.

The author though walks the walk... He lives with a very small impact and pursues art and self cultivation (since he has more free time not having to produce to consume).

Like Andy, I spent a lot of time in Japan (in my case 24 years). Coming back to the US was a shock... wait, where all my friends in Japan talk about ways they can cut down on their carbon imprint and walk and turn off their aircons in the humid summer, here at home they just talk about believing in climate change (as if molecules care what they believe?)... whereas in my town in Japan we all banded together and cut our trash by 35 % in four years, in America it seems like business as usual (in fact, I bet waste is not reduced at all but the opposite with all kinds of throwaway goods, from cheap clothes to electronics...can you imagine, from what it appears my neighborhood back in LA is much more impacting than it was 24 years ago. How is this possible? In Japan, manufacturers follow customer demand and make more eco packaging (as they do in parts of Europe) . Thinking of what he said about dishwashing soap, in Japan, my friends used to hand-make sponges that they told me if we used we wouldn't need the soap anymore. I have myself found it impossible to be car free and low impact. Because this is so important (we simply can't keep living like this) I feel Couturier's book is a really important work.

I have become so incredibly cut off from nature since I have returned. It's been nearly six years now, or more maybe and that is my strongest impression--how cut off we are from nature. People need to "go out into nature" because it is so cut off from our daily life, our conversations and shared experiences.

There is a famous line from an essay by Tao Yuanming → 倚南窗以寄傲， 审容膝之易安　(Leaning on the southern window, I surrender my pride to nature and in this room scarely big enough to contain my knees, I am easily contented). To be easily contented 易安 is my life goal... but... yeah, it gets harder and harder. Andy Couturier is my hero.

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Having once lived out in the Japanese countryside, I was really excited about the idea of this book. I thought it would be similar to Rebecca Otowa's At Home in Japan, which I adored.

It started out great: really interesting glimpses into specific individuals and how they are choosing to step outside of mainstream Japan's economy and social expectations to pursue simpler lives. Interestingly, they were all influenced by travel to Nepal and/or India, and most were also artisans of some form or another.

But then I feel the author sort of lost focus and began to let the profiles get longer and longer; the specifics started to blur and soften so that it became more difficult to tell the individuals apart. Most damning of all, what started out as cozy, inspired biography morphed into tedious lectures on Hindu/Buddhist applied worldview.

My boundless interest in Japan nor my budding flirtation with minimalism was enough to keep me interested.

[CatReader · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF at ~50%. Andy Couturier is an American essayist who spent years living in Japan, where he befriended many Japanese living deliberately simple lives, often in the Japanese countryside, and eschewing modern city life and urban hustle culture. His 2017 book The Abundance of Less is essentially a re-release of his 2010 book A Different Kind of Luxury: Japanese Lessons in Simple Living and Inner Abundance profiling the same people, with updated interviews and reactions to the 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident (as many of the people he profiled were very anti-nuclear power).

Despite the interesting subject matter, I found that many of these interviews were entirely too long (in the audiobook edition I listened to, each interview lasted between an hour and an hour and a half) and started to grow quite repetitive (many of the people profiled had traveled or lived in the Indian subcontinent, had similar negative sentiments about modernity, took similar approaches to gardening and craft work, had similar philosophies on child-rearing, etc.). It might have been more effective to distill the key lessons into one merged narrative. I also didn't appreciate the undertone of moral superiority and condescension with which many of the subjects viewed and critiqued modern life; I think it's a mark of maturity to feel confident in your own life choices while simultaneously to not judge others who've chosen differently.

My statistics:
Book 136 for 2025
Book 2062 cumulatively

[Leonard Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title was what piqued my interest in this book. I enjoyed reading about the lives of Japanese people who intentionally chose to move to rural areas and practice a more simple and sustainable lifestyle. It was interesting how almost all of them had traveled to Nepal and India during their youth and were influenced by Tibetan Buddhism. Towards the end, many of the stories started to sound the same so it was tough to finish.

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got probably 85% through this book and stopped - a rarity for me, but I guess at almost 40 you realize there’s only limited time to read and I’d rather read something else.

Despite being largely anecdotal and interview-based, this book became repetitive and somewhat esoteric in terms of the oddly theoretical world a lot of the people the author interviews seem to inhabit. That seems in direct contradiction to the extremely physical, minimalistic lives the people claim to live, but the ways in which they are described and talk about them is at a level beyond what most interested parties will be able to relate to - and I write that as someone deeply interested in discussing nature and its philosophical / transcendental importance. Basically, you will get the gist of what this book is about after the first 2-3 stories. Keep reading after that only if you are specifically interested in the people featured in each story, which I ultimately was not.

[Debbi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ten people in The Abundance of Less seemed remarkably similar. The subjects were understandably inspiring to the author who continued to have friendships with them beyond the initial contact. In each profile creativity was a big focus. Music, art, activism, environmentalism, parenting, growing food was what generated joy. The simple living aspect was what sprang out of the the dedication to a creative nonconforming life in a very conforming society. I enjoyed the book and found much of it interesting. I did wish for more texture. I began to confuse the people because their stories and lifestyles were so similar. After six stories I began to drift. I can imagine revisiting the book at a later time, perhaps in print.

[Knut · Rating 4 out of 5]

andy couturier tracks down 11 japanese individuals and families who have chosen a lifestyle of simplicity in the countryside going with this decision against the mainstream of the most urbanized society on Earth. they work manually and grow their own crops despite an unparalleled level of automation in agriculture, industry and service. Courturier shows with these case studies that an abundance in well-being and self-sufficience opens up through this deliberate choice of less despite the omnipresent availablility of material affluence. deurbanization, manual work and small communities are humanity's only path forward.

[Jannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ive been trying to read this on and off for a few years and I absolutely love it despite my inability to stick to most non fiction long enough to finish
I am still reading it but I feel it deserves its rightful review.
It really is such a beautiful thought provoking book. Almost dreamy in its contemplation the characters are unique and vivacious and amazing.

Well worth the read, this is a TRUE cofee table book

[Tenma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whether you will like this book greatly depends on your expectations from it. I was interested in the concept of minimalism and was looking to read more about individuals, such as Fumio Sasaki, who simplified their way of living while maintaining a normal life. I did not find it here and therefore was a bit disappointed and found the book quite boring at times.

In this book the author profiles about 10 individuals/families whom he met in Japan over the span of many years since the 90s. Most of them, if not all, are artists and/or activists who were influenced by Nepali and Indian Buddhist traditions during their overseas travels when young. When they returned to Japan they shunned daily jobs and modern way of living and decided to live self sufficiently in remote villages. Most of the narration is about their philosophy, art, activism, and daily routine in a conversational format. Therefore, if you are contemplating living, perhaps, in a farm or away from modern society with minimal income, then you probably will find the stories in this book inspiring. I cannot deny that I found some of them quite interesting.

Stories in this book are not unique. Many families, especially in Europe, equally maintain a simplistic life style in villages, many of whom grow their own food and are self reliant. What distinguishes the individuals in this book is that they intentionally choose this way of living, primarily influenced by their philosophical beliefs, and partially to focus on their art or activist work.

This book was first published several years ago under the title "a different kind of luxury". In the revised edition the author added a few-page update about each individual who was profiled in the first edition, which I liked a lot. There is also an afterword by the author about his own experiences and attempt to emulate those of whom he profiled. I believe the afterword will be particularly interesting to those living in the US since it vividly demonstrates the differences in reality between Japan and the US.

[Josefina Wagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

muhteşem! Ne varki her zamanki gibi ABD li bir yazar olması beni biraz da olsa şüpheye düşürdü kitabı tekrar gözden geçireceğim .Katıldığım çok yer var evet dediğim gibi yine de ABDli yazar olması kafamda biraz soru işaretleri oluşturdu yani bir zamanlar Hiroshima ya atom bombası atan Japon halkını böylesine bir şiddete maruz bırakan bir ülkenin ferdi bir yazar . Neyse biraz daha dikkatlice okuyacağım . ikinci defa.
İkinci defa dinlemem le daha çok beğendim neyse Yazarı önyargısız olarak çok beğendim aslında yazardan çok tabiki Japon bilge ve zanaatçılarına da hayranlığım çok arttı. Çok konu var ele alınacak altı çizilecek sözler de çok bence en iyisi okuyun...

[Anie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is exactly the book I needed to read right now.

I am generally skeptical of books about "the simple rural life." I grew up rural and find that many books about "rural wisdom" and the like are neither wise nor truly rural; they are frequently shallow pastiches, portraying a place and a people that are not real. I am also generally skeptical of books about "Japanese wisdom," which tend to have a set of weeaboo foibles, to say the least. I am also-also generally skeptical of lifestyle books (ah, the commodification of the life ways of other countries; remember hygge and lagom?).

This is emphatically NOT this book. Couturier works hard to paint an accurate picture of the people he interviews, all the while knowing and acknowledging that all he can ever write is his own perception. He doesn't pontificate about them (though he certainly has his own view and agenda regarding simple living), but instead tries to bring a faithful portrayal of what they said and how they live. It's effective, and moving, and it's incredible, incredible food for thought. It's a book that's about trying to live the good life, to adhere to your morals and your own true self, to dig deep. There's incredibly little pretension or fakery, and no fawning over Japan (while happily discussing the differences, good and bad, between Japanese and US culture). The folks Couturier interviews live deeply and this book dives into that depth, and it's damned glorious.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I happen to read this book in the middle of NYC's lockdown, and for the first time I cooked every single day since beginning of March. It was the one-hour I looked forward to the most everyday: looking up recipes, marinating meat, chopping vegetables, steaming/frying/baking/simmering a concoction of flavors and textures that I didn't know I was capable of. It's at the end of a 10-hour work day, but it's exciting and adventurous and the reward is oh so nourishing.

My relationship with food changed. It's more than something to fill my stomach but a co-creation of delights. It takes time, but it's time very well-spent to figure out the recipe, to orchestrate the sequence of events, and to experiment with condiments and sauces.

Why am I writing about my cooking while reviewing this book about simple living in rural Japan? Because we establish meaning with people and things proportional to the time we invest in them. Chores are not inherent time-suckers if one puts heart and mind into them. Convenience and speed destroy that relationship between humans and the things/services that support us.

While reading this book, so many other pieces came to mind: Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, Joseph Campbell, Thoreau and etc. It's a practical philosophy book that shows a more intentional approach to relate to the world and to create meaning with all our endeavors.

[Pii · Rating 5 out of 5]

There has been plenty of time and thought put on this one - you can feel it while reading. Such a nourishing book!

[Linh Bui]

Somewhat enjoy the book.

I picked this book up since I'm interested in the sustainability movement. I enjoyed the first half of the book. After a while, I feel dreadful to finish the book. Maybe because I am under the impression that whatever is told in this book, has been altered, in some ways or another, to Couturier's perspectives of the people he interviewed (wow, that was a run-on sentence). Meaning that the people's stories may have been twisted to fit his own narrative. Things like this happens all the time when stories are told in other people's perspective and I'm not surprised.

Also, there are many statements from the interviewees that I somewhat disagree. The best way to approach it is reading it with an open mind and don't blindly agreeing to everything they say. They are doing what fits their belief and judgement. And we should do it, too. Take it for a grain of salt, I guess.

Some of the people here I find them to do it to an extreme. Again, it's all about the balance you think you can do to fit your life and circumstances.

Aside from all the negative things mentioned above, I did thoroughly enjoyed the first half. Reading about their life, stories, and anecdotes makes me feel jealous because they have such a carefree life. I do think that, we have been surrounded, bombarded, and consumed by all kind of information and technology that make we feel suffocated. Not keeping up with all the expectations or all the demands from society is the response to that.

I do agree that living like this is not a lifestyle, rather, it's a way of living. However, reading about sustainability living is one thing, actually take actions and change your way of living is another. I just hope to take a thing or two from here and apply it into my life.

This books is very informative, despite having some negative details (which are all solely my opinions). Mr. Couterier's writing is also very captivating and vivid that sometimes I feel like I am there, with all of them, and listening to their conversations. So I feel like I just cannot use numbers to rate this book. I would say read it if you are curious about sustainability and don't mind reading long books.

Ps. Wow, this review is the longest review I have written since, maybe, ever...

[Mona · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this book author focuses on three main topics: Japanese culture (art, music, poetry etc.), minimalism and Buddhism. All three of them are a big interest of mine, so I was very excited to read this book. Unfortunately, it came out as little flat. It's not bad, just not as good as I hoped so. It took me a while to figure out what was the problem and I'm still not sure if I will verbalize it right.

Author presents a few characters - Japanese people who decided to live simple life in the countryside. He introduces all three mentioned topics as a components of their life. However, objectively speaking these people share very little in their own words with the author. And to be fair--it's not his fault, it's just a part of Japanese culture and philosophy which is not ever open, especially to folks from the West. Most of the book contains descriptions of the nature, art and Buddhist sutras which is interesting but feels like a substitute. I would like to learn more about those specific individuals. What they feel and think.

Nevertheless, it's an interesting book. People who don't know much about Buddhist philosophy or minimalism may learn something but readers familiar with those topics may not find much new.

[Iris Law · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly inspirational 10 stories about 10 Japanese who chose to live an unusual and simple life in the countryside of Japan. They are all very intellectual people who have a prosperous life not measured by money - "a real dignity to surviving by your own power" and "prioritized a solidness of heart and a richness of the spirit". It reminded us of the lost values, and taught us the importance of closeness to nature and sustainable living, The kind of lifestyle practiced by these 10 Japanese may not be desirable for most people nowadays in a world driven by money, speed, and power, but afterall human beings don't need a lot to live a good life. Author Andy Couturier writes beautifully and I enjoyed the entire book from the beginning till the end. Highly recommend.

[Elise · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm on a Japan reading bender right now and I've always had a soft spot for minimalists and counter cultural people. I figured this book would got all the bases but it was just so incredibly extreme I found myself almost recoiling from the stories. Like, the life of a substance farmer is not simple and honestly it sounds miserable. The author didn't shy away from the reality of the situations either. When the crops failed they went hungry.

The philosophy parts (which were extensive towards the end) were interesting but as a Christian, there was limited relatability.

All in all it was a good read but not what I had hoped for.

[tanshi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book about the Japanese individuals who choose to move to rural areas to practice and simple and sustainable lifestyle. From a materialistic Western perspective to a spiritual Eastern perspective. Something I've been curious of and trying to explore. It was refreshing to check out different homes that felt so long ago, yet so rich and present in the current day.

I can't wait to re-read this book.

[Mom2triplets04]

Tried to listen to this on audio. I listened to maybe 1/2 hour and decided to DNF it. I was disappointed .

[Quỳnh]

Bản dịch không đủ tốt với mình, khiến việc tiếp nhận những câu chuyện đến từ cuốn sách trở nên khó khăn hơn.

[Rici · Rating 3 out of 5]

Insightful, inspiring people :) challenge your convictions with this book and beware - you may end up wishing to travel to Nepal and India soon

[Maarten · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great read. We live in a highly consumptive society . We can generally all do with a little less and who knows we may enlighten ourselves with seeing the little things that matter. Would be great for the planet as well

[Seinka · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book reminded me so much of so many things Jingwei said: his reflections on “work” and “usefulness”, his tryouts with permaculture before i even knew it was called that way,… And then of course the graves i saw close to its houses, its reason now explained in this book. I’m truly grateful for this book for letting Jingwei speak to me again!
On a personal level, this book made me think a lot on our current capitalistic consumeristic system. Having always had the strong desire to go against the system, lately the desire to fake it falls even harder. We work as if we only gain something out of it (money) but in fact we put something so much more precious into it (time). What i djd notice is that the people in the book either had an office job or were artists/ philosophers before, the first group having jobs without meaning, the second group with a more free tendency of living. I wonder if a doctor for ex would make as easy the step to break out of modern society. In that sense i do think that this lifestyle is an accumulation of several factors, and not just systemic driven.
I found it interesting to read how the people choose to live with less to no money so that they gain the max freedom. They admit life is uncomfortable without money but that they are happy with its consequences. It made me wonder if i would be able to live on 4000 dollars per year and do a boring labor job for just a few months.
What made the biggest impression on me, was the story of the guy who chopped wood every day to light its fire. He had to do tons of other chores just to keep his stove burning. The author asked why he didn’t just use gas and the man replied: everything i do in my daily life i do because i like to do it. How amazing would it be to live just doing what you want to do, every minute of it. The sounds of nature, a house in the mountains, having your hands in earth… this book is a seed planted in my heart. Truly enjoyed it and found it very enriching. 10 out of 5!

Ps a critical reflection i do want to make is ti which extend is the choice of minimalism a choice of privilege? It is a reflection that is briefly touched upon but not fully explored but deserves a deeper analysis because of the sufferings our ancestors had to bear

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

A slow read about living by five general principles - living a gentle, small, humble, slow, and simple life. The author profiles 10 people he met while living in Japan (all seem connected to each other through activism, social connections, and some are husband and wife). All choose to live in rural parts of Japan, growing their own food for the most part, living closer to nature and further from consumer culture. All seem to have connections to Buddhism, mostly Nepali Buddhism, and the book discusses their philosophical and religious beliefs that drive their way of life.

The author’s afterword, new to this edition, lays out his own way of thinking and living, which I think is an important addition so that we can see what biases and viewpoints influenced his interviews - the author is very present throughout the book, so knowing who he is is valuable.

The author’s chapter also brings the book back from the romantic notions of Japanese rural life to the realities of living like this in the US. If you live in the countryside in the US it’s unlikely you’ll find shops to buy groceries within 3 miles of your home, unlikely you’ll be able to live in a rural paradise without spending a lot of money or using a vehicle a lot to get the things you can’t grow or make yourself. There are no trains and buses connecting most of the rural US to its towns and cities, not the way there are in Japan. Living in a community, living cheaply, and living in nature are often mutually exclusive here.

But the book is intended, I think, to show that there are other ways to live, that we can opt out of the parts of our society that don’t line up with our values, and that we can create more meaningful lives by slowing down and making intentional choices. I’m considering what parts of these peoples’ ways of living I would want to and could incorporate into my life here, in this specific place I live, which right now is the best compromise that lines up with our needs and values.

I think this book is a good companion to “just enough: lessons in living green from traditional japan” by Abby Brown, which I have on my shelf and want to reread now.

[Danish Prakash · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful and profound book that tells the stories of people that have chosen to live their lives differently from the rest of us. These people have consciously chosen to live a life free from rampant consumerism, consumption and a life in which they're not as dependent or directly affected by capitalism as the average human being. Reading this book forces you to think about the choices you've made in life hitherto. The clothes you wear, the food you eat, the devices you use, the things you cherish and most importantly, the values you live by. I personally made certain decisions differently thanks to this book and will try to carry over what I've gathered and learnt from the stories narrated in this book. As a side-effect, this book has reinforced my interest in Japanese culture, so that's another plus. All in all, if you're interested in this kind of self-help and cultural books, do give this a read. I'm going to share this thought that emanated from the book:

"..you save time by using all the latest gadgets and productivity hacks but in the end you end up making yourself busier."

And that's very intriguing because the time that you free for yourselves, you allocate that time to some other activity and you're constantly in a state of rush, at least mentally if not physically and maybe that's not the only option.

[Gerald Kinro · Rating 3 out of 5]

It started off great but became redundant, for there was a lack of diversity of the subjects interviewed. While the theme was to hear the stories of those who chose to live "off the grid" in self sufficiency each was really the same. Highly-educated, well-traveled (especially to India), and all within a certain age group. For the most part, they live on the island of Shikoku.

I would like to have seen a better cross-section. For example, I have seen documentaries and read articles of those who live that life of simple abundance with less formal education less exposure to the world. Some practice traditional arts and crafts just to keep them alive albeit without much compensation. Others tend the land. In fact I have seen clips of entire villages that live this way in some of the prefectures on the along the Japan Sea.

But it is worth a read.

[Roxanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a Goodreads win review. This is a very delightful and wonderful story of ten men and women who left the mainstream of urban Japan and moved to a very natural place. They lived as artists, and farmers and they relied on themselves and formed close bonds with each other. I can relate to this book having lived in So Calif for 60 years and then moving to Kansas where these people cherish thier land and do not build on every inch of it. Every place you drive here is pretty with fields of food and ranches with cows and horses. We have a huge garden ourself which saves us a lot of money on food and we exchange food with others who grow different stuff. In this calmer state you have closer bonds like these Japanese men and women.

[Sabrina · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this book. It seemed to have all the makings of something I would truly enjoy. Maybe I'm just not a fan of the author's writing style. I felt as though he spent a great deal of time detailing things, which would normally add to the richness of a book in a positive way. In this case however, it seemed as if that was all the book was. Those details didn't necessarily pertain to things that were significant to the story line. It just seemed like a collected of very well detailed things with no real purpose or story behind it.

I hate to be so harsh on something that I'm sure took a great deal of time. I'm glad others really enjoyed it. Like I said, it's just not my personal preference. Don't let me stop you from reading this.