The Easy Life in Kamusari (Forest, #1)

by Shion Miura

In a village this small, where everybody knew everybody, no one ever thought of making introductions.

Typical setting

Whether they were tears of sadness at having failed to escape or tears of relief at being alive, I didn’t know.

Hunger will make a man do strange things.

Ha ha

“Human activity helps maintain every forest in Japan. Cutting down timber, using it, continually planting more—that’s how we take care of the woodlands. That’s what counts. That’s our job.”

Kamusari village, a place where grown men had in all seriousness just put on a show for the sake of a dog. A place that was growing on me more all the time.

“That’s a sandalwood tree,” Seiichi said. “See, the mountains aren’t only aloof and forbidding. They contain beauty like this. Even with no one around to see, every year the tree bears this fruit.”