The Biggest Chapter of My Life Is Finally Beginning.

It all started because yesterday happened to be my day off, and I noticed that my father-in-law had written “grass cutting” on the whiteboard where he keeps track of his schedule. My wife and I decided to join him.

My wife had participated the previous time as well, so it felt awkward to be the only one out of the three not helping. Once I decided to join, I figured I had better work seriously. At 192 cm tall, I stand out enough already.

So I threw myself into cutting grass with full commitment.

Perhaps seeing that, my father-in-law casually asked me during the work:

“Would you like to become a parishioner of the shrine?”

Apparently, at its peak, the shrine had quite a large number of parishioner families. Now, however, only fourteen households remain. The future is not exactly bright.

Still, since the shrine sits right next to our property, it did not feel right to treat it carelessly. So I immediately agreed.

The official new year for the shrine begins on July 15th, the day of Miyanagi, and from that day our life as shrine parishioners will officially begin.

The main events consist mostly of grass cutting three times a year — not exactly the most exciting tradition imaginable, but unavoidable.

My father-in-law is currently the oldest member. Everyone else is in their seventies. There are no members in their sixties, and only one household in their fifties.

Quite a lineup.

My father-in-law serves as the head representative of the shrine, the highest position within the organization, though it brings him endless stress. The previous leader developed dementia, was hospitalized, and the shrine was left largely unattended for over ten years before he finally passed away in his nineties. My father-in-law reluctantly inherited the responsibility afterward.

For a shrine supported by only fifteen households — including us — it has a surprisingly impressive main hall.

Apparently, the shrine once owned a mountain, which was sold for about 100 million yen. Roughly twenty years ago, 80 million yen of that money was used to rebuild the shrine hall.

The remaining 20 million yen savings have gradually dwindled and are now barely surviving. My father-in-law reviewed all the expenses — insurance, gas, water, electricity — and somehow reorganized the finances so the shrine might survive another twenty years.

Rural shrines everywhere seem to be struggling.

At this point, we are apparently considered long-awaited new reinforcements, so I intend to participate in these grass-cutting events as much as possible. July 15th will definitely be mandatory.

Up until last year, life revolved around things like tango and overseas travel. Now, somehow, grass cutting has become one of the major events of my life.

And yet, there is also something strangely appealing about this lifestyle.

There is a day-use hot spring with natural flowing spring water only ten minutes away by car, and being able to visit it three times a week is not a life easily abandoned.

We may not be able to revitalize the entire region, but at the very least, my wife and I intend to keep cutting grass with determination in hopes of helping this shrine survive.