Motivation｜Thoughts that sprouted after wandering overseas

After graduating from high school, Sakamoto enlisted in the Japan Self-Defense Forces and believed that he would fulfill his chosen career, and that he would naturally work for the Self-Defense Forces until retirement. A few years later, at the age of 23, he went abroad for the first time. Everything he came in contact with was stimulating. Through the encounters he had on his trip, he began to think about living his one and only life as he wished, and a year later he decided to retire from the JSDF and set out on his journey again. He traveled around the U.S. on a motorcycle, rode around Europe on a bicycle, lived in slums, pulled a dog sled.... Before he knew it, 6 years had passed. When he began to feel that his travels were coming to an end, he decided to take a step forward in his life as a traveler in constant search of stimulation, and to create a life in a place that is important to him. For Sakamoto, his grandparents' house, which remained deep in Yame, a place where the Japanese countryside and traditional culture still existed, was an ideal place to settle down. After moving into the vacant house, he deepened his ties with the villagers through various community activities. Sakamoto became very special to the villagers, and later inherited a large old house that became the "Tenku no Chayashiki."

ツナガリ｜地域の想いを受け継いだ「天空の茶屋敷」

八女市黒木町に移住後、坂本さんの家には四六時中、旅人仲間が訪れるようになった。小さな山奥の集落で異質な存在となっていた坂本さんに八女の地域おこし協力隊である森庄（たいら）さんが目をつけ、集落の人々に紹介してまわった。八女茶ツアー等を通して、住民とも密に交流するようになった坂本さんに、とある飲み会の席で集落の村長が言った。
「坂本くん、あんたなら良か、あんたがあの家もらいなさい！」
集落の一番上にある眺めの良い大きな屋敷。村長は、およそ10年もの間空き家となっていた立派な屋敷を活用してくれる若者を探していたのだ。屋敷を笠原地区に人を呼び込む場所にするため、森さん協力のもと、地域のプロジェクトとして改修することも決まった。坂本さんは旅の道中で、いつか好きな場所でゲストハウスを始めたいと思っていたこともあり、この場所をゲストハウスにすることを決心する。もともと坂本さんは好きで人を招いていたが、いつしか人を招くことが集落の人たちからも期待されるようになっていた。

Ecosystem｜"Tenku no Chayashiki" inherits the community's wishes

After moving to Kuroki Town in Yame City, Sakamoto's house began to get visited at all hours by fellow travelers. Mori, a member of Yame's Community Development Cooperation Team, took notice of Sakamoto, who had become an alien presence in the small mountain village, and went around introducing him to the villagers. Through tea tours and other activities, Sakamoto came to interact closely with the villagers, and at a drinking party, the village head said to him, "Sakamoto, you can have that house."
The house was a large mansion with a great view of the village. The village chief was looking for a young man who could make use of the house, which had been vacant for about 10 years. With the cooperation of Mr. Mori, it was decided to renovate the house as a community project in order to make it a place that attracts people to the Kasahara area. Sakamoto decided to turn the place into a guesthouse, as he had hoped to one day start a guesthouse in his favorite place during his travels. Originally, Sakamoto had been inviting people because he liked to, but before long, inviting people became an expectation of the villagers as well.

コツ｜世界放浪を経て見つけた”良いゲストハウス”の共通点

「来る人たちにナイスな自分でいること」
坂本さんがゲストハウス運営で大事にしていることだ。そしてそれこそが世界を放浪する中で見出した”良いゲストハウス”の共通点だという。
坂本さんは訪れたゲストがくつろいでくれるよう、はじめに八女茶を振る舞い言葉を交わす。ゲストが退屈そうにしていると、近くに見晴らしのいい景色があるから一緒に見に行かないかと誘ってみる。ゲストが揉めた時には、文化や価値観が違う者同士がお互いの価値観をぶつけ合えるよう、すぐに止めはしない。坂本さんにとって「ナイスでいること」とは、相手をリスペクトし、ゲストが自然体でいれるようフランクに、そして人として対等に接することなのではないだろうか。

Tips｜What "good guesthouses" have in common, as found by wandering the world

”Be nice to everyone that comes to my guesthouse.” This is what Sakamoto values in his guesthouse management. This is what he has found common to "good guesthouses" throughout his travels around the world. Sakamoto first serves Yame tea and exchanges a few words with guests to make them feel at home. If guests seem bored, he invites them to come with him to a nearby scenic spot. When guests get into trouble, he does not immediately stop them and instead allows people with different cultures and values to share their values with each other. For Sakamoto, "being nice" means respecting others, being frank with guests so that guests can be natural, and treating them as equals.

コレカラ｜日本縦断の旅へ

「人生は一度きり。僕は常に自分の幸せを追い求め続けているし、ゲストハウスはあくまで手段でしかない。人の繋がりがあればどんなことがあってもなんとかなる」
そう語る坂本さんは、一時的に天空の茶屋敷を仲間に預けて、2022年の9月より北海道から福岡の八女まで日本縦断の旅に出る。ただの旅ではなく、リアカーを引いて八女のお茶を売りながら歩くのだ。そこには大好きな旅ができる上に八女のPRもできて一石二鳥だという、マイペースで自由気ままな坂本さんらしい理由があった。黒木町は過疎化が進み、深刻な空き家問題を抱えている。集落を支えてきた高齢者の方々に代わり、これからは自分たち若い世代が八女を盛り上げていかなくてはいけない。坂本さんの日本縦断にはそんな想いも込められているのかもしれない。その時々でワクワクする方へ向かっていく坂本さんは、この先どんなことに思いを馳せ、八女を盛り上げていくのか楽しみだ。

For the Future ｜Traveling Across Japan

”I can only live for once; I am always in pursuit of my own happiness, and guesthouses are a means to that end. If I have human connections, I can make it work no matter what.”
Saying this, Sakamoto will temporarily leave Tenku no Chayashiki in the hands of his friends and embark on a journey across Japan from Hokkaido to Yame, Fukuoka, in September 2022. The trip will not be just a trip, but a walk around selling Yame tea with the rear wheel in tow. He has his own reasons for doing this, as he is a free-spirited person who likes to travel at his own pace and kills two birds with one stone by promoting Yame. Kuroki Town is suffering from depopulation and has a serious problem with vacant houses. The elderly who have supported the community have been replaced by the younger generation, and it is up to the younger generation to make Yame a thriving community. Sakamoto's journey across Japan may also be imbued with such thoughts. We look forward to seeing what Sakamoto, who is always moving in the direction that excites him at any given moment, will come up with in the future to enliven Yame.