Tucked between the soft, sloping hills of Sosa in Japan, Saito’s farm unfolds like a quiet sanctuary vast, yet humble, a place where the land is not just cultivated, but deeply respected. Saito has spent years shaping this farm with his own hands, guided by a philosophy rooted in self-reliance, care, and coexistence with nature.
Here, everything has a purpose. He grows his own food from vibrant vegetables to golden fields of rice and raises animals like chickens with patience and dignity. His methods are organic, free from chemicals and shortcuts. He consumes what he produces, sells what he can spare, and wastes nothing. The entire farm breathes with the rhythm of a sustainable life, where every decision is deliberate, and every harvest carries a story.
When I began documenting this series, I didn’t expect to become part of the work. But soon, I found myself harvesting rice beside Saito, learning the subtle differences between varieties one meant for daily meals, the other for brewing sake, Japan’s beloved rice alcohol. With each cut, I felt myself learning not only about crops but about tradition, patience, and care passed down through generations.
Sosa had just weathered a powerful storm, and many nearby farms bore the scars of the damage. Yet Saito remained calm. His preparedness and quiet resilience kept his farm standing, and his optimism was quietly contagious. He showed me how he adapted, how he salvaged what could be saved, and how he accepted what was lost with grace.
The heat was unrelenting heavy, humid, and constant but something about the work made it bearable. Even beautiful. And in between the labour, I noticed something else: the richness of life that thrived in and around his land. Frogs croaked from the edges of the paddies, hopping between the stalks, slipping into the water with the softest splash. Birds swooped overhead. Insects buzzed in the tall grasses. The farm wasn’t just productive, it was alive, teeming with wildlife that reminded me this wasn’t just a place for growing food, but a living ecosystem in motion.
What stayed with me most was Saito’s outlook. He doesn’t try to dominate the land he works with it. His farm isn’t just a livelihood; it’s a reflection of his belief in balance, simplicity, and coexistence. Being there, even for a short time, shifted my perspective. It reminded me that a slower life, lived in tune with the land, holds a kind of richness we often overlook.
This photo series is more than a visual record, it’s a glimpse into a way of life that values sustainability, tradition, and the wild, beautiful world that can flourish when we choose to live gently alongside it.