The World of the Earth: Guided by an Interpreter
“I majored in developmental biology at university, and worked on research projects on sea urchins and lampreys. Sea urchins are very famous model organisms in the field of developmental biology, and are known as invertebrates. They provide clues to the evolutionary process that took place before organisms with backbones, like us, were born. On the other hand, lampreys are considered to be an important primitive organism in exploring how the spine was developed. Through these two organisms, I have been conducting research into the evolution of life.”
So says Ms. Terada, who works as a tour guide, mainly focusing on hiking and walking tours in Ama Town in the Oki Islands. Amongst the tour guides, she is one with particularly specialised knowledge. Making use of the knowledge she has acquired at university and throughout her career, in addition to knowledge on the geopark, her scientific-perspective-incorporated storytelling captures the hearts of listeners.
Furthermore, Ms. Terada also works as Ama Town’s coordinator, specialising in promoting the geopark. “I want to become the bridge between the tourism and education sectors,” says Ms. Terada. Before the establishment of Entô (est. 2021), the geopark facility that doubles as an accommodation facility, she was in charge of coordinating the preparation of concept and exhibition design of the Geo Lounge. Playing a role in supporting “lifestyles and tradition”, one of the three key concepts of Oki Islands UNESCO Global Geopark, Ms. Terada also contributed as a member of the secretariat of the Emperor Gotoba Executive Committee, promoting cultural projects. The Gotoban-san Art Festival (from 2023) is one of the projects launched by Ms. Terada and her colleagues, and they continue the challenge of creating new cultural value.
As a tour guide, one of the activity plans Ms. Terada offers is the“Tea Ceremony and Japanese Calligraphy”. This may seem like an unusual combination in the Oki Islands, a place surrounded by nature. But the contrast is what makes it interesting.
The “Tea Ceremony and Japanese Calligraphy” activity takes you on an e-bike cycling trip. You can feel the gentle breeze as you ride through nature, and enjoy the scenery as you head to your destination. Waiting for you at your destination is a period of tranquillity where you can enjoy calligraphy and tea ceremony. There is a unique sense of nervousness when you pick up the brush for the first stroke. Basking in the afterglow of calligraphy, I drank the tea. Together with the fragrant matcha, a moment of escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life visited. This tour package is truly a luxurious and relaxing experience that allows participants to experience the charm of Japanese culture and nature at the same time.
Unfortunately, it was raining on the day of the interview. So, instead of travelling on an e-bike, we asked to try our hands on calligraphy and tea ceremony at Rainbow Beach.
“The appeal of this activity is you can experience both the ‘movement’ of travelling by e-bike and the ‘stillness’ of calligraphy and tea ceremony during the course of it. I hope the participants can have a special time experiencing the nature of the islands and Japanese culture.”
This activity plan is not a typical one that visits many sightseeing spots efficiently. It allows you to stay in one place for a long time and fully immerse yourself in the atmosphere and scenery. Furthermore, you will be able to experience the charm of the Oki Islands to the fullest, as the rhythm of stillness and movement intertwines.
↑We searched for some rocks and driftwood that could be used as paperweights.
First, we started by looking for a paperweight substitute, so that the calligraphy paper wouldn’t fly away easily. Using some stones and branches, we then created an improvised calligraphy space. It’s amazing how just this can create a feeling of elation, as if you are creating something together with nature.
It feels a little strange to hold a calligraphy brush outdoors. Holding up the brush, memories of calligraphy classes during my student days swarmed. However, the surrounding silence and breath of nature differ from back then. In this age where the usage of smartphones and computers is the mainstream, the act of writing words using a calligraphy brush has become something out of the ordinary. It had been a while since I last picked up a brush. I felt confused and thought I could write better back then. But that was also an enjoyment.
↑Ms. Terada prepared some samples in advance, and there were a lot of words in the line-up.
It is also fun to think about “what to write”. Using the samples provided by Ms. Terada as a reference, you can choose a phrase that you like, or the motto you live by. You can also express the feelings you had at that time.
“Just write, freely, what you want to write.” Encouraged by Ms. Terada’s words, holding the brush, my hand gradually moved to the next step.
We first practised using calligraphy paper, and then wrote a clean copy on shikishi boards (traditional boards made of washi paper mounted on a hard backing). Enveloped in tranquillity, I carefully wrote each stroke, enjoying the scent of the ink and the feel of the brush. While working on the clean copy, I feel a sense of accomplishment and can’t help but narrow my gaze at the beauty of the finished piece.
After enjoying calligraphy to your heart’s content, a cup of matcha prepared by Ms. Terada awaits. If you want to try your hands on it, it is another merriment. Enjoying a cup of tea with the Oki Islands’ natural environment as the background, it is a very casual and relaxed experience. Still, looking at the deep green tea and the bubbles floating on top, I feel like I straightened my back a little.
“Rather than attending a formal tea ceremony, I hope participants can casually experience Japanese culture in the same way they would as if they were enjoying a cup of coffee outdoors.”
This is the perfect answer for those who are looking for “Japaneseness”. The calmness and peacefulness during calligraphy, a cup of tea, and the great outdoors of the Oki Islands. It is as if Japanese culture had been concentrated, and this unique experience can only be experienced here on the islands. Served together with Shiranami (which means white waves in Japanese), the renowned confection on the islands, the experience of savouring the wagashi (traditional Japanese sweets that are typically enjoyed with a cup of green tea) while gazing at the waves is truly special.
Ms. Terada was born in Tokyo, the bustling capital city of Japan. Despite living in the vibrant city, she joined the natural science club in senior high school and developed a strong interest in living things and the connections in between. Outside the window are tall buildings, and under her feet are asphalt roads. Although she went to school in Shibuya, located in the middle of the metropolitan area, far away from the countryside, she felt the presence of living things and life wherever she went, and was fascinated by the natural environment. Even back then, she would attend science camps and take part in JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) events where fellow students from all over the country gathered, exploring the unknown world. She was a student driven by curiosity and the ability to take action. Keeping a sense of wonder is a way of life that she values.
Later on, she majored in evolutionary developmental biology at university and graduate school, working on sea urchins, starfish and lampreys while aiming to become a researcher. However, after a certain lecture and internship, she decided to let go of the path.
“It was the lecture on ‘science journalism’ I took at graduate school. It sparked my interest in the job of ‘science communication’, which involves conveying research (the scientific perspective, so to speak) in an easy-to-understand way to the public, and building a bridge between science, society and each and every one of us. So I decided to learn more, and took up a 1-year internship at a long-established environmental education organisation at the foot of the Yatsugatake Mountains. There I found a job as a nature guide, which involves interacting with nature.”
A nature guide is an expert who provides guidance and explanations about the natural environment and ecosystems. At sightseeing spots and protected areas, nature guides play a role in communicating to visitors the appeal and importance of flora and fauna, topography and natural phenomena, and creating a space for such activities. This is what Ms. Terada is exactly, as an active guide in the Oki Islands.
“Making research more accessible to the public, and working in nature. The moment when these two came together, I realised that this was the job I really wanted to do,” Ms. Terada recalls.
Based on her experience as a nature guide, after graduating from graduate school, she accumulated experience in various fields, including working at the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation in Odaiba, a nature school and an entrepreneurship support facility. Ms. Terada recalls that what she encountered there was the difficulty and joy of the job of “communicating”.
“When I worked at the science museum, I thought of the exhibits not just as tools to explain things, but as conversation starters with visitors. Each exhibit brings out the viewer’s feelings and questions, and it gives us an opportunity to think about it together on the spot. So when I was guiding the visitors, instead of going around explaining everything in detail, I would walk through the same space and give detailed explanations about anything that happened to catch my eye.”
She says that this philosophy is deeply connected to the idea of “interpretation” that she developed during her time as a nature guide.
“Nature guides are also known as ‘interpreters’. An interpreter is like a translator who conveys the stories of nature, the history and culture of a place to visitors. Instead of merely explaining superficial knowledge and information, a nature guide, together with their customers, think about nature and culture together through sharing questions and experiencing things first-hand.”
This philosophy is at the core of her work, which is to “communicate” and “connect”, and this remains an unwavering guiding principle, even in her current activities.
Then, in 2012, another turning point came in her life; meeting Ama Town of Shimane Prefecture.
“Because of my work as an interpreter, I continued to visit the Yatsugatake Mountains many times after my internship, and I was a member of the executive committee of the project ‘Tsunagu-hito Forum’, a forum for people who act as bridges and liaisons between different cultures. One of the guests I welcomed was from Ama Town, and the person was my age. I then became interested in Ama Town and the Oki Islands. After that, I met many other people from Ama Town at the event called ‘AMA Café’, which was held in Tokyo, and I was drawn more to the nature and culture there. I was also attracted to the local spirit of people enjoying mingling.”
Eventually, through this connection with her guest from Ama Town, she met her current husband, and decided to move to the town after getting married. It has been six years since she started her life on the island, and she continues to weave new stories here.
Ms. Terada is currently planning an activity plan that can be enjoyed by an even wider range of customers. She says she would also like to work on developing products that can be enjoyed by the elderly who cannot ride e-bikes and individuals that are not confident in their physical strength.
“I want to take advantage of the beautiful Rainbow Beach and the accommodation facilities on the island to provide an experience, comfortable for everyone to enjoy on the island. My grandmother was Japanese-American, so I don’t feel hesitant or uncomfortable speaking English. I would like to become a place to accommodate international travellers,” says Ms. Terada, looking to the future.
Her goal is not just to guide by providing information on nature and culture. As an interpreter, her aim is to create “conversations” with visitors about nature, history and climate of the place, and share what they feel there. The knowledge she has accumulated as a researcher, her experience at the science museum, and her life in Ama Town – all of this is brought to life in Ms. Terada’s guiding.
I believe Ms. Terada will continue to pose small questions to the minds of visitors and gently stimulate their curiosity.
Mt. Atodo, Atodo Forest Road
I live in Hishiura area, which is where the port is located. Mt. Atodo (246m), the highest mountain on the island, is located in this area. I sometimes go for a walk on Mt. Atodo. The scenery of the nearby area that can be enjoyed from midway up the mountain, and the sea stretching all the way to Nishinoshima Island, looks just like a vivid aerial photograph. Every time I see this scenery, nature, various people and events naturally spring to mind. One of the reasons I like this place is because I can see the town I live in as a town enveloped in nature’s embrace.
Furthermore, from Atodo Forest Road, you can enjoy the magnificent views of Nishinoshima Island, Chiburijima Island and Dōzen Caldera, which stretches between the three islands. This forest road offers an exceptional drive; you can stop and say hi to the cows grazing along the way. In spring, you can also enjoy picking raspberries.
I enjoy the feeling of freedom I get when looking at the other islands, and I go for a drive with my 2-year-old son.