In Vol. 1, we introduce Sonoe Fujii, who was an executive director of Zero Waste Academy in the past. We interviewed Ms. Fujii, who has been one of the key persons in Kamikatsu since she moved here in 2007.

There is absolutely no one in Kamikatsu Town who does not know her name! It is no exaggeration to say that Sonoe Fujii is involved in a wide range of work for the "good of Kamikatsu Town.”
Sometimes she is a guide who tells visitors about the Zero-Waste initiative, sometimes she is a staff member (director) of "Hidamari," which operates the Elderly Resource Center and volunteer taxi service in Kamikatsu. At other times, she acts as a staff member (board member) for the "Kamikatsu Business Cooperative," which allocates human resources to solve the shortage of labor due to depopulation and create jobs.... As for the volunteer taxi service, she not only manages the service but also drives a car herself.
There are many other activities and jobs that she is involved in, too many to mention here. She is truly a "Jack of all trades" in Kamikatsu.

Originally from Tokushima Prefecture, Ms. Fujii left Tokushima when she enteredthe National Defense Academy. After graduating from the university, she worked as an executiveofficer in the Self-Defense Force (!).

“When I was about 27 or 28 years old, I started to think ‘I want to go back to my hometown.’ When I was working as a Self-Defense Force officer while being transferred around the country, the Tohoku region was my last duty station, and the image of the surrounding area left a dark impression with its mountains and dense coniferous trees. When I returned to my hometown in Tokushima, I rediscovered the beauty of rivers with clear water and new green mountains. Among other things, I was inspired to want to live in a place where there is a river.”

After returning to Tokushima, Ms. Fujii re-discovered the landscape of her youth and noticed its qualities as she visited not only Tokushima but also various other places in Shikoku on a tour around the island. Along with her desire to live in a place where she could feel close to nature, a desire to do work that would serve her hometown also rose in her heart.
Then, while she was visiting the library to obtain her certification as a laborer, she happened to come across an opening for an office manager at Zero Waste Academy (hereinafter referred to as ZWA).

“The first executive director of ZWA was stepping down, and they were looking for someone to take her place. I knew many people would apply, so I thought I'd give it a shot without expectation. But to my surprise, I was selected. I accepted the offer and moved to Kamikatsu Town and became the ZWA Executive Director in April 2008.”

She served as ZWA's Executive Director for seven years. She played a major role as a spokesperson for the ZWA.She has created a guidebook on waste separation, created the "Chiritsumo Point Campaign1," and has been involved in countless other activities at the ZWA. In March 2015, due to health conditions, she stepped down. By this point the zero-waste system in the town had been established to a certain extent.

Moving to Kamikatsu was one condition of her appointment as ZWA Executive Director. But Ms. Fujii says she had no intention of leaving Kamikatsu after stepping down.
“After stepping down as ZWA's Executive Director, I began to make a pilgrimage to thank those who had helped me so much."
As mentioned in the introduction, Ms. Fujii's current work is truly diverse. Her "spirit of service to the public," which she has had since her days as a Self Defense Force officer, has not diminished at all.

One of the tours that is about to go into full swing is a tour using paid volunteer taxis2 from the town of Kamikatsu. The driver, a resident of Kamikatsu himself/herself, will guide you to places that he/she highly recommends. This tour is operated by Hidamari, a general incorporated association, which is one of the pillars of Ms. Fujii's work.

“We can pick you up at Tokushima Airport or Tokushima Station, and you feel safe with a driver who is familiar with local conditions will take you through the narrow mountain roads without guardrails which are common in Kamikatsu. I would recommend you see the standard spots such as terraced rice fields and waterfalls, but I would also like to take you to places that are not listed on the internet (but are well-known to the locals). The charm of Kamikatsu is its "people," and since many people are shy, you will surely be blessed with wonderful encounters just by having a local resident accompany you! Some of our drivers are English-speaking, so please inquire first."

The volunteer taxi service for the residents of Kamikatsu is about to take another step forward.

“Hidamari is not only a volunteer taxi company, but also working in various other roles. Our mission is to ‘support the residents of Kamikatsu so that they can live in the town with smiles.’With the volunteer taxi tours, we will be able to support not only the residents of the town, but also those who visit Kamikatsu from outside the town so that they can enjoy theirstay in Kamikatsu with a smile.”

“I hope this volunteer taxi service is a pleasant experience for visitors to Kamikatsu Town.
The service will be utilized for tourism, which will bring about new interactions between people and bring more smiles to the people living in Kamikatsu.”

We hope that this tour, which also incorporates Ms. Fujii's thoughts, will allow visitors to fully enjoy the nature that she fell in love with, meet the people of Kamikatsu who fascinate her, and experience the “deep” Kamikatsu attractions.

Model Course
Pick up at Tokushima Airport or Tokushima Station
→Tour of waterfalls (Onbuchi and Kanchoga Falls)
→Lunch at cafe polestar→Short visit at the Zero Waste Center
→Hiking in terraced rice fields in Kashihara and on Mt. Yamainutake
→Tsukigatani Onsen (stay overnight)

*Other stops and experiences, such as lunch and craft beer at RISE&WIN, a tea ceremony at Yaeji Hanano Residence, or an Awa Bancha tea tasting, can be arranged upon consultation. Advance reservations are required for some of these experiences.

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Notes:
*1 Chiritsumo Point Campaign: Points can be earned by cooperating in garbage separation at Zero Waste Center, shopping at stores in town without using plastic bags, or shopping with your own container, and can be exchanged for environmentally friendly daily necessities and other items according to the number of points earned. This campaign is open to residents of Kamikatsu Town.
https://zwtk.jp/2020/03/01/%E3%81%A1%E3%82%8A%E3%81%A4%E3%82%82%E3%83%9D%E3%82%A4%E3%83%B3%E3%83%88%E3%82%AD%E3%83%A3%E3%83%B3%E3% 83%9A%E3%83%BC%E3%83%B3/

*2 Volunteer taxi: The official name is "private paid passenger transportation.” A taxi service in which ordinary townspeople volunteer to use their own vehicles. The taxi service was created with the idea that everyone, including the elderly, should be able to live conveniently and comfortably.
https://hida-mari.com/volunteer-taxi/