Follow the Flow of Water and Daily Life in Harie Shōzu Village
Harie Shōzu Village in Harie, Shin-Asahi, Takashima City, is a community where the culture of kabata—household systems that make use of spring water in daily life—continues today.
Rather than seeing only the clear water as scenery, follow its path from underground into homes, through waterways and rivers, and onward to Lake Biwa to gain a fuller picture of local life.
Shōzu: “Living Water” in Harie
In Harie, rain and snow that fall on the Hira Mountains seep underground and emerge as spring water called shōzu, written with the Japanese characters for “living water.”
The name reflects how residents have long treated the water that continually rises from the ground as a familiar source of life.
Knowing this term before you walk through the village helps you understand that the water was tied to everyday language and practices long before it became a tourism resource.
Harie is known as a community of pristine water and was selected for the Heisei 100 Famous Waters.
Look Closely at the Village Waterways
The roadside waterways connect to the kabata of individual homes, carrying clear water throughout the community.
Look beyond the water’s surface to the height of the channels and their relationship to home entrances and washing areas, and you will notice the careful design that lets people approach the water.
Because the waterways are also part of the community’s daily infrastructure, do not put your feet or belongings in them, and observe from a place where you will not obstruct the flow.
Understand the Water’s Route
The table below shows the main stages and roles of Harie’s water as it travels from underground to Lake Biwa.
| Stage | Location | Main role |
|---|---|---|
| Emergence | Motoike | Shōzu springs from the ground |
| Use | Tsuboike | Clean water is used |
| Receiving basin | Hataike | Used water flows in |
| Community flow | Waterways and rivers | Water continues to Lake Biwa |
How Kabata Support Daily Life
Kabata are a system unique to Harie that brings spring water into daily life for drinking, cooking, and other household uses.
Instead of using a single basin for everything, residents separate areas according to the water’s cleanliness and purpose, reflecting the wisdom needed to use the resource over many years.
Motoike: Where Groundwater First Emerges
The motoike is the first place where shōzu rises from underground and serves as the entrance to a kabata’s water system.
If you can see water emerging from the bottom and overflowing, look beyond the beauty of the surface and observe the structure that keeps the water moving into the next basin.
Each household’s kabata is a private living space, so stay within the area indicated by your guide.
Tsuboike: Where Clean Water Is Used
Water rising in the motoike enters the tsuboike, where it has traditionally been used for cooking, washing vegetables, and washing the face.
Following the proper order of use for each purpose helps keep the water clean and shows consideration for the next person who will use it.
Visitors may not always be allowed to drink or touch the water, so follow the instructions of the household and your guide.
From the Hataike to the Waterways
Water overflowing from the tsuboike enters the hataike, then flows into the stream in front of the house and continues through the river to Lake Biwa.
Remember that the water does not end at one home but moves on to households and living things downstream, and you will understand why the entire community works together to keep it clean.
Keeping detergent and trash out of the water protects not only the basin in front of you but the whole village and lake.
Observe Carp and the Water Cycle
Carp are kept in hataike, where they have played a part in daily life by eating leftover food before the water moves into the next part of the flow.
Rather than viewing the carp as decoration, observe them as a link between human activity and the ecosystem of the waterways.
The Role of Carp in the Hataike
Takashima City explains that carp in the hataike eat leftover food and that the water then flows into the stream in front of the house.
This is a practical system that incorporates the work of living creatures into the cycle of daily life instead of relying only on artificial machinery.
Not every kabata has exactly the same arrangement, so listen to the explanation at each home and note the differences.
Do Not Feed the Carp Without Permission
Feeding the carp can affect water quality and the fish’s health, so never put food into the basin without the household’s permission.
Do not put your hands in the water or chase the fish, and keep your distance from the edge of the basin.
Avoid throwing objects into the water to gather the fish for a photograph, as this also disrupts the relationship between water and daily life.
Connect What You See with Respectful Behavior
The table below connects things you may observe at a kabata with what they reveal and the behavior you should follow.
| What to observe | What it reveals | Respectful behavior |
|---|---|---|
| Spring outlet | Entrance of the groundwater | Do not put your hands in |
| Tsuboike | Separation of water uses | Do not touch the utensils |
| Carp | Cycle connected to daily life | Do not feed them |
| Overflowing water | Connection downstream | Do not block the flow |
Why You Should Visit with a Local Guide
Most of Harie’s kabata are active household facilities located inside residents’ homes or on private property.
For this reason, kabata tours should be reserved in advance and are normally conducted with a guide who knows the community.
Obtain Permission to Enter Living Spaces
Guides coordinate which kabata can be visited and the route through the village, introducing the area without interfering with residents’ daily lives.
Even if you can see a water facility from outside, do not assume it is open to the public or enter a gate or garden.
Avoid walking freely among kabata without a reservation, and check the official website for reception and tour procedures.
Learn How Water Is Used Through Local Explanations
By listening to your guide, you can learn not only the names of the basins and the purposes of the tools, but also the order in which water is used and what the community has worked to protect.
Connecting the visible facilities with residents’ memories helps you understand kabata not as old household implements, but as a living culture that continues today.
Ask questions when they will not interrupt the tour, and take care not to intrude too deeply into anyone’s private life.
Check Tour Conditions in Advance
Guide arrangements, available tour dates, fees, and application deadlines may change, so check the official reservation information once your travel date is set.
The Harie area is about a 15-minute walk from JR Shin-Asahi Station, making it accessible by public transportation.
Do not assume your booking is confirmed simply because you sent an application; check the organizer’s reply and meeting instructions.
If you are visiting as a group or by car, tell the organizer how you will arrive when making your reservation, as parking and residents’ passage through the district may be affected.
Connect the Waterways, Harie Ōkawa River, and Lake Biwa
Water leaving the kabata enters the village waterways and travels through rivers and inner lakes toward Lake Biwa.
Recognizing that one household’s daily life and the vast lake are connected by the same flow helps explain the community’s commitment to keeping the water clean.
Walk Along the Village Waterways
Along the waterways, pay attention to the speed of the current, plants, stonework, and the positions of bridges.
Walk in single file on narrow roads, and do not stop in front of residential gates or on bridges where you would block passage.
If you drop something into a waterway, do not climb down recklessly to retrieve it; tell your guide.
See the Waterside of the Harie Ōkawa River
The Harie Ōkawa River carries water from the village and rice fields through the inner lake to Lake Biwa, offering a place to consider kabata water culture within a broader waterside environment.
At the riverbank, avoid startling wild birds and plants, and watch for mud and uneven ground underfoot.
Even for nature observation, do not enter grassland or private property without permission; stay on the route shown by your guide.
Consider the Reed Beds and the Lake’s Water Cycle
The reed beds along Lake Biwa support waterside wildlife and scenery and, together with the inner lakes, form part of the environment that sustains the water cycle.
Do not view the kabata, village waterways, Harie Ōkawa River, and reed-lined shore separately; connect them as one route followed by the water.
Standing on the shore of Lake Biwa after your tour lets you imagine the distance traveled by a single drop used in a home before it reaches the lake.
Protect Residents’ Daily Lives When Taking Photos and Talking
Harie is not an exhibition village created for sightseeing, but a community where people live, do household work, and use the roads.
Even when you encounter a beautiful scene, prioritize residents’ daily lives and your guide’s instructions over photography and conversation.
Do Not Photograph People or Home Interiors Without Permission
Before photographing residents, nameplates, or the inside of a home, ask your guide whether photography is permitted.
Even where permission is granted, choose a composition that does not prominently capture household items or personal information.
If you intend to publish a photo or video, confirm whether the permission given at the time of shooting also covers publication.
Do Not Cross Private Property Boundaries
Do not enter gates, gardens, kabata, or fields outside the designated public route, and never cross private property as a shortcut.
Avoid extending a camera or selfie stick across a waterway, as this also intrudes into residents’ space.
If you are unsure about a boundary, do not proceed; ask your guide.
Tour Etiquette for Different Situations
The table below summarizes appropriate choices and actions to avoid in situations that can be confusing while visiting the village.
| Situation | Appropriate action | Action to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Kabata | Observe from the guide’s designated position | Touching utensils |
| In front of a home | Pass quietly | Occupying the entrance |
| Photographing people | Ask permission first | Taking close-ups without permission |
| Along a waterway | Walk in single file | Blocking a bridge |
Summary: Learn from Harie’s Living Water Culture
In Harie Shōzu Village, residents call the groundwater shōzu and continue to use a kabata system that sends water from the motoike through the tsuboike and hataike, then onward to waterways and rivers.
Learning the role of the carp and the ways water is separated for different uses, then following the flow to the Harie Ōkawa River and Lake Biwa, reveals how the life of one household is connected to the regional environment.
Check the official information and reserve your kabata tour in advance, follow your local guide, respect private property and proper manners for photography and conversation, and visit with consideration for this living water culture.
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