The Easy Life in Kamusari

9781542027151OCLC1237633352Followed byKamusari Tales Told at Night 

The Easy Life in Kamusari (Japanese: Kamusari nānā nichijō) is a 2009 novel by Shion Miura. It follows Yuki Hirano, a city native, as he works a forestry job in a remote mountain area.^[1] A movie adaptation (Wood Job!) premiered in 2014.^[2] The novel was translated into English by Juliet Winters Carpenter in 2021.^[3]

Yuki Hirano, recently graduated from high school, finds himself signed up for forestry work by his parents.^[4] Traveling to work in the remote village of Kamusari is difficult in many ways for Yuki, who was born and raised in the city; a new coworker even takes Yuki's cell phone and cheerfully disposes of the battery.^[1]

Over the course of a year, the young man comes to appreciate the meticulous process of taking care of the trees and the environment around him.^[5][6]

• Yuki Hirano - a young man from Yokohama, disillusioned with life and unexpectedly signed up for forestry work in mountainous, remote, forested Kamusari.
• Nao - a local schoolteacher in the village, and sister of Risa. She has a crush on Seiichi (her sister's husband).
• Yoki Iida - an employee of Nakamura Lumber, in Kamusari. He has bleached blond hair and a sense of humor. Yoki's wife is Miho; they live with Granny Shige.
• Iwao Tanabe - an employee of Nakamura Lumber, in Kamusari.
• Old Man Saburo - an employee of Nakamura Lumber, in Kamusari.
• Seiichi Nakamura - the friendly head of Nakamura Lumber. His wife, Risa, is the sister of Nao. Risa and Seiichi's son is named Santa.