Hotani, where I live now, is not so far from
the center of Hirakata, and it is conveniently located on a hill overlooking
several towns of three prefectures: Osaka, Kyoto and Nara. So, this provides
opportunities to go out to any urban area or famous tourist spots in the Kansai
region, such as Todai-ji temple in Nara and Gion in Kyoto. However, because
Hotani is not so much a quiet residential area as a very small settlement,
there is little chance to see many local people with exception of students who
are temporarily living there. Therefore, the community in Hotani is relatively
limited, with mostly elderly residents, while some locals have contact with
others from outside the prefecture. 
There
does not seem to be any festivals or remarkable events but the weekly morning
market. On Sunday the agricultural group, consisting of less than twenty farmers,
hold the vegetable and flower markets at 7:45 in the parking lot near the
shrine. Many people come from both the neighborhood and the surrounding
community in the early morning. Customers are supposed to take a number card in
order of arrival, as products are limited in quantity. The number cards are
color coded and separated into three parts, and each part has twenty to forty
cards, although, I am not sure if the sellers really need more than 100 cards.
The cards are also in very bad condition as they are quite old. 
The
most evident characteristic of the market is what they sell; which is all
organic vegetables. Those grown without any agricultural chemicals are very
popular because of their good taste and safety. Of course, there are situations
in which winter yields significantly decrease. Because of the unstable supply,
the market cannot be held during these times. Quite a few people rush to the
market from comparatively far areas, which take them nearly one hour by car. They
feel the value is worth their time. An elderly man who often comes to the
market said, "Once you eat a vegetable sold here, you will not eat others
like the ones in the supermarket any more." 
The
market is also a valuable place for communication among neighbors. As I
mentioned above, because all vegetables or flowers are sold on a first come,
first serve basis, people tend to arrive very early, before 7:00 a.m., to take
a number. Therefore, some of them, including, not only customers but also the
sellers will chat together sitting around a stove until the market starts. They
know much about each other, even things such as the other’s family members,
hobbies, and details about their lives. They are so organized and have such a
strong connection. When an elderly person comes to the market to sell their
goods, some customers stand up and offer help. This shows that the market is
more than just a business for the neighbors. Hotani is a really nice place to live in. Compared to Nakamiya in Hirakata, in which lots of international students live, Hotani is much smaller and calmer. There are no theme parks or exciting spots like karaoke, but you cannot imagine how much I can relax there. Going to the market to buy good vegetables and communicating with local residents, you can feel a sense of a warm community and strong connections, not because of the stove, but merely from conversation.
