Satoyama II: Japan's Secret Water Garden

Each home in a Satoyama village features a built-in pool or water tank that extends partly inside and partly outside its walls. A continuous stream of spring water is piped directly into a basin, ensuring a constant supply of fresh water. Residents use the tank to rinse out pots and clean vegetables they have recently harvested. If they were to simply discard food scraps into the water, it could risk polluting the entire village's water supply. However, carp are able to clean even greasy or burnt pans. In Satoyama villages, the carp effectively do the washing up. This traditional system is known as the riverside method and is practiced throughout Japan. After being cleaned by the carp, the water from the tanks eventually flows back into the channel.