F-0056 In the 1989 residential map, there is one house on the sandbar

The residential maps were stacked by the register of the used bookstore, tied with string. A price slip said a thousand yen each, and Nishino asked them to untie the one on top. The 1989 edition. It was the volume for a riverside district of a city in the north of the prefecture, a city he had only heard the name of.

At home, he made coffee before he started turning the pages. A residential map has a name in every single house. The names were from more than thirty years ago, so when he compared them with the map on his phone, about half had changed. He enjoyed finding those, and for two years now he had been making videos like that on weekends. He had a little over three thousand subscribers.

His hand stopped on the river page. In the middle of the river was a long, thin sandbar, and on it a single square was drawn. Inside the square it said “Sawai.” One narrow bridge, drawn as two thin lines, ran from the bank to the sandbar.

On the phone map, the sandbar was there. The house and the bridge were not. When he switched to the aerial photo, the sandbar was green, and it looked like trees were growing on it.

The sandbar had been circled in pencil, by the previous owner, it seemed. Next to the circle was a small note. “H3.8.12 — it was there.”

Nishino took a photo of the page and added it to his notes for the next shoot.

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(Video: “Going to see a house that only exists in a 1989 residential map,” posted November 18, 2023 — transcript)

Hi, hello. So today, it’s this. A residential map. From 1989. Got it at a used bookstore for a thousand yen.

And this page. Here, the middle of the river. There’s one house on the sandbar, and a bridge going to it.

(Caption: Some parts are blurred because they include personal names)

On today’s maps there’s no house and no bridge. I mean, if you think about it normally, it was probably torn down. It’s been over thirty years. Do you know about trap names? Where map companies put in fake place names on purpose, so they can tell if someone copies their map. I thought maybe it’s that, but would they really do that in a residential map? Putting in one fake house is kind of a lot of work, right?

Also, I want you to look at this. The previous owner’s note. “It was there.” August 12, Heisei 3, it was there.

What was there, I wonder. The house? The bridge? If you bother to write it down, it means you thought it might not be there, right? Don’t you want to know? So, here I am.

(The scene changes. Sound of the river)

We’re here. I’m on the bank now. That’s the sandbar. …It’s pretty close. Maybe thirty meters.

Grass, and willows, I think. Lots of trees growing, and I can’t see anything like a house.

And the bridge. On the map it should start from right about here.

(Walks along the bank for a while)

Nothing. You’d think there’d be something left, like where the piers were, or a concrete base. There’s nothing at all.

Hmm. So they took out the whole bridge and cleaned up even the traces? The city does careful work, huh.

That’s it for today. I can’t get across to the sandbar. I’ll come back when the water’s low. Probably winter. See you.

(Selected comments)

@kawasemi_33
love the residential map episodes

@mapfan_k
Kind of rare that there aren’t even traces of the piers. If it was removed for river works you’d think something would be left on the embankment

@nagai_tsuyoshi
Checked the Geospatial Information Authority aerial photos by year. From the late 60s on, the sandbar is just trees. Nothing like a house in any year
　↳ @nishino_chizu Oh, really? Thank you, I’ll take a look
　↳ @mapfan_k So the map is wrong? I thought residential maps were based on field surveys

@nekojarashi
that “it was there” note is bugging me so much

@kawasemi_33
waiting for the winter episode

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In mid-February, Nishino went to the same river again.

He checked that it hadn’t rained the night before, and took one of the first trains of the day. From the station to the river was about a twenty-minute walk, and on the way he bought two rice balls at a convenience store. When he went down to the riverbed, more stones were showing than in autumn.

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(Video: “[Return visit] The house on the sandbar — can I get across this time?” posted February 24, 2024 — transcript)

Hi, hello. I’m back, it’s winter. The sandbar from last time.

Look, the water’s way down. In autumn this was all water. Now the stones are showing.

So today, if there’s a shallow spot somewhere, I thought maybe I could get across from there. Not doing anything crazy. I didn’t bring rubber boots or anything. Just as far as I can go in my shoes.

(Walks along the riverbed)

Isn’t it shallow around here? You can see the bottom. …Can I make it?

(Sound of a foot going into water)

Cold! Whoa, cold.

(A man’s voice from up on the embankment)

“Hey!”

Huh.

“What are you doing, get out of the river! It’s dangerous!”

Oh, sorry, sorry.

“If you’re going to (bleep)‘s place, go by the bridge, the bridge!”

Yes, sorry, I’m going back.

(Silence for a while. Sound of walking on stones)

…I got yelled at. I mean, yeah, obviously. Trying to walk into a river in winter. I’m sorry.

That was someone local. I didn’t really see him, but probably someone with a field by the river. It was a little scary. Sorry, I’m going to wrap up here today.

(Caption: The audio has been edited because the local resident’s words included a personal name)

(Selected comments)

@nekojarashi
he was seriously mad lol

@kawasemi_33
winter rivers are actually dangerous so honestly good that he yelled

@nagai_tsuyoshi
the old man sounded like he knew the name. maybe someone really did live there
　↳ @mapfan_k maybe the person small up on the embankment around 2:14

@mapfan_k
he says go by the bridge but there’s no bridge

@user-rk7wq2mfa
I got there fine. There was a bridge. It’s the Sawais’ place, right?

@kawasemi_33
boat next time?

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He did the editing on the train home.

Nishino listened to the same part a few times through his earphones and put a bleep over the name. The old man had said “the Sawais’ place,” clearly.

When he got home, he opened the residential map again. He traced the two lines of the bridge with his finger.

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In March, two normal episodes went up. One looking for old stone markers along the old highway, and one looking at the old signs in the shopping street by the station.

On Wednesday, March 27, a little after two in the afternoon, an unannounced livestream started.

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(Livestream: “I somehow made it here properly,” March 27, 2024 — chat record, and a written-down account of what was said)

Oh, is it showing? It’s showing.

Um, I somehow made it here properly, so I’m streaming. Sorry it’s a weekday afternoon.

@kawasemi_33: oh, live
@nekojarashi: where?
@mapfan_k: isn’t it dark? can barely see the screen

So right now, I’m on the sandbar. That sandbar, from before.

The bridge was there. Just normally. A wooden bridge, kind of bends a little.

@nagai_tsuyoshi: wait, you got across?
@nekojarashi: all I see is grass
@kawasemi_33: the river sound is loud lol

The house is here too. Just normally. With a tile roof. In the yard there’s, what is it, lots of flower pots lined up.

@kawasemi_33: where are the flower pots?
@mapfan_k: too shaky to tell

The nameplate says Sawai. Figured.

@nekojarashi: aren’t your feet in the water?
@nagai_tsuyoshi: looks like you’re standing in the middle of the river

Huh, they’re not wet. See. …No, this is ground, here.

@mapfan_k: isn’t it deeper than before?
@nekojarashi: it’s up to your knees
@user-rk7wq2mfa: Watch your step, there’s a step there

Oh, you’re right. A step. Thank you.

@kawasemi_33: 11 viewers now. only us commenting
@nagai_tsuyoshi: hey, go back
@nekojarashi: get out of the river
@mapfan_k: some weird guy here, just ignore. more importantly does anyone know where this is?
@kawasemi_33: should we call someone?

No, you guys are overreacting. It’s a yard, here. It’s dry.

@nagai_tsuyoshi: isn’t there someone on the left? isn’t that the embankment guy from before?
@kawasemi_33: yeah
@nekojarashi: what, where

Someone? There’s no one…

Oh.

Hello. Sorry, for just coming in. …Yes. Yes. Oh, is it okay if I film? …Yes. Sorry.

@mapfan_k: who are you talking to?
@nagai_tsuyoshi: there’s only you on screen
@nekojarashi: can’t hear the voice

Sorry, I’m going to, cut it here. See you.

(The stream ends here)

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The next week, on Saturday, a new episode went up. Walking an old private railway line.

(Video: “Looking for the iron bridge on the old railway line,” posted April 6, 2024 — beginning of the transcript)

Hi, hello. Oh, sorry the stream the other day got cut off. Bad signal.

So today, it’s an old railway line.

(Selected comments)

@tetsu_no_oto
love the old railway line episodes

@kawasemi_33
seriously almost called someone during the stream. glad you’re ok
　↳ @nishino_chizu Sorry for worrying you!

@mapfan_k
did you delete the archive of the stream the other day?
　↳ @nishino_chizu Sorry, the signal was bad and it was a mess so I deleted it! I’ll make a proper video of it

@nekojarashi
the iron bridge episode had a nice vibe
　↳ @nishino_chizu Thank you!

@nagai_tsuyoshi
waiting for the sandbar sequel
　↳ @nishino_chizu Yes, soon!

@user-rk7wq2mfa
Thank you for the other day. We are keeping the charger you left behind.