Fluent in Kansai Dialect and a Workplace Favorite: The New American "Forest Worker"
There's a foreigner working in the forestry industry in the Ina Valley of
Nagano Prefecture. Originally a junior high school ALT, this American man dove headfirst into the world of forestry and is now working hard to become a full-fledged professional. With his fluent Kansai dialect and cheerful personality, he's become beloved at his workplace.
In a forest of 60-year-old Japanese larch trees, he carves a triangular notch—the "undercut"—into the trunk with a chainsaw to control the direction of the fall. After making a back cut on the opposite side, the nearly 30-meter-tall tree crashes to the ground.
Meet Dawn Samuel Francis, 32 years old—better known as "Sam." He's a new forest worker originally from the United States.
Sam:
"Nagano is such a beautiful place. Everything's amazing—the water, the air, the smell of the trees. It just makes me feel happy. I really love this job. I want to keep doing it forever."
In 2023, Sam joined Hirasawa Forestry Company in Ina City, Nagano Prefecture. He works hard every day, aiming to become a skilled forestry professional.
Workplace Senior:
"He's really motivated, so he picks things up fast. I think he's improved a lot."
Sam:
"New workers can be dangerous. If you don't know what you're doing, you could put others at risk too. That's why you've gotta learn the basics right away."
So who is this Kansai-dialect-fluent American? We paid a visit to his home, where around 20 chickens roam the yard.
With his three children, Sam prepares feed made from okara (soy pulp) and rice bran.
Sam lives in a traditional Japanese farmhouse in Miyata Village, Nagano, with his wife Mana, their 6-year-old son Sumito, 3-year-old son William, and 11-month-old daughter Mio. They bring the feed over to the chicken coop.
Sumito:
"They know we've got food, so they're following us."
It's a peaceful, rural lifestyle that the family clearly enjoys.
Sam:
"I'm from Pennsylvania—kind of like Nagano. Cool weather, lots of nature. I work outside, and my kids play outside every day. It's super fun!"
Sam studied education and history at a university in Pennsylvania, where he met Mana, a Japanese exchange student. He later studied abroad in Nara, where Mana was attending university, and they got married in 2015. He worked at an English conversation school afterward.
So, what was his impression of Japan?
Sam:
"I thought Japan was really free—like, you can go to parks and not worry about safety at all. Japanese donuts are tasty, udon is tasty, pizza is tasty—everything's delicious! Even Black Thunder snacks, haha."
Mana (his wife):
"No matter where we go, he's the type of person who can strike up a conversation with anyone. He really brings energy wherever he is."
Still, their life in Nara wasn't without challenges.
Sam:
"We lived in an apartment, so on our days off, I didn't know what to do with the kids. Just being inside and watching TV… I didn't like that idea."
In 2023, spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic, Sam and his family relocated to the Shinshu region of Japan.
They renovated a traditional kominka—a roughly 100-year-old Japanese farmhouse—in the village of Miyata.
Sam:
"I didn't even know the word kominka, but I knew I wanted something old and traditional. When we found the house, all the pillars were covered up. So I was shocked—like, 'Wow, look at these beautiful beams!'"
His eldest son, Sumito, picks mulberries in the yard.
The children have fully embraced life in the countryside.
Sumito:
"We've got lettuce, bell peppers, paprika… Look, there are chili peppers too!"
"This is a mulberry tree! When the berries come off easily, they're sweet. This one came off easy—I bet it's tasty. Yup! Sweet!"
The family is planning to start growing rice in 2026.
Sam:
"I love Japanese rice—it's super delicious. If I can grow my own, I'll be so excited."
After moving to Nagano, Sam worked as an ALT (Assistant Language Teacher) at a local junior high school. But his desire to work more closely with nature grew stronger over time.
Sam:
"The mountains in Ina Valley, Nagano—they're so beautiful. I just knew I wanted to do something in the mountains."
July 2
It's 7:30 AM, and Sam arrives at work at Hirasawa Forestry Company.
Today's job is clearing trees from land slated for development.
With a strong desire to work in and preserve the natural beauty of the Ina Valley, Sam decided to leap into the world of forestry.
Two years ago, by pure chance, he spotted Hirasawa Forestry employees felling trees through the window of a restaurant. He couldn't take his eyes off the scene.
Sam:
"I couldn't stop thinking about it after I got home. That very evening, I picked up the phone and called them, like, 'Alright, I'm doing this!'"
Takashi Hirasawa, Executive Director of Hirasawa Forestry:
"We got this super high-energy phone call: 'I wanna do this job!' Honestly, I was a bit skeptical at first. But I said, 'Why don't you come in and talk?' And from there, I could tell he was genuinely motivated."
He was hired quickly, and now every day is a learning experience.
That afternoon, Sam heads into a forested area in the town of Minowa.
There, he helps clear fallen trees and fells a larch tree at risk of collapsing.
Japan's forestry industry faces an urgent need to attract and train new workers. The government is promoting employment through its "Midori no Koyou" ("Green Employment") program, a three-year training system that provides aspiring forestry workers with the necessary skills and knowledge.
Sam is now in his second year on the job.
While attending training sessions to earn his certification to operate heavy machinery, he continues to learn hands-on skills from his senior colleagues in the field.
Senior coworker:
"You were dozing off in the training yesterday!"
Sam:
"I wasn't sleeping! Not at all! But if someone sleeps through the class and I still struggle even though I try hard, maybe we're at the same level!"
Here's Sam felling a larch tree.
He's well integrated into the team, but when it comes time to work, his expression turns serious.
He cuts down a larch tree around 30 meters tall, with a trunk about 40 cm in diameter.
Sam:
"(Did it go well?) Hmm, not bad. On the first tree, I left too much holding wood."
The imbalance in the cut caused the trunk to split slightly.
Sam and Yoshihiro Komaki (foreground)
Guiding Sam is veteran worker Yoshihiro Komaki.
More than just technical skills, he stresses one thing above all: safety.
Sam:
"Komaki-san always points out the dangerous stuff I'm doing."
Komaki:
"At first, you don't even know what's dangerous."
Sam:
"I had no clue, and he'd yell, 'Sam! You're gonna die!'"
Komaki:
"What's most important is making sure you learn to work safely from day one."
With 27 years of experience, Komaki is someone Sam looks up to.
Sam:
"Komaki-san can do everything—heavy machinery, cranes—he is THE MAN! A forestry man! (Do you want to be like him?) Yes, for sure! But I don't think I can reach his level so easily. (Keep working hard!) I will! I'll become Superman!"
From the second tree onward, Sam fells them smoothly.
For now, he's focused on mastering the basics, but eventually, he'll need to take on more complex felling techniques and operate heavy equipment.
There's still a long way to go before he becomes a full-fledged forester, but Sam is enjoying every step of the journey.
Sam:
"Forestry is amazing! Working outside with teammates—it's fun! Everything about it is great!"
That day's work wrapped up around 4:30 p.m.
Dawn Samuel Francis:
"(Are we done?) I never know what time it is! But that's one of the best things about this job—no clocks! I love that!"
With a job he's passionate about and a family he loves, Sam continues to thrive in the natural beauty of the Ina Valley.
伊那谷で林業に取り組む外国人がいます。中学校のALTから林業の世界に飛び込んだアメリカ出身の男性が、一人前を目指し奮闘中です。関西弁の日本語と明るい性格で職場からも愛されています。