Bus from Ureshino to Fukuoka, then local train to Chikuzen-Daibu and from there our new host came to pick us up… still 30β by car (silver car with a dog).
Map of Kyushu island, our route from Ureshino to WWOOF #4
We usually show pictures of special things or scenic places… so here is a banal street from Ureshino 9amMap of train networks… when planning our next moves.Classic map of towns, although youβd be lucky to always have such a detailed one! Note the rice paddies with β’ as symbol
Countryside from train, suburbs of FukuokaFrom train getting close to destination… small town of Chikiuzen-DaibuThe βmainβ house as we arrived.
Overview of property… the terrain extends quite a bit and on several levels, so hard to show it all in one picture, even panoramic!
At first we were really surprised when entering the main house:
Yes, the photo is straight!Cooking also was at times using the wood stove… but mainly used to heat the room and heat tea water.
This is the main room, kitchen + living room, the only one with heating.Sink for washing, and stove … hot water from solar panel or gaz heater (on demand).
First impression is of a messy, dirty and poorly lit place with everything falling into pieces… but after living with them a few days you see it differently and understand, we could even say we learned to appreciate!
The vegetable garden and chicken eggs are their only revenue… But heating with a leaking wood stove, and floor of gravel/earth … this means dust come easy!!
Now they have ~100 chickens in 4 chicken houses, but had up to 800 in 15 houses! Vegetable garden is mostly for their own consumption, which requires to be preserved for some… the rest is used for exchange.
Here the furo (hot bath) is replaced by a Goemon Buro, a bathtub made of cast iron in shape of huge pot, which is warmed with a direct flame. Sounds scary? Well hear out the most likely origin of that name: The origin of this name comes from Ishikawa Goemon, a thief rom the edo period who was sentenced to death by being boiled alive with his family. This happened in Sanjo, Kyoto.
The bathroom is in a tiny shed, also in dirt floor…So that getting into the water can be quite a challenge… there is no thermostat!!It gives the feeling of been cooked as a soup!
And yes! It does look like a pot or marmite or cauldron…Heating is from a wood fire directly under the tub… but slowly we get in, every evening before diner! And pthat was much appreciated!!
We stayed in a logged house that actually looked less like a hovel than the other constructions… but it was with no heating and no insulation. As some night were bellow 0 and most mornings frosty… it would have been hard to sleep there if it had not been for the electric blanket which we used before going to bed to warm the futon.
Main entrance And so we even had a balcony…And back to the front…A wooden floor and no open fire, so no dust! Even furniture looks less decrepit…
Its on a slope, so from he back it looks like if it had 2 levels…We also had the magic kotatsu (η¬η΅), real life savers in these cold houses: low table frame, covered by blanket or futon and with heating source underneath… only heats the legs, but that makes a difference!!
