Let’s start over with presentation… our hosts are in their 68’ Minako and Hiroaki. They were both attending university when they made the decision to radically change their way of living and moved to this remote countryside, start a chicken farm (for eggs) and raise a family of 3 children! Quite some guts and determination, I’d say! In addition to their ~100 chickens (used to be 800), they also have a dog Hasan and two cats (don’t recall the names…)
MinakoHasanThe other one.
Hiroaki One cat…Chickens
We got more details on their “story” after our Japanese friend Mimiko read his book that we received as farewell gift when we left them. While they were still both students at university, they got really interested in social issues, politics, and concerned with pollution and environment. For instance they got very impressed by photos on Minamata disaster by photographer Kuwabara Shisei. Also Yushoo disease, rice oil from Kanemi Company (in Kyushu) contaminated with PCBs.
Around 1970, they then both decided to quit university and go in the countryside to live a life closer to the nature. What impressed us both is that they managed to live like this and even raise 3 kids (At some point Minako had to work as a teacher so as to support the family). They did everything by themselves, starting from nothing but some land to cultivate and chickens laying eggs to be sold…
Minako was spending lots of time cooking, preparing delightful dish with all sorts of combinations… mostly based on their own products.Naturally eggs were often part of the menu…They are growing their own soybeans, peanuts, ginger and many of the vegetables that form the base of Japanese cuisine…
Breakfast was based on raw egg beaten and added to rice bowl + miso soup from their own miso base and blended soybeans (looked like milk).With sometimes meat, fish that they probably received in exchange to eggs or vegetables…Delicious tempura of vegetables, some of which also re new to us…
We were also very impressed by their knowledge on international culture, knowledge on both France and Finland, knowledge on French authors, poets and singers, etc.
As WWOOFers we helped them with the vegetable garden, cutting wood for the stove, Hélène helping with the cooking.
A type of beans…As they are invaded with one type of weed, clearing an area takes ages and requires a lot of work.Trying to weed the flower beds was even more complex!
Other type of beansSome of their plants are new to us and had to be explained.… so hard to stay motivated!
Cleaning kitchen windows (made from old sliding panels)Quiche by Hélène, not easy to cook without access to usual ingredients
Cutting wood and clearing the area to store the wood
We then also went for walks in the area, either walking Hasan the dog with Minako, or just the 2 of us to surrounding hills, next village…
Un-used railroad, bamboo forests ….Tour of Hasan’s friends, although the dog is mostly interested in the biscuits other dog owner are giving himImpressive sports facilities at closest town (30’ walk)… too bad we found out late, only went once to swimming pool open till 9pm.Japan is not just temples and wood houses with beautiful tiled rooftops…
Vines behind wild-bore fence, due to swine fever outbreak… Issues with neighbouring wasteland, but we did not follow all the details…
Shiitake culture in forestSeems to us as well pruned trees…All around Japan, but maybe even more in Kyushu region, the number of photovoltaic panels is impressive, fields of panels…Shortcut on the way back… on a forest path
Beautiful orchard Landslides cutting mountain roads’ traffic is not uncommon…Even our hosts are particularly well equipped…Shaga (Iris japonica) a wild flower which looks too sophisticated to be natural…Still in the woods, now this looks carnivorous!!
Time to say goodbye to WWOOF #4, off we go to meet Mimiko in Hagi… 5 trains…. and not on Kyushu anymore but main island, Honshu.
Hasan and Hiroaki driving us to nearest train station
Train station looking more like grocery shop!One of the intermediate stations…
Succession of local trainsExpress food on the train platforms…They can eat faster than we can order!
