"The House in the Middle of Nowhere" (ABC TV/TV Asahi, Sunday 7:58pm) is a variety show that uses satellite photos to find a secluded house. The February 9th episode will feature a couple in their 80s who live in the mountains of Nagano Prefecture, a place that is filled with beautiful, unexplored scenery.
The guests were actors Atsushi Yamanishi and Nanoka Hara Hara. Yamanishi said, "I've always dreamed of living in two places, one in a remote area and one in a house." Hara replied, "Of course I've dreamed of it," but added, "But I'm bad with insects. You know, there are insects in the mountains that aren't the normal size, right? I find them scary."
The search team headed for a village along a beautiful, clear stream where you could see all the way to the riverbed. As the search team's car drove along the mountain road, the terrain gradually became steeper. The road was covered with fallen leaves and was a dense forest. It was hard to imagine that any cars were passing by. After driving a while, the road was blocked by a "No Entry" sign. However, just before that, the search team found a narrow mountain road that turned right, and said, "We have no choice but to go," and entered the road, which was just wide enough for a car.
Soon, we came across a house on the steep slope of a mountain surrounded by steep ridges. Its bright vermilion roof stood out. Welcoming us with smiles were a couple aged 89 and 87. They live with their second son, aged 53. Apparently, this used to be a settlement of more than 10 houses, but about six years ago, it became just one house.
His wife, who married into this area at the age of 25, recalls, "My mother-in-law was a wonderful woman. She passed away five years after I got married, but I cried every day." His husband begins to talk about their past lives, saying, "My father was a stubborn and strict man. In his generation, while taking care of the rice fields, they also cultivated konjac potatoes and shiitake mushrooms, made charcoal, and farmed amago trout."
The search team heard that the eldest son, 60, and the eldest daughter, 58, would be returning home to visit the family graves at the end of the year, and promised to visit again. On that day, after the visit, the family began their annual event of making boiled dumplings. They were made in the authentic way that the husband's late father had learned to make boiled dumplings when he visited the former Manchuria (northeastern China) before the war. The search team was invited to join the family at the table.
Guest Yamanishi was moved by the sight of the whole family gathered around the table, saying, "This is what happiness in life is all about." Hara said, "My number one favorite food is gyoza! The scene of everyone wrapping gyoza together was incredibly beautiful, and it's definitely delicious when the whole family eats it together."
