"The House in the Middle of Nowhere" (ABC TV/TV Asahi, Sunday 7:58pm) is a variety show that uses satellite photos to search for a secluded house. The November 24th broadcast will cover a family living in the mountains of Kochi Prefecture, where they are trying to protect the land their ancestors developed. The guests are actor Danta Yasunori and former AKB48 member and talent Fukudome Mitsuho.
Danda, who is originally from Kyoto, said, "When I came to Tokyo, I couldn't see the mountains and I hated living in the city. I also wanted to live somewhere where I could see the mountains." Fukudome said, "I'm originally from Hyogo Prefecture, so I want to live on Awaji Island and grow olives and onions."
The search team discovered a "fan-shaped" site like a baseball field in the mountains of Kochi Prefecture, far from the sea. "It certainly seems to be about the size of a baseball field," said MC Tokoro George, to which panelist Hayashi Osamu added, "If you compare it to a baseball field, the infield area would be cultivated land, a building on the left field side, and a road and river running along the fence." Danda also let his imagination run wild, asking, "Isn't it a laboratory researching how crops grow with different fertilizers?"
As the search team's vehicle drove down a road leading to the steep mountains, a building suddenly caught their eye in the mountain scenery. They were greeted by a man (68) who grows ginger in a vast field and also works in forestry. The man's great-grandfather came to this area about 100 years ago, and he cleared the land by hand. There used to be a settlement of five or six houses, but now it is just a single house, standing alone. Even so, the man laughs, "I've lived here since I was born, so I don't feel like I'm alone."
The eldest son (40), his wife, and their daughter (15) built a house on the property about 15 years ago, saying they would "follow in my parents' farm work." The eldest son himself works for an agricultural corporation and grows tomatoes. The daughter, who is about to take the high school entrance exam, said she wanted to "leave home and live in a boarding house" if she passed, but she helps out with the farm work at her parents' home.
In response to his father's statement that "it's not like we have to stay here," the eldest son firmly states, "I want to preserve this land." The father smiles and says, "I'm not asking you to force yourself to stay, but it would be a great help if you did." The trailer also shows them making gomoku sushi using freshly picked ginger.