"The House in the Middle of Nowhere" (ABC TV/TV Asahi, Sunday 7:58 p.m.) is a variety show that uses satellite photos to find a secluded house. The July 27th broadcast will focus on the life of a woman (56) who runs a guesthouse deep in the mountains of Gunma Prefecture.
The search team heads for a house that was captured on satellite photos. Unable to find the route, they ask a male resident in the nearest village, who reveals some unexpected information: "There's a guesthouse around here." The guesthouse is by reservation and only accepts one group per day.
The man guided the search team deeper into the mountains. Eventually, the man stopped the car and told them, "From here on, your car may get damaged, so it's best to walk." The mountain path was still quite rough and snowy. The search team proceeded carefully, saying, "This is a road where animals might come out," and they came across a guesthouse sign and a large log house. However, the owner was not there on the day they visited, so the search team contacted the phone number written on the sign. They made an appointment and returned two months later.
A 56-year-old woman greeted us. She said, "I'm running this as a guesthouse and residence by myself, so I only rent it out to one group per day." There are many repeat customers, and the place is already fully booked on Saturdays and Sundays for the rest of the year.
The woman and her sick mother bought a plot of land measuring 1000 tsubo (approximately 3,300 square meters) in this area, and her mother drew up the blueprints to build a log house. However, her mother also passed away 23 years ago, and now she runs the pension while taking care of her 90-year-old uncle.
"She was a good friend, a good companion, and a mother I could talk to about anything." For this woman, this pension is like a keepsake of her mother. Although she started running the pension with no prior experience, she has enjoyed it, saying, "Rather than regretting not doing it, I'd rather try anything and have fun."
The trailer video shows the pension surrounded by fresh greenery, creating a soothing space, as well as homemade cuisine (Western-style kaiseki).
The guests were freelance announcer Ando Yuko and professional figure skater and talent Murakami Kanako. Ando commented, "She was smiling from start to finish... Just seeing her smile makes me feel really happy. She's an amazing person." Murakami, who was so moved that she was in tears during the video, said, "The pension and the food were wonderful. I want to meet her."
