Okaasan and Otousan (you will call them this no matter how old you are!) were very kind and welcoming, and really made us feel part of the family. They cared for us extremely well, and allowed us to experience many aspects of Japanese culture. They always made sure we were comfortable and happy. We usually all worked together and never felt like they asked us to do something they were unwilling to do themselves. We had all meals and breaks together, and both the company and Okasan’s cooking were fantastic. Their house is very comfortable, and the farm is in beautiful surroundings. We had an incredible time, and are so pleased to have stayed with them. They were quick to reply to our messages which made organising our visit very easy.
It might also be helpful to have some idea of what we did. Every day we woke up at 7 to have breakfast at 7.30. We would do the washing up, then have free time until we started work at 9. We would then work until 11 when there would be a tea break of about 30 min, with coffee, tea, and biscuits. Then we would work until lunch at about 12.30. We would then work from about 2 to 2. when we had another tea break. We would return to work until about 4.30. We would then have free time until dinner at about 6, and free time in the evening after that. We had three cooked meals a day, all prepared by Okasan. She is an excellent cook, and prepared a wide variety of Japanese styles which we really enjoyed. She also served us very generous portions which we appreciated after a day on the farm!
On our first day we prepared vegetables for the market (cleaning, weighing and packaging vegetables), then helped Okaasan at the market (mostly smiling, and taking change because we didn’t speak much Japanese). We were then taken to an udon restaurant for lunch by the hosts, before being given free time to explore T town. In the evening we had an ocarina performance from Okaasan and her friends, and they let us have a go ourselves.
On the second day we were picking off bean pods from a heap of azuki bean plants ready for drying. Another WWOOFer who had stayed with the host family before joined us for two nights. We were then taken to their grandchild’s shichigosan ceremony. We picked more azuki when we got back and finished work at about 4.30.
On the third day we started with picking azuki beans, then brought over some more plants ready for picking later. Then we prepared daizu plants for drying. Then we threshed aburai. After lunch we were joined by another two WWOOFers who had also stayed with this host family before. We all dug gobo roots and taro together. After that we hung up the daizu to dry, and finished early because it had been a hard day’s work. We had a very special meal all together.
On the fourth day we had a day off, so could explore T town some more. We were still given breakfast and dinner if we wanted them.
On the fifth day we picked the last of the tomatoes in the morning, then started clearing the peppers and tomato plants from the polytunnels.
On the sixth day it was very cold in the morning, so we started inside picking out bad azuki beans from those which had been dried already. Once it warmed up, we spent the rest of the day clearing out the tomato plants from the poly tunnels, and spreading them over their rice paddy.
On our seventh and final day it was very cold in the morning again so we sorted some more azuki beans. When it warmed up we planted out one of the poly tunnels we had cleared previously with lettuce/cabbage. After that we cleaned more vegetables for the market, and ended with picking some more azuki beans. We had a very special farewell meal. We truly had a wonderful time.
(English WWOOFer in his 20s)