I feel I'm travelling faster than I can process the geography. I'd chosen Onomichi as a stopover en route for Shigeo and Keiko's, at Hongo, because of its reputation as a chilled place, and because I wanted to have a glimpse of the island-spangled Seto Inland Sea. But, pre arrival, I was only vaguely aware of the cycling possibilities and hadn't realised I was going to be at one end of a world-class 70km cycle route connecting Japan's two big islands, Honshu and Shikoku, via an archipelago of 6 small ones and 10 suspension bridges.
So of course I rented a bike and set off. But there was just one small (mental) cloud: I hadn't had confirmation from my next Woofing host, Shigeo, of my arrival time. And I also wasn't certain of the timing of the next typhoon, scheduled to arrive from the south in the next 48 hours. So I didn't feel at leisure to venture the whole length of the route. But enjoyed at least cycling the mandarin orchards, residential and dockland areas of the first two islands.
Back at the Chai Salon Dragon I jumped on the ipad, scouring booking.com and trip advisor for a Plan B (the Salon being full). But there was nothing within a 70km radius. I wished I could access the many local places that, by searching on the Japanese word for "guest house", I could see were there. But the linguistic barrier was too high. I was getting to the point of contacting a seriously dubious airbnb place offering "shelter" (there is a trend where young entrepreneurs rent out rooms in decaying traditional housing stock while they renovate them) when Shigeo at last made contact. Phhyoooooooo.
Lad number 2, whose name I never clocked, insisted on "guiding" me to the station, presumably remembering my chaotic arrival (now matched by my rushed departure) and thinking the poor old dear wouldn't make it there without help. Sweet. And so I leave, but I hope I get back to shabby, friendly, lively, engaging Onomichi some day. Too short too short...
And, praise de lord, Shigeo is there at Hongo station. A kindly, gentle man with hesitant but good English.
At supper I am introduced to Shigeo and Keiko's son, Yohei, and his daughter-in-law, Kiyo, who live next door. I will be harvesting rice with them the following day.
The food is good, and not served in a zillion little dishes as at the Morimotos. Keiko is a hearty, funny, warm character, and definitely not exquisite or aesthetically precise. The food is pre-served onto plates, a pleasant array of familiar veggie dishes and the half-brown rice I've been missing since leaving Kashimo. The TV pipes images of Malala's Nobel award, and a typhoon update. It looks as though the search for bodies on Mt Ontake is continuing.
When I leave a few rice grains in my bowl (that's the part I still find difficult!) Keiko tells me to do a better job. At the end of the meal we each individually wash our bowl and chopsticks. It is explained to me that detergent isn't necessary because the food isn't greasy. And, at least on this occasion, this seems to work.
I have a massive Woofers' bedroom to myself - nice; a bed (I'm disappointed!); and enough space to put my luggage into neat piles. Happiness is having a bit of order. (But man oh man, the dust... hmmm... will need to do something about that.)
There is a hot shower and - so far - no bathing ritual.
My work routine is different from at the Morimotos: 9.30am to 12.30pm, and 3pm to 6pm. Today, as you'll see on FB, I had my first taste of rice harvesting: with Kayo (eight months pregnant) stacking the rice in piles on the ground after the cutter-binder had passed, then packing it onto the drier: a 70/30 sheaf split followed by a 30/70 one: push hard against previous sheaf, bang down twice. Left, right, left, right... Keep going, the typhoon is on its way.
After 3 hours every orifice was full of dust and bits of chaff. And the field was alive with the insects and frogs flushed out by the binder. I felt glad to have been of real use, and Yohei was very appreciative. We were helped by a neighbour whose house happens to overlook the field, and by another farmer who had a few spare hours. Yohei commented that, in the past, such collaborative farming was the rule. Not now.
On the way home Yohei stopped to feed his ducks. These are put on the flooded paddy in spring, before the rice plants come up, to clear the area of weeds and insects. Thereafter it's foxes and crows who are the main nuisance. And wild boars - another of his fields, not yet ready to harvest, was invaded last night and the damage evident: not a trace of rice plants in two ravaged areas.
During a delish lunch, udon noodles and veggie tempura, at Yohei and Kayo's we chatted about their honeymoon year cycle-camping from the Netherlands to Japan. Wow. And Kayo showed me photos of her million-yen (£5,000?) kimono gifted to her by the family, for the wedding, to be passed down through the generations to come...
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