It's been a while since I last went back home. Looking back, it's been three years since my last trip. Even so, we were blessed with beautiful weather and it was a pleasant trip. Before leaving home, we were plagued by record-breaking heatwaves. Temperatures continued to exceed 40 degrees across the country, and there were even fears of a drought-induced famine. Then, after a short pause, a linear rain band wreaked havoc, mainly in western Japan. We managed to squeeze in a two-night, three-day "wonderful trip" in between all that.
This time, all nine members of the family came home together. This was the first time we had gathered this many people since the third anniversary of my mother's death 12 years ago. My wife and I are getting older and are no longer in a position where we can travel easily. It seems that everyone was considerate of us and this was the result. Unfortunately, my eldest son and his wife were away working overseas, but his two children made time to come. My eldest daughter's family, including my grandson's wife, made it a group trip.
The area had become even more desolate. More and more vacant houses increased, shops had closed down, and the town was even more deserted. When we were children, the mountains were covered in the green of pine trees, and the terraced fields were covered in mandarin orange trees. But the fields had been abandoned and were now covered in weeds and other shrubs. The pine forests had been ravaged by pine beetles and had now been replaced by bamboo groves. The mountains still maintained their green color, but they were now covered in a "different shade of green" from their former hue.
In the past, when we all went back home, we would stay at my parents' house. However, to keep it usable at all times, it required a certain amount of maintenance. In addition to the building maintenance costs, we also had to keep paying the electricity and water bills. In particular, the maintenance costs for the electric water heaters used for bathing and cooking were a huge waste. In the end, we had no choice but to demolish the house 12 years ago, after the third anniversary of my mother's death.
Even so, there were still a fair number of guesthouses in the area. However, over time, these facilities have shrunk or closed down, making the area seem even more deserted. So this time, we decided to take the plunge and stay at a modern resort hotel. There were plenty of facilities to enjoy, and the family who accompanied us all had a great time. However, many of the facilities were a bit unfamiliar for older people, so we ended up just sightseeing.
Another inconvenience I found was the lack of casual places to eat. It was hard to find a restaurant where you could casually enjoy udon, soba, or rice bowls. On the day I arrived, I ended up driving dozens of kilometers in search of such a place. This phenomenon is likely due to restaurants being forced to cater specifically to tourists.
This may be the last time we all go back home together as a family. We are getting older and less mobile, especially as our grandchildren become independent and assume important positions. But regardless of these worries, this trip was a wonderful one.
（Yoshihiro Fujiwara August 12, 2025）
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