I was very lucky on my Obuse Summit experience in November 2022 to not just be in a host family home of one or two persons, but with SIX!!!!  Rina and Kazunobu Asahina were the main hosts, but in the family home were Kazunobu’s parents, Norito and Satoko, and their children Ayuma (4) and Shuri (7).  I soon learned that Norito-san was the head priest of a Buddhist temple that adjoined their house with a long-covered passageway.  Norito-san’s son, Kazunobu, was the deputy priest, and Temple services were held each morning.  I was honored to be asked to attend and participated enthusiastically.

All meals were informal family style with all seven of us, and I quickly learned that Ayuma was very affectionate and friendly with me.  He liked getting close to me and hugging, which I loved and provided good merriment for the whole family. At the first meal he seemed very interested in my lack of hair and commented on it in Japanese.  I don’t know what he said but based on laughter and everyone’s eyes I knew it was the same family characteristic that intrigued my own grandchildren.  I immediately grabbed the top of my head and acted surprised at the lack of hair.  I searched the floor for the missing hair, but my silliness did not fool Ayuma.  He immediately ran in another room and returned with a colorful wig. 

I rested comfortably all nights with a futon on a tatami covered floor, and after temple service and breakfast we were ready for several days of adventures.  Being a wildlife biologist, I told them I was very interested in seeing the snow monkeys or Japanese macaques.  After a 20-minute ride we arrived at the Jigokudani Monkey Park, but immediately saw the sign indicating no monkeys today.  Kazunobu suggested another area, but when I learned it was a 40-minute drive, I suggested we just enjoy a nice hike in the woods.  We made the 30-minute walk up the mountain trail while I was on the lookout for the Japanese serows (goat-antelope endemic to Japan).  None were seen but them we came to a steam geyser near the trail.  I thought it was the highlight of the hike and was surprised when going a little higher on the trail we came to the hot springs (Shibu Onsen).  This is the winter destination of the snow monkeys, but none were in sight or had been seen in several days.  I enjoyed a translated discussion with the park ranger standing guard at the pool and took many photographs of the hot bath pool.  We said goodbye and started down just when a large group of British tourists were arriving.  But then the unexpected happened when our own 7-year-old Shuri excitedly exclaimed, “there is a monkey.”  We turned around and there on the hill about 40 feet away sat a large lone monkey staring at us.

We took many pictures and were preparing to leave again when the monkey came down to greet us.  It was a female and walked amongst us with no fear noticeable with the monkey or humans.  She was after food and meticulously found wheat grain that had been left for her by the ranger among the gravel stones in the area.  The monkey climbed up on a structure and we took more pictures at eye level about 3 feet away.  But then totally unexpected the monkey leaped on one of the British men.  It was extremely scary, but the ranger, ever alert, rushed in and chased the monkey away.  Then we learned that the attacked man had a banana in his pocket that the monkey saw.  I was unsure if he had brought the banana for himself or the monkeys, but in any case, it was a mistake and against regulations.  Fortunately, the encounter resulted in just minor scratches to his arms.  Once our adrenalin had subsided, we headed back down realizing we had been successful and had had enough excitement with the monkey adventure.

My homestay also included a dinner in a very fine traditional Japanese restaurant with the whole family with more delicacies that were new to my palette.  Another welcome surprise was when it was announced that Satoko-san wanted to serve me tea with a traditional ceremony.  It was especially pleasurable when I learned that she was a Tea Ceremony Expert and had been selected nationally as a ceremony presenter for the foreign participants during the winter Olympics in Nagano in 1998.  Overall, it was an incredibly pleasant homestay with the Asahina family and one I will always cherish.  New friendly bonds were formed that will last for life.