Murakami City, Nigata

A friend of mine lives in one of the suburbs of Murakami City, Nigata.

Her family is a typical farmer in the area. Quite nice people. 

Here is their house.
She told me it was built about 130 yrs ago.

Very old, but still in good condition. 

Cute cat.
She is also old. 15 yrs old, but still in good condition. 

Dining rm (It looked so to me) of the house.

Living rm (I believe).

@ the entrance hall. 

She is in her favorite farming clothes. 

She makes this kind of handmade soaps.
Dog and car in this work.

Bamboo shoots.
Never seen big ones like these before.

They gonna be boiled soon.

She plants various herbs in their garden.
This is chamomile, I guess.

Ahhh,,, this is something herb.
Anyway good stuff.

Also something. 

Something good again.

Seedings of rice.

Putting some kinds of seeds into the ground.
Sorry I forgot what they were. 

Her special glove with a drawing on it.

Working so hard.. 

My spade and hat on a break.

I helped with picking asparagus. 

Now working so hard.
1st time to do farm work in my life. 

Ta-dah !!

This machine cuts asparagus into the same length. 

I gave another hand to bundle them up.

It's all manual labor.
That's the nature of small family business.
Very interesting experience, anyway. 

Yeah!! Here is my rewards for the day.
Bamboo shoots and asparagus are on the table.
Yum yum yum.