The bus had thick curtains all along the windows so people could sleep, but it was rather a pity.  I would have liked to look out the window, but I'd probably have seen much the same thing as I caught through the windshield: tunnel after tunnel.  I think most of Japanese mountains are quite small but they must be a beast to put a highway through.

Omura (Nagasaki Prefecture) host consists of a middle aged couple: a Canadian husband and a Japanese wife.  They run a language school and organic bakery, which means they use natural yeast made from rice, which apparently is quite tricky because it takes twice as long as normal yeast to rise, about ten hours.  Interestingly enough, I was told today, the rice flavor from this yeast makes it more appealing to the Japanese palate, making them more likely to eat it than regular break.

There's a small field behind the house where they grow food to eat but mostly to bake into their bread.  The food is absolutely amazing.  The food in Sasayama was very good but most of all psychologically, being local etc., and probably quite similar to how Japanese historically have eaten in the country.  However, how I ate there was definitely not sustainable.  I'd estimate 80% of the calories I was eating came from carbohydrates in the form of oatmeal, bread, or white rice.  It's nice to have more veggies and other things again.  The difference is likely caused by climate and timing as much as lifestyle choices; I am further south here and the past week has been the start of spring weather, meaning the time of eating pickles and rice for every meal is over and fresh veggies are back!

This place is very different from Sasayama in other ways, too.  We have electric and kerosene heaters here, wooden floors, doors with hinges (as opposed to sliding) doors, and even a shower!  I will definitely appreciate being clean every day or so, but it's weird to see things like a television again.  Weirdest of all is being the only WWOOFer here.  A meal in Sasayama was always a big deal, feeding about ten people.  Here we are three. hmm