He opens his vast private garden to welcome travelers visiting Magome-juku.
At the entrance, there is a unique sign that reads:
Some visitors may hesitate when they first see it, but the sign is simply part of his playful sense of humor.
He was born in this town and returned to Magome after his retirement.
Bright, cheerful, and full of laughter, he enjoys meeting travelers from around the world.
Perhaps thinking of him as a kind of living deity, some foreign visitors occasionally leave small offerings before his objects.
Yet beneath his warm smile, there is also a quiet sadness.
He lost his wife around twenty years ago, and he says that even now, remembering her can still feel painful.
A memorial for her is displayed quietly in the back of his garage.
You can immediately sense how deeply he still treasures her memory.
Perhaps his welcoming spirit toward travelers is something that has continued here since the Edo period itself.
In the past, too, there must have been many generous-hearted people like him in this place, quietly encouraging travelers along the road.