Surrounded by secluded forests and majestic mountains is a campground in Hita City, Oita Prefecture. Kohei Akahoshi and his wife Nagisa were originally employed in the apparel industry in Kurume City, Fukuoka Prefecture, but upped sticks with their children to live deep in the mountains where they have started a campground. PAPERSKY editor-in-chief Lucas headed down to Oita to meet this pioneering family. Accompanying him was photographer Tomohide Tani, who lives on the Kunisaki Peninsula in Oita Prefecture. While munching on delicious buckwheat buns, everyone listened intently to the family’s story about how the campsite, their backwoods lifestyle, and the BESS house became intertwined.
Guest／Lucas B.B.（PAPERSKY Editor）
Guest／Tomohide Tani（Photographer / Resident of Kunisaki City, Oita Prefecture）
Host／Akahoshi Kohei/Nagisa-san (Husband/wife owner of “camp & cafe redstar works”, residents of Hita City, Oita Prefecture, and proud owners of BESS home)
1. A home of our own was always just a pipe dream
The location is ideal, with a clear river flowing right in front. Although it’s meant to be the Akahoshi family’s home, a sign reading ‘Camp & Cafe Redstar Works’ greets visitors at the entrance. Yes, this is a campground, a café, and Akahoshi-san’s residence all in one. Balancing family life amidst the great outdoors while managing a campground truly embodies the dream lifestyle. Lucas and Tani were eager to learn more about the journey that led to this unique way of life.”
Kohei Akahoshi (Kohei): ”In a previous life, we worked in the apparel industry in Kurume (Fukuoka Prefecture). When our second child was born, we decided it would be better to find a job that allowed us to have weekends off. So, we moved back to my hometown of Hita (Oita Prefecture) and changed careers.”
Nagisa Akahoshi (Nagisa): ”Around that time, I came across an ad for BESS in a magazine and had a feeling my husband would be interested in that kind of home, so I brought it up to him.”
Kohei: ”I never planned on building a house, but I went to the LOGWAY showroom (BESS) to see a BESS house for myself. We were joking about how many decades it would take before we could actually build one. But when we saw it together, we both thought, ‘This is it!’ (Haha).”
Tani: “It’s exciting, isn’t it, to see it in person?”
Lucas: “Did your heart skip a beat when you laid eyes on the house?
Kohei: ”Part of it is that I grew up in the countryside, so I was familiar with houses that had earthen floors. The neighbors would just walk right in through the earthen floor without hesitation. So when I saw that BESS offered homes with earthen floors, it felt like exactly what I had envisioned for my ideal house. I started thinking about having a home built in Hita City, where I was living at the time. But when I consulted with the people at BESS, they suggested, ‘If you’re going to go through all this trouble, why not build a house deep in the mountains, back in your hometown?’ While Hita is technically in my hometown, it’s not in the more prosperous part of the city. It’s actually quite far out, in the back of beyond.”
Lucas: “So the BESS people planted the seed.”
Kohei: ”That’s right. I began considering this option and eventually found a piece of land, formerly a rice field, near my parents’ house. In the end, we were able to build the BESS house we had always wanted.”
Lucas: “What was the decision behind starting the campground?”
Kohei: ”It was great that we got the land and decided to build a house, but we couldn’t live there with the rice paddies as they were. So, we rented heavy machinery and cleared the land ourselves. Until we did that, I hadn’t realized just how vast the land was. (Haha.) One day, people who had come to a nearby park approached me and asked, ‘Could we camp here?’ At first, I wondered what they were up to. When I asked, they explained that they used to camp in the park but couldn’t anymore. I asked if they were okay with the fact that my house was right here and that the site was a bit unusual, and they said they were totally fine with it. That’s when I started thinking about starting a campground.”
Tani: “Were you two always keen campers?”
Kohei: ”No, my wife and I had never camped before, and even though we decided to set up a campsite, we had no idea where to start. So, we turned to people who were experienced with camping. At first, we were told all we needed was a reception desk, and we assumed that was all there was to it. (Haha.)”
Lucas: ”What an interesting process.”
Tani: “It’s pretty amazing that you were able to have a house built and even start a campground with it.”
2. What does effective child-rearing look like?
The Akahoshi family moved deep into the mountains, purchased land, built a house, and even started a campground, all while carefully considering the advice of others. Kohei changed careers and now works for a company an hour’s drive away, while Nagisa left her job to spend more time at home. Although their lifestyle has changed drastically and unexpectedly, the family seems to be very content with their current situation.
Nagisa: ”I considered looking for another job, but I thought commuting would be too difficult with the children, so I decided to focus on the campsite. I essentially took on the role of managing it.”
Kohei: ”With that, we decided to try opening a café as well, so we converted the first floor of our house into one, with her in charge. I’ve been transferred to a location that makes daily commuting challenging, so I rent a room near my workplace during the week and come back home on weekends.”
Lucas: ”Life just keeps changing, doesn’t it?”
Nagisa: ”It’s funny, but when we were thinking about having a house built sometime in the future, the BESS advisor said something like, ‘Why wait?’ (Haha). As a couple, we envisioned living in a BESS house with our children after they’d grown up, but after that conversation, we realized that the whole point of having a BESS home is to live in it with your children. I imagined that both the house and our family would grow together.”
Kohei: ”Because we’re deep in the mountains, land is naturally cheaper than in urban areas. This allows me to spend more on things that enhance my quality of life. Instead of forcing myself to buy land and live in the city, I feel I can afford a better lifestyle by living in a place where the land is more affordable.”
Nagisa: ”Actually, my husband’s parents were opposed to us moving deep into the mountains. They were worried it would cause problems when the children reached high school age. It’s true that many families hesitate to move to the countryside because of concerns about schooling. However, after living here, I’ve realized that this isn’t the case. In fact, I feel the countryside is great for fostering independence in children. Now, I can tell them, ‘You can go anywhere you want,’ because, at this point, they can’t commute to high school from home anyway (haha). I think it’s a wonderful opportunity to give children the freedom to explore anywhere in the country once they reach high school age.”
Tani: ”I think many parents start thinking this way when their children are about to go to college, but it would be great if they could develop the mindset of choosing the school and area they want to attend from an early age.”
Kohei: ”There are only about 20 houses around us, and most of the residents are elderly. But that’s what makes it so special. They are incredibly kind and considerate toward the children. They willingly share their wisdom on various aspects of daily life and often talk to us about disaster preparedness. The children love learning how to cook bamboo shoots they’ve picked from the mountains right in front of them. The people around us nurture the children with a comforting sense of closeness, or rather, they impart to them the strength to live.”
Nagisa: ”Also, when we were both working in apparel, there were many times when our days and nights were reversed, so I really enjoy the routine of waking up in the morning and going to bed at night (haha). By moving to the middle of nowhere, we’ve ended up prioritizing the children.”
Tani: ”I was also born and raised in Oita, but I live on the Kunisaki Peninsula, which is by the sea. So, I have a deep longing for mountain life, like Akahoshi-san’s. I yearn for clear streams, fly fishing, and the like. Come to think of it, Oita is a big place.”
Lucas: “It certainly is that. By the way, anyone up for one of the souvenirs Tani-san has kindly provided?”
Kohei: ”Soba manju, I presume?”
Tani: ”When in Rome, right? There are so many soba manju (buckwheat buns) shops around here that it’s hard to know which one to choose.”
Nagisa: ”There are plenty of buckwheat bun shops, but almost no soba noodle places.”
Lucas: ”Really? Who would have thought!”
3. The incomparable happiness of living here.
In Hita, known for its traditional Japanese sweets, the most popular souvenir is buckwheat buns. Tani-san picked out some delicious-looking buckwheat buns from several well-established shops to compare. As we enjoyed the sweets, time seemed to slow down in that uniquely peaceful way typical of Hita.
Tani: ”This area is full of buckwheat bun shops, but near our house, there are so many fried chicken spots—more than convenience stores, even. Despite that, everyone has their favorite flavor and a go-to place for different dishes.”
Lucas: ”I can’t get enough of these soba manju! Do you ever forage for food near your home, Akahoshi-san?”
Nagisa: ”We do indeed. Since moving here, I’ve developed a love for butterbur sprouts. We harvest a lot of it from behind our place. The time I spend cooking with these ingredients is really important to me. Since our family isn’t together during the week, we only get to share meals on weekends. So, I think about how I can make everyone happy by cooking with these ingredients, or how I can prepare chestnut rice on the weekends using the chestnuts I’ve gathered. Cooking on the weekends, with my family in mind, is something I cherish more than anything else.”
Tani: ”That sounds like a lovely time. Kohei-san, are there any particular moments you’ve come to love since moving up here?”
Kohei: ”When we chop wood for the stove, we end up with wood chips, which we burn in the yard. It creates a lively atmosphere, and the kids come out to join in. They’ll griddle sausages or roast meat over the fire without any prompting. Then there’s the time before bedtime. The windows are large, and I don’t have curtains, so I lie in bed and gaze at the night sky. I fall asleep watching the stars, and when the sun rises, the light streaming through the window naturally wakes me up. I really like that feeling.”
Lucas: ”BESS houses have huge windows, don’t they?”
Nagisa: ”Yes, the view from the windows is like a painting, and I never get tired of it.”
Lucas: ”Right now, I’m splitting my time between coastal life in Yaizu, Shizuoka, and urban life in Shibuya, Tokyo. But I also like the idea of living in the mountains. Getting a house built, moving to a new place, and starting the campground—those were all decisions you made based on other people’s advice. It’s fascinating how everything has turned out so well for you, and it feels so relevant to today’s world. I have to say, I’m pretty impressed, lol.”
Tani: “I couldn’t agree more.”
Lucas: ”Tani-san, you’re another one who changed jobs based on someone’s advice, right?”
Tani: ”Yes. I used to be a nursery school teacher, and I often took pictures of the things we did at school. I wasn’t particularly interested in cameras or photography at the time. One day, I casually showed a photo I had taken to an artist, and he was surprised to see that I had a good sense of composition. Little by little, I started taking more professional photos, and as people in my hometown learned that I was doing photography, I began to get more and more job offers. That’s how I ended up quitting my job as a nursery school teacher and becoming a photographer. (laughs)”
Kohei: ”I’m the type of person who tends to act when someone tells me to do something, rather than making all the decisions myself. (laughs) I don’t have a strong desire to pursue anything in particular, and I’m not very picky about what I do. I just adapt and adjust depending on the situation.”
Tani: “Advice from others often uncovers blind spots you hadn’t noticed.”
Lucas: ”That mindset is of great importance.”
BESS House
https://www.bess.jp
camp & cafe redstar works
https://www.instagram.com/redstar_works.inc