I started studying about Ainu from the second year of my undergraduate school, and if I realized I have been to Hokkaido for five years now, and now I am a graduate student, now I am visiting Hokkaido more and more often.

Next month, I will go to Hokkaido for research.

On the day when I first made a reservation to WAYA, I was planning to head directly to Sapporo from India, which I was visiting on a trip, but the plane I was supposed to fly didn't fly.

When I was supposed to have a good time with good food and drink in Hokkaido, I had a breath of air of air conditioning that was as effective as possible in Delhi's airport, which is filled with a noisy guard with a black rifle. I was lying on a bench that wasn't hit.

I changed the plane and finally arrived in Sapporo on the evening of the next day, I thought I might be angry at the front desk person I did not even contact even though I had a reservation but While I opened the door.

...... It was fragrant wood (※ I opened the door of the snack next to WAYA).

The memories of that time are remembered every time I stand in front of the door of WAYA (after that, I apologized immediately and opened the door of the next WAYA).

Since the day when I opened my door with a smile, when I opened the door, there are warm people who always welcome me with an unchanged smile.

All the staff of WAYA, Mr. helper, and guests and locals who happened to be there.

I mainly go to Hokkaido to do fieldwork surveys in a village called Hiratori-cho Nibutani in the Hidaka region, but for that purpose I do not have to be in Sapporo.

But when I read back the field notes I took in the survey, I had a pleasant memory at WAYA at the end of the page that was filled up with interviews about Ainu and mythology, sketches and explanations of hunting for Sika deer. has been written.

On the day of the survey, there will always be many more days, from Nibutani, passing New Chitose Airport, to Sapporo.

It was an essential course of my field work until I met the people of the waya someday.