Photo/Illutration The meal which former Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone enjoyed having at Hinodesanso is shown by villa keeper Yoneko Hara in 2013. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

Two years ago, former Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone visited his beloved villa retreat of Hinodesanso in Tokyo's Hinode for the last time.

The aged Nakasone looked around the mountain retreat as usual. He did not go up to his study on the second floor where he used to read books.

Although he was in a wheelchair, Nakasone did not look like a man nearly 100 because he was still so energetic.

“I thought that Nakasone would always be fine and healthy. I never expected that he would die,” said villa keeper Yoneko Hara. “In my heart, he is still a young and energetic politician.”

Nakasone died on Nov. 29 at age 101.

The former prime minister left behind a wealth of memories at Hinodesanso. It is most famed as the site of Nakasone's summit with then U.S. President Ronald Reagan 36 years ago.

In November 1983, Nakasone asked Reagan and his wife, Nancy, to come to the villa. The meeting, in a setting surrounded by the mountains, was one of the most memorable Japan-U.S. summits. Both leaders wore a "chanchanko" (padded sleeveless kimono jacket), and Nakasone even blew on a conch shell.

Nakasone introduced Hara and her husband to the Reagans.

“We were introduced to them and shook hands,” Hara said. “Sometime later, I saw the picture of that meeting and found out that I bowed too deeply. It’s laughable.”

Both leaders planted dogwoods there to mark the occasion.

Nakasone told Hara, “You need to protect the trees."

In the 1980s, the villa served as a prominent diplomatic stage when Nakasone was in office, but today, has returned to being a tranquil villa in the woods.

Nakasone would go there even before he became prime minister. He visited Hinodesanso a total of 43 times over the five years he served as prime minister.

It takes about an hour and a half by car from central Tokyo to reach the villa.

“In the car, Nakasone was reading a number of books on the way here,” Hara said. “Even at the villa, he studied very hard.”

Nakasone practiced Zen meditation as well as reading books.

“He often said that the air and water here were very clean,” she said.

Whenever Nakasone visited the villa, Hara prepared the meals, such as fried and boiled bamboo shoots collected near the mountains, locally produced sweet tomatoes, boiled potatoes, salt-grilled trout and Japanese radish pickles.

Nakasone liked foods with a sweet flavor, so she made fried eggs very sweet and boiled vegetables sweet and spicy.

Nakasone used to say that he liked a simple meal such as just a cup of soup and one dish.

When his aide ordered sushi for him, Nakasone became angry, saying that he did not want to eat such a thing there.

“He was different from when he was in front of people, and at the villa, he spent his time calmly,” Hara said. “Only while he was here, could he truly be himself.”