-
Continue reading β: How Japanese People Choose Where to Traveland Why It Feels So Different From International Tourism. Living in Gifu has quietly changed the way I look at travel in Japan. Not because Gifu is famous. It is not. Not because it is easy to explain to someone abroad. It rarely is. But because watching how Japanese people…
-
Continue reading β: Warmth Is Not AutomaticNot all at once, but slowly. The air inside the house grew heavier. The floors colder. The kind of cold that settles into wood and tatami long before you consciously decide that it is time to heat the house. I live in a traditional Japanese home in rural Japan. Houses…
-
Continue reading β: From Snow to SteamAfter walking through snow on the hiking trail up Mount Nangu yesterday, we returned to Nangu Shrine cold and hungry. Around the shrine, food stalls were already busy preparing for the New Year festivities. The smell of fried snacks filled the air, tempting after hours in winter cold. Still, I…
-
Continue reading β: A Late Start, for the Right ReasonI am writing todayβs blog post later than usual. Not because I forgot or lost discipline, but because the morning unfolded differently. Sometimes life happens first, and the words have to wait. Today was one of those days, and I wouldnβt change it. Today my wife, my mother-in-law, and her…
-
Continue reading β: Different Traditions, Same Human InstinctJanuary 2 in Japan feels strangely familiar to me. Not because of the food, but because of the rhythm of the day. Yesterday was New Yearβs Day. Family. A lot of food. More than anyone could reasonably finish. Today, we are eating leftovers. Osechi ryori, sushi, sashimi and more. No…
-
Continue reading β: Happy New YearMay your endeavors be rewarded, and may you enjoy the fruits of your labor. We just celebrated our first meal of the year, traditionally known as osechi ryΕri in Japan. What exactly is osechi ryΕri? Osechi ryΕri is a collection of traditional dishes prepared specifically for OshΕgatsu, the Japanese New…
-
Continue reading β: Walking Through a Turning Point in Japanβs HistoryYesterday, my wife and I visited Meiji Mura for the first time. It was her suggestion. She had visited Meiji Mura more than thirty years ago as a child, when her parents took her there. She could not remember much from that visit anymore and wondered whether anything would return…
-
Continue reading β: The Absurd Logic of Luggage SpaceWhen you move countries, luggage space becomes a strange courtroom. Every object must defend its right to exist. Every kilogram must justify itself. In the Netherlands, while sorting through my apartment, I finally did what most sensible adults do. I sold the big things. The tower speakers. The amplifier. Solid…
-
Continue reading β: Beagle With Zero ShameMy mother-in-lawβs beagle, my buddy Chappie, is very happy to see me again. Which is funny, because during the day he has been going to a dog hotel. This is so my mother-in-law can attend her senior gym lessons, and you might think Chappie would be reluctant to go there…
-
Continue reading β: Choosing the Life That Fits Me NowI am sitting on an airplane, somewhere between Europe and Japan, on my way back home. In about eighteen hours, I will land, step outside, and feel that familiar mix of relief and quiet joy. I spent a month in the Netherlands with my family, celebrating a European Christmas, reconnecting…
This blog is for thoughtful adults who are starting again β in learning, creativity, or life β and want to grow steadily without noise or pressure.
Here youβll find daily reflections and practical guides shaped by lived experience. The focus is on learning through doing: building consistency, adapting to change, and finding clarity in everyday practice.
The stories and guides here come from real processes β creative experiments, hands-on projects, life in rural Japan, working with nature, and learning new skills step by step. Nothing is rushed. Nothing is polished for performance. The aim is steady progress, honest reflection, and practical insight you can actually use.
If youβre curious about life in Japan, learning new skills at your own pace, or finding a calmer, more intentional way forward, youβre in the right place.
Experiences - Life - Inspiration π¨ππ―π΅ 