Rediscovering Japanese Life, One Season at a Time
Hi, I’m Yumi. Thank you for being here.
I grew up in Nara, in a place that was somewhat rural — but not deeply connected to nature. Nature existed around me, but I never truly noticed it.
Finding the Ocean
I started surfing in my mid-30s. It was something completely new to me.
Being in the ocean wasn’t just about riding waves. It became a quiet space where I could reconnect with myself.
Even after becoming a mother, I continued to go to the ocean whenever I could. Before I realized it, the ocean had become an essential part of my life.
Choosing a Different Life
Over time, a simple thought kept returning to me:
“I want to live closer to nature. I want my child to grow up in a place where life feels more open and real.”
That feeling led our family to make a big decision — to move to a small island in southern Japan.
A place surrounded by ocean, rich in nature, and far from the fast pace of city life.
The Reality We Faced
But the reality was far from romantic.
Living in a remote place came with challenges we hadn’t imagined. And more than anything — the insects.
There were nights we couldn’t sleep. Moments when both my husband and I felt completely overwhelmed.
At times, I quietly wondered, “Did we make the wrong choice?”
What Kept Us Going
What carried us through those moments was our daughter.
No matter where she was, she remained curious, joyful, and present.
Watching her embrace this life helped me shift my perspective again and again.
I began to feel that maybe this life — with all its imperfections — was still something meaningful.
Learning to Live With Nature
Little by little, we started to adapt.
We began doing DIY around our home, learning everything from scratch. We also started growing our own vegetables using natural farming methods without pesticides or fertilizers.
Working with the soil, I began to feel something I hadn’t before — the quiet rhythm of nature.
At first, nothing went as planned. But slowly, we found our place within this life.
Rediscovering Japanese Culture
In my teens and twenties, I drifted away from many aspects of traditional Japanese life.
Living in cities like Osaka, and spending time abroad, I became disconnected from things that once existed quietly in everyday life — seasonal living, food tied to nature’s cycles, festivals and rituals that mark the passing of time.
I didn’t lose them completely. But I stopped noticing them.
Coming Back to What Was Always There
Now, living on this island, I find myself reconnecting with those traditions again.
Eating what is in season. Preparing food in ways that reflect the time of year. Noticing small changes in nature. And learning about traditional events and customs — things that were passed down through generations.
These are not just “old traditions.” They are ways of living that were shaped by people who deeply understood nature.
I’ve come to feel that these practices carry the quiet wisdom of those who came before us.
I’m still learning. And I want to continue learning.
(Through our videos, we also share these seasonal moments and aspects of Japanese culture in our daily life.)
What This Life Is Teaching Me
Life here is not always easy or convenient.
But because of that, I’ve started to notice things I once overlooked.
The shift of seasons. The smell of the air. The way plants grow quietly over time. And most importantly — how I choose to live each day.
Moving Forward
I want to live each day as if it were a lifetime. To slow down. To notice more. To truly feel the life that is happening right now.
Through this blog, I share our life on this island — the beauty, the challenges, and the small discoveries along the way.
Thank you for reading.
If something in this story resonates with you, I hope you’ll come back and visit again.
