The new year has begun, and this month, I turn 29.
With just a few weeks left of being 28, here are some events that shaped my week 1,511.
1. From a Day Trip to Tochigi
My family plans a short trip every year at the end of the year. This time, we decided to visit Kinugawa Onsen for a weekend getaway during the last weekend of the year.
As far as the eye could see, the scenery was all the same.
In front of me was a hotel, to my right was a hotel, to my left was a hotel, and even the road we came from was lined with hotels. Most of these hotels were old and had an eerie, abandoned feel, almost like the site of a closed-down school. This atmosphere became even more pronounced the further we moved away from the station.
Living in Tokyo, I’m surrounded by shiny skyscrapers, crowded streets, and the constant hustle and bustle of people bumping into each other. It has become part of my daily life.
So, when I find myself in a place like this, I wonder:
Is this the same country?
To think that Tochigi, just an hour away from Tokyo by bullet train, has such a different atmosphere. No wonder Tokyo is called a “big city” — the contrast between Tokyo’s energy and Tochigi’s calm made it clear how distinct the two places are.
2. From the Year-End Party with My School Friends
Not much has changed with anyone.
Some of us have developed beer bellies, had hair removal treatments that made our skin tone a bit brighter, and some even became dads this year with the arrival of their babies.
But when we speak, our personalities from school days return immediately to the surface.
Spending six years together in our teens — an important time when our identities are being formed — was incredibly precious.
Now, as an adult, I deeply feel how lucky I was to have met such great friends during that period, and how much it shaped who I am today.
As a working adult, I no longer respond to every invitation like I did in my student days. Work commitments, plans with family who live away, the needs of aging relatives who sometimes require help, and other personal things I need to do for my own growth — all these factors have made my responses to invitations naturally more selective over time.
Yet, when it comes to the year-end gathering with these friends, I always make sure to say “yes.” Their presence is an essential part of who I am today.
3. From Being Surrounded by Exam Students in a Café
On the 31st of December, having wrapped up my work the day before, I decided to spend a few hours at a local café before meeting up with a friend.
I made my way to the spacious table area on the second floor, coffee mug in hand.
But when I climbed the stairs, I was surprised to find the café more crowded than expected.
Most of the tables were occupied by younger people, and half of the one I had hoped to sit at was already taken. As I walked past them, I glanced at the study books stacked in front of them and noticed them diligently writing in their notebooks with mechanical pencils.
Come to think of it, exam season was approaching again this year.
In the Kanto region, high school entrance exams take place from early January to early March, and university entrance exams from late January to mid-February.
I, too, had once spent my New Year’s holiday bent over textbooks and papers, preparing for college exams.
Between me and the students sitting next to me lay nearly a decade of time.
Hope your year is off to a great start.
Catch you next week!