Gentle and Soft Recipes for Daily Life EP.01 | collaboration with hauu (nishikawa)

This town itself is my place of comfort.

My room is, of course, a place where I can settle down, but when I look at the bigger picture, maybe "this town itself" is my place of rest.

I like places that are crowded and stimulating, but they also leave me feeling exhausted. When that happens, returning to this town gives me an immediate sense of relief.

Resting in my room is important, but the time I spend going out to local shops or walking through the streets feels like an extension of the time I spend at home.

The atmosphere of the entire town is something that relaxes me just by being here.

I’ve never left the Chuo Line area since I came to Japan, and I’ve been living in Nishi-Ogikubo for about 10 years now. I'm sure I’m not the only one who "can't seem to leave the Chuo Line" (laughs).

Of course, there are plenty of other wonderful places, but this place really is different. I feel a sense of relief the moment I step onto the Chuo Line.

Living alone. But not alone.

To begin with, many of my friends are artists, photographers, or involved in some kind of creative activity. The things in my room didn't just come from intentional shopping trips; they are things I bought at friends' exhibitions or gifts that have naturally accumulated over time.

Every week, without fail, someone comes over to hang out. Since many of my friends live nearby, it's a daily occurrence to get a text like, "Can I come over now?" It's a casual vibe, like asking, "What should we have for dinner?"

So, I don't really have the feeling of living alone.

One friend works at a coffee shop about a 30-second walk from here, and I use that place like my workspace; then there’s a curry shop a little further away where another friend works...

If I walk around town, I’m bound to run into someone I know.

Perhaps the "sense of relief" I mentioned earlier comes from that. I live alone, but I'm not lonely (laughs).

Choosing what feels "just right" for me today.

A bed is a strange place, isn't it? (laughs). It's a place to read, a place to work, a place to eat—it would be more functional to separate these things, but for some reason, everything ends up happening in bed. I probably shouldn't admit that out loud (laughs).

You know those mornings when you just don't want to move yet? Wrapping myself in a blanket during those quiet moments makes me feel a little at ease.

hauu's blankets are soft, fluffy, and truly warm. More than that, they give me a sense of calm, and I feel like my breathing naturally deepens.

On days when I'm tired, I often watch a movie in bed before sleeping... Even though I have a projector, I end up watching on my phone (laughs).

But sometimes, I feel like, "I need to take a break from digital life." When that happens, I switch into reading mode. I suppose it's like searching for the method that suits me best at any given moment.

A relationship I want to keep, no matter how old I get.

I often meet up with friends in the evenings, too. I love the time we spend talking late at night in this room. Conversations in a coffee shop or a bar are totally different from those we have in my room, and the intensity changes completely between day and late night.

I don't have to worry about the last train, so friends nearby come over just to talk. Maybe I'm the type who finds clarity by talking to someone rather than bottling things up.

Recently, I’ve found myself wondering, "How long will I be able to live like this?"

As I get older, perhaps some of my friends will find partners, and I’m sure there will be many changes ahead. Even so, I would be happy if I could continue this lifestyle with others being "added" to my current relationships as time goes on.