I uploaded a new video on Shinrinyoku, forest bathing. Shinrinyoku, forest bathing is a Japanese bio-hacking method. In other words, it is a bio-harmonizing method. In many ways, bio-hacking done in Japan is bio-harmonizing.
May 5th is the child’s day in Japan, and we usually have Japanese sweets called Chimaki and Kashiwamochi.
It is fabulous going Satoyama cycling along rice paddies now that water is filled.
Rice paddies have water now, and people will plant rice next week or so. The end of April to the beginning of May is the rice planting season in Japan. It is a beautiful time to go walking or cycling and my regular morning Nordic walking gives me further pleasure.
I developed a custom that I call Ima Iwai out of Yoshuku. Ima means now, and Iwai means celebration. Ima Iwai means celebrating the present moment, appreciating here and now.
My son and I had small Hanami, a cherry blossom viewing party yesterday.
In the past, people had cherry blossom viewing parties not just to celebrate the blooming, but also to celebrate the rice harvest in Autumn in advance. The cherry blossom was a symbol of a good harvest and prosperity. By celebrating the good harvest in advance, people thought they would manifest that reality.
Yesterday, I attended a symposium in our town, and Kazumasa Sashide, the editor in chief of a famous magazine called Sotokoto spoke there.
Sotokoto features many projects happening in small rural towns and villages across Japan. Kazumasa Sashide is the author of a book called Bokura Wa Chiho De Shiawase Wo Mitsukeru, We Find Our Happiness in the Countryside. He depicts many cases of young people moving to the countryside and finding their Ikigais.
We have a festival called Hinamatsuri on March 3rd in Japan, but we don’t do anything special in our house since it is more for girls.
