Happy 2021

I am happy to welcome a new year after one of the hardest year for everyone of us.
The year 2020 was emotionally exhausting and the pandemic reality is still hard but I really appreciate for my friends and family who share anxiety and care each other. 
Here I would like to strongly hope 2021 will bring us more happiness to live in this world.

Here in this year, I would love to spend more time for reading books!

January has began with this book which I had stopped reading a while ago.
So it's a nice idea to finish firstly :) 

BØYGEN

 A while ago, I contributed as an illustrator to a literature magazine published by students at University of Oslo. It was a pure pleasure to draw the ones about  actual global issues!

Newly printed mini zine

 During this pandemic, I dreamed of my favorite place on earth - Icealnd.
I couldn't draw almost at all when I was staying there. However I started drawing after being back in Tokyo. The gap between two places, a rupture inspired me a lot. Since then I did many sketches pour rien and left them behind. And covid pandemic has arrived. Again I started drawing what I experienced in Iceland...

New Work

The portrait of Antonio Gramsci I did a while ago
for Filosofisk Supplement #2/2020 :) 

It is always so nice to have a copy of this magazine!

North

Here I see the summer is approaching.

Daylight gets longer, fields becomes greener.

Soon lives are in fully bloom.

But I love winter.

To be honest, I don't like heat and humidity in the next season.

I prefer silence and white snow.

Winter gives me time & space to absorb and wait.

I instantly fall in love with the nature in Northern countries.

It might be because I was born in the north.

I start my own projects inspired my winter experiences and "north".

*

夏はもうすぐ。

日は長くなり、畑の緑はもっと深くなった。

生命があふれんばかりの季節がやってくる。

でも私は冬が好き。

正直、次の季節とともにやってくる暑さも湿度も好きじゃない。

静寂、そして真っ白な雪の方が好だ。

冬は、没入と期待の時間。

北国の自然を好きになるのに、時間はかからなかった。

北方で生まれたから、かな。

In the end of a day

easy lemon ginger

I preserved leftover lemons from the lemon cake into sugar.
I enjoy this as lemon tea and also hot lemon ginger.
It's super simple the second one; add one or two slices of pickled lemon, a few teaspoon of ginger powder and lemon into hot water. It is a nice reward for the end of a day.
It is caffein-free and gently warms your throat and body.
Especially these days, I'm easily tired because of the disappointing politics and sad news so decided to remove news app, twitter or fb messenger apps from my iPhone.
Now I appreciate my time taking time to drink a cup of lemon ginger and writing a diary before going to bed.

レモンケーキの残りで、レモンを砂糖漬けにした。
レモンティーとホットレモンジンジャーにして楽しんでいる。
レモンジンジャーはめちゃくちゃ簡単。漬けたレモンを１、２枚とジンジャーパウダーをスプーンで２、３杯、あとは熱いお湯。
カフェインなし、喉も体も優しく温めてくれる。
ここのところ、政治に失望し、ニュースに悲しくなり、疲れやすい。
だからiPhoneからニュースのアプリ、twitterやFBのメッセンジャーアプリも消した。今は自分の時間、就寝前にレモンジンジャーを飲んで日記を書く、そんな時を大切にしている。

Yesterday afternoon, the fields in my hood.
Farmers prepare to seed and soils are ready to grow potatoes.

Refreshing Yellow

In the early morning, I did yoga soon after waking up. Since I didn't yoga yesterday, my body becomes inflexible again. It was a total disappointment.
I felt as if my heart were in a box.

Then I started to prepare a lemon cake. Yoga is such a good excuse to eat pastries. Take one lemon from the fridge and pour hot water over it to remove the waxes. Once lemon zest is prepared, the fresh smell fulfilled the kitchen.
The morning sunshine was gently penetrating from the small kitchen window.
And I breathed deeply. Now I feel my body and heart connects once again.



***


早朝、起きぬけにヨガを。昨日やらなかったせいか、体が硬くてがっかり。
心まで箱に詰め込まれた気分。

次にレモンケーキの準備。ヨガはお菓子づくりのちょうどいい言い訳。
冷蔵庫からレモンを取り出して、熱湯をかけてワックスを取り除く。レモンゼストが準備できると、キッチンにはレモンの新鮮な香りがいっぱい。キッチンの小さな窓から日光が優しいく入ってくる。そして深呼吸。もう一度、体と心が繋がった気分。