— A Modest Ideal Life in Numata, Gunma —
Even after leaving Tokyo, the world didn’t feel far away.
I open my laptop, the usual meetings begin, the same emails arrive.
Only now, beyond the window, it’s not skyscrapers I see—
it’s the outline of Mount Asama.
Here in Numata, Gunma,
the daily noise drifts a little further away,
and time begins to move more gently.
Ⅰ. Workdays with a Breeze
Morning light spills through the curtains, stirred by the wind from the Tone River.
I stretch lightly, place a steaming cup of coffee on the desk,
and open my laptop—the day begins.
From somewhere outside, a bird answers the voices on Zoom.
By afternoon I’m buying tomatoes at the roadside market,
and by evening, soaking in a quiet onsen to wash away the day’s heat.
Live like this long enough,
and the word work starts to mean something softer.
Ⅱ. The Texture of the Seasons
In spring, I walk through the spray of Fukiware Falls.
In summer, I chase the wind across Kawaba Highlands.
Autumn means rustling leaves underfoot,
and winter, the sharp scent of snow in the air.
Each season carries a stillness you’ll never see on a screen.
That is the true luxury of this place.
Ⅲ. Between City and Countryside
A short drive brings me to Numata’s town center—
supermarkets, cafés, and steady Wi-Fi connections.
It’s just convenient enough.
Tokyo is only an hour and a half away by shinkansen,
close enough to reach, distant enough to breathe.
For those who know the rhythm of the city,
this balance feels like kindness itself.
Epilogue
With Wi-Fi, you can work anywhere.
But living—that can’t be done just anywhere.
At night, under the quiet mountain sky, I look up at the moon
and realize that the time I spend here
is a gentle conversation with myself.
If you have the wind and Wi-Fi, you have enough to live.
That simple truth
is what I found here in Numata.
— Wouldn’t you like to live this way?
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