29.december.2026

Dear reader,

I wanted to safe-keep one last memory before the year ends. God knows I’m still acutely aware of the guilt gnawing at me for not keeping up with updates. Especially for this trip. Despite finally finding the inspiration to write again 3 weeks ago, I found myself right back into another slump. Then Sean mentioned something about perhaps the next entry should be about beautiful things around the house and my mind went “huh, perhaps.”

Let me preface by saying that every year, we end the final days in Karuizawa. And that’s where we are right now. But my mind drifts back to our home, and with the festivities often whisking you away, I’m here. Thinking about home and not even registering that there’s a new year to look forward to. But just a place I want to return to. 

I think so much of why I hadn’t really thought to write about anything is that we’ve been too preoccupied immersing ourselves with new friends. Being comfortable enough to invite people into the house despite the language barrier. The shortcut to the google translate app deserves all the credit for this surge in confidence. Limited understanding, broken sentences and body language made up for all the communication we needed. Despite it not being the primary language on both parties, we just got it. 

Up till now, it’s been our home. But I think with these new additions, it’s evident that this is a home in Okayama. 

A team of people adjacent to my career in Singapore dropped by for a visit. And when you have a production crew making the trip to document your life, it’s like you’re suppose to compress everything in that time limit. While we’re used to a much slower pace, those three days felt like our usual three months on steroids. It led to constant bursts of people coming in and out. Pieces of work being pumped into our walls, our lives, our home. 

Enclosed are works of art we’ve purchased from our new friends during this time because it fits so seamlessly as though they’ve been in our lives all along. I don’t want to be cheesy and add just like the artists, but honestly, is there another way you thought the end of this sentence would go? 

And when you come in contact with beautiful people who are so bashful about the incredible things they’ve created, you almost fall in love with them just a little more. You hang their works up immediately because despite the language barrier, we understand what we can do to annihilate any insecurity. Their eyes twinkled with delight and gratitude, just like ours did. A reaffirmation that there’s a place for you and your work to exist in our home. 

Anyway, I guess that just about wraps up this entry before the year ends. The one where I rant about beautiful things and beautiful neighbours. See you in 2026. 

ash