Learning Space No.1 [Mai Murakami]

I just went with the flow and followed my intuition at the time, which got me to this point.

The dots connected and I am here now, in this place surrounded by mountains and the sea, a place that I discovered over the course of about 10 years.

There is a photo I received as a gift when I got married.

After I decided to move, I was cleaning up the back of a shelf and came across the photo I had almost forgotten about.

When I looked back, the photo was of the place where we had moved.

We lived our lives without realizing that the photograph we received 15 years ago was guiding us.

I felt like God was right there telling me at the right time, "Now is the time."

This mysterious experience made me realize that if fate is determined, then if I just let myself go and don't force myself, it will take me in a pleasant direction.

His partner has been cutting wood, splitting stones, and stacking stones to build a place to live.

As I watched the trees being burned and planted, or the trees being cut down, I was overwhelmed by the greatness of nature, and I continued to work calmly, knowing that it is human hands that decide whether this place lives or dies.

Now I grow rice and harvest honey to eat here, and I've taken up surfing, so the ocean feels very close to me.When I think about it, I've realized that it's all related to the phases of the moon, and I enjoy contemplating the wonders of the universe.

When her eldest daughter turned two years old, she began looking for a nursery school, wanting to see the place with her own eyes before making a decision.

I looked up and saw five energetic children waving at me from a tree. I could see a sparkling light in their eyes.

"I've decided on this place!"

I had previously thought that education was just about studying, but I learned that kindergartens and schools each have their own educational policies that go beyond just academics.

Since then, their children have been attending a nursery school that taught them that there is learning to be done in nature, their eldest son is homeschooled, and their eldest daughter chose to attend a free school, so they are living completely free and beyond the bounds of their parents' opinions.

I learned from nurseries, schools, and the children themselves that adults can only keep up with the free spirit of children, and that children will grow up freely if they are treated with love and respect.

I would be happy if students could choose freely from a wide range of options and learn how to live a happy life.

I started making plant-based snacks after my child was born for the simple reason that I didn't want him to catch a cold.

I learned about "Gâteau au Chocolat" from someone.

This recipe will be passed down at Kaori's "learning space," where her desire to learn has been realized.

I hope that word of this micro-macro cake spreads among people and makes everyday life a little more enjoyable.

When I saw the sewing tools scattered across the table, probably used to sew up a child's tears, I felt as if everything about Kaori was packed into that spot, and a thread of tension eased.

I am grateful to have been invited to my first "learning space," as I believe it is impossible for a place created by such people to not be interesting.

"You want to keep learning," the store owner, Mr. Ono, casually said, and these words resonated with me.

Let's live each day without forgetting this spirit.

The "learning space" was a very educational two days for me as well.

Kaori-san, Ono-san, the Utsushiki staff, and everyone we connect with.

thank you very much.