Hello everyone. This is Tomohiro Nakamichi from Shibecha Town.
Welcome to "Shibecha Biyori," where I share the charms of Shibecha Town from my perspective. In this second installment of the series, I'd like to introduce a guesthouse and restaurant in Nijibetsu called "Kurasukoto Kina." The owner is Keiko Nakamoto. The home-cooked meals Keiko-san makes are truly delicious, and above all, the atmosphere created by the people who gather at Kina is so warm and always overflowing with smiles.

The exterior of "Kurasukoto Kina"

Kina doesn't have a set menu; when you order, she comes up with a menu tailored to you. For manual laborers, it's a powerful, meat-centric meal. For children with allergies or those who are health-conscious, it's a healthy, vegetable-focused meal. Each dish is a home-cooked creation filled with Keiko-san's care.

"It's like the saying 'to eat from the same pot'—I feel like you can get closer to people by eating together. I think 'food' is a much more important element than most people realize." Her words carry weight.

Today was Japanese food. Keiko-san thinks up the menu each time. It's exciting to see what will be served.

Besides running the guesthouse, Keiko-san has another side to her. She is a traveler who has journeyed to the far north many times. She has been to Canada and Alaska on numerous occasions, camping in the wilderness and canoeing down headwaters—adventures that would put an explorer to shame.

Since I've also been to Alaska to photograph wildlife, the stories Keiko-san tells are fascinating, and we always talk about our travels and about life.

A photo book documenting her travels. It records journeys more arduous than one might imagine from her appearance.

The important thing Keiko-san teaches is to "accept each day." Since moving here, I've come to realize that the people who have put down roots and are living on this land all enjoy their current lives from the bottom of their hearts, in one way or another. They work from sunrise, go home when it gets dark, eat dinner with their families, and sleep. They enjoy this ordinary way of life.
Until now, I had always been striving for something, thinking, "I want to be this. I want to do that." At first glance, it might seem like a glamorous path, burning with dreams and heading toward a goal. But to put it another way, I was never satisfied with my current situation. I constantly felt a sense of lack, thinking, "My current life is missing this. I don't have enough of that," and I was desperately trying to fill that void by increasing my outside connections or trying to grasp onto something.

But after moving to Shibecha, getting involved with the people living here, and meeting Keiko-san, my values gradually began to change.
"What's the rush?"
She said this to me with a laugh one day.

"Don't hurry, don't rush. Just take your time."
I felt as if something inside me had crumbled away.

In exchange for striving for something, I had failed to notice the precious things right in front of me. From then on, little by little, I began to see many different things.

The rich expressions of my dogs, the changing of the seasons, the gentleness of the wind on my cheeks, the small flowers blooming in their designated spots. The warm sunlight. The blessing of rain. The list is endless.

It turns out that everyday life was filled with so much happiness and so many miracles.

The beauty of the sunset, daily life with my dogs. The small joys have begun to shine brightly.

"My goal is to stay as I am. The present is enough for me."
I can tell Keiko-san means this from the heart. Perhaps what's necessary to live in the countryside, where the environment is harsher than in the Kanto region or big cities, is not some lofty goal or immense mental and physical strength, but rather a simplicity that allows you to accept each day. Kina, the space created by such a person, has now become an indispensable presence for me.

The "Kurasu koto" in "Kurasukoto Kina" comes from Keiko-san's wish for people to "stay here as if you were living here." Even in its name, you can feel Keiko-san's warmth. Maybe richness isn't about acquiring something, but about noticing what you already have.

After meeting Keiko-san, I've come to think this way.

And now, a video featuring "Kurasukoto Kina" and Keiko-san, which I filmed for the channel of the Shibecha Town Community-Revitalization Cooperator team I belong to, is available to watch.


The Shibecha Town Community-Revitalization Cooperator channel delivers a lot of content, including introductions to various local businesses I've covered and the "Shibecha Tayori" newsletter which brings you the latest news from the town. We focus on high-quality visuals to make it enjoyable even for people who have no connection to Shibecha, and we've designed it to be accessible even for those who don't know the town.

If you have time, please check out the Shibecha Town Community-Revitalization Channel. Hokkaido has fully embraced the crisp air of autumn. From here on, it seems the cold will creep in day by day, pulling winter closer. They say that when the Japanese rowan in front of the town hall bears fruit, autumn truly begins. The Ezo squirrels I always see also seem to know that winter is coming early, as they seem to be stuffing their cheeks with nuts more busily than usual.
As a first-year resident of Hokkaido, I want to spend my days enjoying the things that change while cherishing the things that don't, and being grateful for each day.