or about two and a half years now, I have been living in Japan. Recently, I moved into a new environment here, and it has been about two and a half months since I began to create a collection of fresh experiences in life. This new home of mine is in a small town called Katsutadai, located in Chiba Prefecture, which is blessed with beautiful and peaceful surroundings.
Although during the past two years I often felt the desire to explore the area, the busy workload I had did not allow me that opportunity. So, when I finally decided to explore Chiba Prefecture, I turned to the internet, where countless images of scenic landscapes and special spots in the prefecture flowed before me. Among them, the place that first caught my eye and seemed most easily accessible was a charming little path running through a camphor forest called Hiyodori Zaka.
Hiyodori Zaka is a path with a history of about 300 years, once traveled by samurai, and it runs through a beautiful camphor forest leading to a small village where they are believed to have lived.
From my house, the journey by bicycle took about 45 minutes, but it ended up being a long two-hour ride — not because of anything else, but because of the sheer beauty of the road between my house and Hiyodori Zaka. It felt as if I had traveled back to Sri Lanka, a journey so beautiful that it made me forget, even for a moment, the busyness and monotony of daily life. What I meant by saying “it felt like being in Sri Lanka” was the endless greenery along the road, lined with paddy fields and trees that reminded me of home.
July is the season when Japan is dyed in the colors of summer. But on this particular day, although the sky was heavy with rain clouds, we were blessed with a day where the clouds gave us shade from beginning to end. Before setting off, I checked the weather forecast, which warned of reduced sunlight and continuous rainfall for the following day. Still, I had resolved that no matter what the weather might bring tomorrow, I would go on this journey today.
Enjoying the natural beauty along the way, after nearly two hours, we finally reached Hiyodori Zaka. We entered through a neatly arranged forest path surrounded by camphor trees. But, to my disappointment, the charm of this path lasted only for a short walk. Hiyodori Zaka is situated on a small hill; as we climbed higher, the forest beauty faded away and opened into a more open area, where we found a temple-like place known in Japanese as an otera. Yet, even when we reached the summit, the breathtaking scenery I had hoped for was not there. We spent only a short time there before heading back, unable to capture the beauty I had imagined.
However, the mental refreshment I gained from the shady camphor forest, combined with the soothing feeling of light raindrops on my body, made the journey deeply satisfying. Though my expectations were not fully met, I gladly embraced the comfort and joy I received. Moreover, this walk gave me a life lesson — that instead of always building up expectations and waiting for them to be fulfilled, we should not miss the beauty and joy that exists in this very moment.
Thank you!