On winter mornings, the crisp cold air stings the skin, rousing bodies still heavy with sleep. The earth is illuminated by snow, and silence envelops the world. The cold is severe, with faint warm smoke rising from houses, where irori hearths and kotatsu welcome families.
Winter is a harsh season, but within its stillness lies a unique warmth. Gathering with family and friends over hot pot dishes, steaming hot tea, and time spent inside a kotatsu are moments of comfort unique to Japanese winters.
On New Year’s Eve, as the bell tolls ring out the old year and preparations to welcome the new year are complete, there’s a moment when one can sense a hint of spring. The earth sleeping under the snow quietly awaits the next spring, nurturing life anew. At the end of winter, a new beginning surely comes once again.
