{"id":10106,"date":"2025-01-04T02:05:27","date_gmt":"2025-01-03T17:05:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/?page_id=10106"},"modified":"2026-01-12T23:08:32","modified_gmt":"2026-01-12T14:08:32","slug":"the-way","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/en\/about\/the-way\/","title":{"rendered":"Episode 0 | The Way"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/en\/about\/the-way\/#First_of_all\" >First of all<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/en\/about\/the-way\/#Shy_Childhood\" >Shy Childhood<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/en\/about\/the-way\/#Art_and_Conflict\" >Art and Conflict<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/en\/about\/the-way\/#The_world_was_much_bigger_than_my_imagination\" >The world was much bigger than my imagination.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/en\/about\/the-way\/#Social_Rail\" >Social Rail<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/en\/about\/the-way\/#Agriculture_in_Living_Abroad\" >Agriculture in Living Abroad<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/en\/about\/the-way\/#Harsh_traveling_life\" >Harsh traveling life<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/en\/about\/the-way\/#Connection_to_the_Earth\" >Connection to the Earth<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/en\/about\/the-way\/#Native_American\" >Native American.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/en\/about\/the-way\/#A_Mushroom_Village_in_Mexico\" >A Mushroom Village in Mexico<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/en\/about\/the-way\/#Paranormal_Phenomenon\" >Paranormal Phenomenon<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/en\/about\/the-way\/#Oneness_all_is_one\" >Oneness, all is one.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/en\/about\/the-way\/#Finally\" >Finally.<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<div id=\"pl-10106\"  class=\"panel-layout\" ><div id=\"pg-10106-0\"  class=\"panel-grid panel-has-style\" ><div style=\"padding: 100px 0; \" data-overlay=\"true\" class=\"panel-row-style panel-row-style-for-10106-0\" ><div id=\"pgc-10106-0-0\"  class=\"panel-grid-cell\" ><div id=\"panel-10106-0-0-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-image panel-first-child\" data-index=\"0\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-0-0-0\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-image so-widget-sow-image-default-113ccd71f3e6-10106\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"sow-image-container\">\n\t\t<img \n\tdata-src=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/4-768x511.jpg\" width=\"768\" height=\"511\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/4-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/4-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/4-1024x681.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/4-1536x1021.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/4-2048x1362.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/4-1000x665.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/4-230x153.jpg 230w, https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/4-350x233.jpg 350w, https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/4-480x319.jpg 480w, https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/4-272x182.jpg 272w, https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/4-scaled.jpg 1500w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" title=\"Kota\" alt=\"\" \t\tclass=\"so-widget-image lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 768px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 768\/511;\" \/>\n\t<\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"widget-title\">Kota<\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-0-0-1\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor panel-last-child\" data-index=\"1\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-0-0-1\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"First_of_all\"><\/span>First of all<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kota | <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Oneness Artist<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><b>How did Kota come to work as a painter? <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is my path to becoming a painter. I hope you will read it when you have time. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As you read through the story, you may wonder, 'What does this have to do with becoming a painter?' I hope you enjoy it as a story about a person's life. I hope you find something meaningful in it. <\/span>I believe that events which, at first glance, seem unrelated to being a painter are the very elements that shaped me as an artist. These are unique experiences that flow into my work. I feel that every event from my birth to the present has been a milestone.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I am grateful to be alive now. <\/span>I am thankful for the food I eat and the home that shelters me from the wind and rain. I am also grateful for the ability to paint. <strong>I would like to express my gratitude to everyone who has supported me along the way. <\/strong><strong>Thank you so much for everything.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s get started.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"pg-10106-1\"  class=\"panel-grid panel-has-style\" ><div style=\"padding: 100px 0; \" data-overlay=\"true\" data-overlay-color=\"#000000\" class=\"panel-row-style panel-row-style-for-10106-1\" ><div id=\"pgc-10106-1-0\"  class=\"panel-grid-cell\" ><div id=\"panel-10106-1-0-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-headline panel-first-child\" data-index=\"2\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-1-0-0\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-headline so-widget-sow-headline-default-eafff46c4538-10106\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t><div class=\"sow-headline-container \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"sow-headline\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Shy_Childhood\"><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tShy Childhood\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"decoration\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"decoration-inside\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-1-0-1\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-image\" data-index=\"3\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-1-0-1\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-image so-widget-sow-image-default-113ccd71f3e6-10106\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"sow-image-container\">\n\t\t<img \n\tdata-src=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_6163-scaled.jpg\" width=\"480\" height=\"690\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_6163-scaled.jpg 1044w, https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_6163-scaled-800x1149.jpg 800w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" title=\"Age 5. Drawing of Tire Park.\" alt=\"\" \t\tclass=\"so-widget-image lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 480px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 480\/690;\" \/>\n\t<\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"widget-title\">Age 5. Drawing of Tire Park.<\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-1-0-2\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor panel-last-child\" data-index=\"4\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-1-0-2\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">July 7, 1990 \/ Ota-ku, Tokyo.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>I was born and raised as the third son, with two older brothers and a younger sister, in a factory town along the Tama River.<\/p>\n<p>While I was an active child who loved sports and catching insects, I was also shy and reserved.<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> I often stayed silent, fearing that expressing my opinions might upset others. The adults around me saw me as a quiet and reserved child.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I began following my two older brothers and their group, but I would watch them play from a distance, alone.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>These memories are still vivid.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">My two older brothers had perfect grades\u2014all A's\u2014and served as student council presidents. Naturally, as their younger brother, I faced high expectations from those around me, but I couldn't emulate them. I wasn't very good at academics and felt a strong sense of inferiority because of this. However, I was often praised for my drawings, which led me to enjoy art. I believed this was the one area where I excelled more than my brothers or anyone else.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> I often created imaginary games to entertain myself.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Given my personality and environment, <strong>I found that I could freely and silently express my thoughts and feelings through painting. I cherished painting because it allowed me to quietly connect with myself.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"pg-10106-2\"  class=\"panel-grid panel-has-style\" ><div style=\"padding: 100px 0; \" data-overlay=\"true\" data-overlay-color=\"#000000\" class=\"panel-row-style panel-row-style-for-10106-2\" ><div id=\"pgc-10106-2-0\"  class=\"panel-grid-cell\" ><div id=\"panel-10106-2-0-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-headline panel-first-child\" data-index=\"5\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-2-0-0\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-headline so-widget-sow-headline-default-eafff46c4538-10106\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t><div class=\"sow-headline-container \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"sow-headline\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Art_and_Conflict\"><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tArt and Conflict\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"decoration\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"decoration-inside\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-2-0-1\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-image\" data-index=\"6\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-2-0-1\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-image so-widget-sow-image-default-113ccd71f3e6-10106\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"sow-image-container\">\n\t\t<img \n\tdata-src=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/4e9e35cf64adb970446feae3a09661de.jpg\" width=\"480\" height=\"480\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/4e9e35cf64adb970446feae3a09661de.jpg 800w, https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/4e9e35cf64adb970446feae3a09661de-420x420.jpg 420w, https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/4e9e35cf64adb970446feae3a09661de-100x100.jpg 100w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" title=\"Self-portrait drawing\" alt=\"\" \t\tclass=\"so-widget-image lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 480px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 480\/480;\" \/>\n\t<\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"widget-title\">Self-portrait drawing<\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-2-0-2\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor\" data-index=\"7\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-2-0-2\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Time passed quickly, and soon it was the time I entered high school. I enrolled in Tsubasa Sogo High School.<\/p>\n<p>\"I want to improve!\"<\/p>\n<p>\"I am better than anyone else!\"<\/p>\n<p>I challenged myself to study art intensively, as I had always believed in my drawing skills and never doubted them.<\/p>\n<p>(This is where I developed my foundational skills as a painter.)<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>But,,, However, the belief that \"I am better at painting than anyone else!\" was only true in my own little world, as I came to realize. In reality, I thought, \"Wow, there are people my age who are this good...?\"<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The drawing abilities of the students, who came from a much wider area than my elementary and junior high school, were far superior to mine. <strong>I was so disappointed in my own abilities that I felt discouraged many times.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>In a desperate attempt to catch up, I practiced tirelessly at school and at home late into the night.<\/p>\n<p>I often found myself dozing off during other classes.<\/p>\n<p>I was fortunate to have teachers who were both kind and passionate about teaching.<\/p>\n<p>The effort paid off, as both I and others began to notice significant improvements in my painting.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-2-0-3\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-image\" data-index=\"8\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-2-0-3\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-image so-widget-sow-image-default-113ccd71f3e6-10106\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"sow-image-container\">\n\t\t<img \n\tdata-src=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Image205-rotated.jpg\" width=\"480\" height=\"640\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" title=\"Charcoal drawing. In drawing class.\" alt=\"\" \t\tclass=\"so-widget-image lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 480px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 480\/640;\" \/>\n\t<\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"widget-title\">Charcoal drawing. In drawing class.<\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-2-0-4\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor panel-last-child\" data-index=\"9\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-2-0-4\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Just then, the time had already come when we had to decide what to do about our career path.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">My homeroom teacher asked me, \"What do you want to do in the future?\" was a question that made my chest tighten up.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The enormous uncertainty of the future, the pressure of the surroundings, the impression of the media.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\"In fact, I wouldn't be able to live off painting.\"<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>I was controlled by an invisible \"power of fear\".I decided for myself that I couldn't do it.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Furthermore, my family was on the verge of disintegration at the time, and after much distress and conflict, I decided to set back on my path to a life of painting.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>\"... I would not paint anymore.\"<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I decided not to follow the path of going to art school, etc., but to follow the rails of society and go on to a regular university.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"pg-10106-3\"  class=\"panel-grid panel-has-style\" ><div style=\"padding: 100px 0; \" data-overlay=\"true\" data-overlay-color=\"#000000\" class=\"panel-row-style panel-row-style-for-10106-3\" ><div id=\"pgc-10106-3-0\"  class=\"panel-grid-cell\" ><div id=\"panel-10106-3-0-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-headline panel-first-child\" data-index=\"10\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-3-0-0\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-headline so-widget-sow-headline-default-eafff46c4538-10106\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t><div class=\"sow-headline-container \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"sow-headline\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_world_was_much_bigger_than_my_imagination\"><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tThe world was much bigger than my imagination.\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"decoration\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"decoration-inside\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-3-0-1\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-image\" data-index=\"11\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-3-0-1\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-image so-widget-sow-image-default-113ccd71f3e6-10106\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"sow-image-container\">\n\t\t<img \n\tdata-src=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/26026159315_b354f8af5d_c.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" title=\"The city where I did study abroad in Australia.\" alt=\"\" \t\tclass=\"so-widget-image lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 800px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 800\/600;\" \/>\n\t<\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"widget-title\">The city where I did study abroad in Australia.<\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-3-0-2\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor\" data-index=\"12\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-3-0-2\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I went on to Tsurumi University in Kanagawa Prefecture, which was located near my house. I majored in English and American literature, and in my 3rd year, I was fortunate enough to stay at an Australian university as an exchange student for an extended period of time. It was a small, small country town on top of a mountain that even the locals didn't know about. There was nothing but nature, kangaroos jumping around in the schoolyard after school, and koalas in the trees in my host family's yard. It was such a different world.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Only 9 months stay.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But, <strong>the experience at this time was enough to make a big impact on my life.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A vast expanse of dry red land that stretches forever.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The sky is clear and high, and the wind is blowing.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Plants and animals with strange ecology.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A wide variety of cultures, customs, and lifestyles that leave me asking, \"Eh, why!?\"<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I was also surprised that people from other countries seemed to be wondering \"Why?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>My norm was not the norm.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>The world's vastness and freedom.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>We can only know it by heart when we experience it on the spot.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>It is good to have different ideas.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>But we cannot force that on people.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-3-0-3\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-image\" data-index=\"13\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-3-0-3\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-image so-widget-sow-image-default-113ccd71f3e6-10106\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"sow-image-container\">\n\t\t<img \n\tdata-src=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/25936382092_354e58fa04_k-scaled.jpg\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1125\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/25936382092_354e58fa04_k-scaled.jpg 1500w, https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/25936382092_354e58fa04_k-scaled-800x600.jpg 800w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\" title=\"With the classmates from over the world\" alt=\"\" \t\tclass=\"so-widget-image lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1500px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1500\/1125;\" \/>\n\t<\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"widget-title\">With the classmates from over the world<\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-3-0-4\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor panel-last-child\" data-index=\"14\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-3-0-4\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">My host family, who is Australian, had a rule that when washing dishes, they were not to rinse them with water properly, but to leave them with plenty of bubbles on them. The reason for this was that it made the dishes shinier.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">My Vietnamese classmates said, \"You can eat this! We'll eat it today!\" and the whole family was happily plucking a lot of weeds in a swamp-like area by the side of the road.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">My Muslim classmates would pray and prostrate themselves with their foreheads on the ground at a certain time every day. At certain times of the year, they would not eat or drink any food or water while the sun was up. (The culture is called \"Ramadan\"). It was also customary for men to hold each other's hands as a sign of friendship. There were Muslim male students in their thirties who held hands with other students when they left school. I got to know them well, and one day I joined in the hand-holding, but to be honest, I was a bit embarrassed, so I covered my face with the hood of my hoodie.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">My Libyan classmates had just started a civil war in their country. My funny Libyan friend who usually loves to make people laugh, had a very serious look on his face one day. It was obvious that from that day on he could no longer afford to make people laugh.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Every day is a series of things that I had never known before.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Throughout the days my brain sparked with amazement, <strong>\"Common sense\" and \"what is right\" that I have believed so far, slowly, but it was definitely starting to crumble.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"pg-10106-4\"  class=\"panel-grid panel-has-style\" ><div style=\"padding: 100px 0; \" data-overlay=\"true\" data-overlay-color=\"#000000\" class=\"panel-row-style panel-row-style-for-10106-4\" ><div id=\"pgc-10106-4-0\"  class=\"panel-grid-cell\" ><div id=\"panel-10106-4-0-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-headline panel-first-child\" data-index=\"15\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-4-0-0\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-headline so-widget-sow-headline-default-eafff46c4538-10106\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t><div class=\"sow-headline-container \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"sow-headline\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Social_Rail\"><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tSocial Rail\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"decoration\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"decoration-inside\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-4-0-1\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-image\" data-index=\"16\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-4-0-1\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-image so-widget-sow-image-default-113ccd71f3e6-10106\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"sow-image-container\">\n\t\t<img \n\tdata-src=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_9035-scaled.jpg\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1125\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_9035-scaled.jpg 1500w, https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_9035-scaled-800x600.jpg 800w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\" title=\"lunch break at the company in Tokyo.\" alt=\"\" \t\tclass=\"so-widget-image lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1500px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1500\/1125;\" \/>\n\t<\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"widget-title\">lunch break at the company in Tokyo.<\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-4-0-2\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor\" data-index=\"17\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-4-0-2\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After returning to Japan, my life in Japan began again.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\"After all, Japanese food is the best. Everything is available in Japanese, and shopping and transportation are very convenient,\" I thought, savoring the good things about Japan.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, the \"discrepancy\" is clearly felt by those around me.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\"We must not stray from the rails of society.\"<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\"We must live by common sense.\"<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While there is a deep-seated, towering idea in the back of my mind.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\"Freedom is good.\"<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The idea is flying free &amp; high in the sky.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Meanwhile, my friends around me began to receive job offers, and I felt impatient.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\"I am free. Then I'll live abroad again.\"<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The idea is the flip side of the strong and bright thought.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On the other hand.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">'What can I do overseas? If I go there, I go off the rails of society.\"<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fear and anxiety.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although I thought my world had become much wider and I had changed, the core of \"common sense\" that I had accumulated since childhood had not collapsed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>again and again, the \"power of fear\" took over powerfully.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I was to find a job in a general company, again in line with my surroundings.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although I was relieved when I found a job, it was a tough job handling special communication equipment on which people's lives depended. Because of the heavy responsibility of the job, I was often more angry than praised. I was not paid overtime, but I literally worked from morning till night, living the life of a company animal, just like in the picture. The ringtone echoed even after midnight, and the voice on the other end of the phone yelled at me. My appetite gradually decreased and I could not sleep well. There was also strong power harassment from my boss at the time, and I had the feeling that my spirit was falling apart with a quiet, ragged sound.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Suddenly, my reflection through the glass in the crowded subway train looked like someone else.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is it right to continue living as I am? What is life?\"<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But, I was afraid to leave the company.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I didn't want to go off the rails of society.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There were days when I was in so much pain that I could not pass any food.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sometimes I could not sleep at all.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At such times, I would draw pictures under the covers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now that I think about it, I believe that I was spontaneously doing healing art, an action to heal myself by drawing pictures.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I was revealing my inner life in a non-verbal way.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Just by drawing a picture, I felt really relaxed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>\"I decided to stop painting, but painting is good for me after all.\"<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How deeply I thought about it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-4-0-3\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-image\" data-index=\"18\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-4-0-3\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-image so-widget-sow-image-default-113ccd71f3e6-10106\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"sow-image-container\">\n\t\t<img \n\tdata-src=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/IMGP1882i.jpg\" width=\"480\" height=\"480\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/IMGP1882i.jpg 1500w, https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/IMGP1882i-420x420.jpg 420w, https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/IMGP1882i-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/IMGP1882i-800x800.jpg 800w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" title=\"One of the paintings I was doing at night.\" alt=\"\" \t\tclass=\"so-widget-image lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 480px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 480\/480;\" \/>\n\t<\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"widget-title\">One of the paintings I was doing at night.<\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-4-0-4\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor panel-last-child\" data-index=\"19\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-4-0-4\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I thought \u201cI want to quit\u201d hundreds of times, but on the contrary, <strong>I had the feeling that my \u201cability to think\u201d was growing because I was in such a stressful environment.<\/strong> It was like muscle training, where you load your muscles and they gain strength little by little.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As the year or two went by, I received more and more compliments and was able to make good grades. In my personal life, I was surrounded by irreplaceable people, and I began to think that this kind of life was also good.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, somewhere in the back of my mind, the fire of \"I will live abroad again\" was smoldering, never extinguished.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The passionate energy of \"I want to do it\" is spreading. But I am afraid of quitting.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I don't want to lose this life now either.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I don't want to leave the people I love.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But I still want to go.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\"I want to do it\" and \"I like it the way it is\".\u00a0 The conflicting forces in my mind go round and round like a symbol of yin and yang.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I was so worried, so worried, so worried,,,<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Most likely if I don't move now, I'll be a stuck man for the rest of my life, I thought.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I strongly felt that I wanted to face myself once again.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now. Let's go.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I left the company I worked so hard for three years.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I folded the suit gently.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Instead, I carried a large backpack.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I was still inwardly scared, though,<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This decision is <strong>a step to step out of the country. It is also a step away from the rails of society. It is also a step toward overcoming the power of fear. It was also a step toward becoming a painter.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">During the trip, I was fascinated by the camera's ability to capture moments of beauty and took many pictures.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now that I think about it, I think I was facing this world and myself by taking pictures, looking back, writing and thinking about what I felt. I had the sense that I was gradually returning to my true self.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now, the travel section will begin.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"pg-10106-5\"  class=\"panel-grid panel-has-style\" ><div style=\"padding: 100px 0; \" data-overlay=\"true\" data-overlay-color=\"#000000\" class=\"panel-row-style panel-row-style-for-10106-5\" ><div id=\"pgc-10106-5-0\"  class=\"panel-grid-cell\" ><div id=\"panel-10106-5-0-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-headline panel-first-child\" data-index=\"20\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-5-0-0\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-headline so-widget-sow-headline-default-eafff46c4538-10106\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t><div class=\"sow-headline-container \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"sow-headline\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Agriculture_in_Living_Abroad\"><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tAgriculture in Living Abroad\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"decoration\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"decoration-inside\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-5-0-1\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-image\" data-index=\"21\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-5-0-1\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-image so-widget-sow-image-default-113ccd71f3e6-10106\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"sow-image-container\">\n\t\t<img \n\tdata-src=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/5394b339c9f55f1a54f0f4e8208b91c4.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"532\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" title=\"Central Vancouver\" alt=\"\" \t\tclass=\"so-widget-image lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 800px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 800\/532;\" \/>\n\t<\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"widget-title\">Central Vancouver<\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-5-0-2\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor\" data-index=\"22\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-5-0-2\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Life abroad has finally begun!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First, I went to Vancouver, Canada on a working holiday visa. It was much smaller than Tokyo, and there was a lot of nature spread out, so the air was delicious, the sea and mountains were close by, and I thought I might have come to a wonderful place!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this traveling life, I had read the world famous novel \"The Alchemist\" over and over again, and I wanted to live like the main character of that story. (It's about a boy who travels. I highly recommend this book because it's full of life philosophy!)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It will be <strong>\"Read the omens and live according to your senses.\" <\/strong>It was his way of life.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And I was elated to use the heat energy that had been smoldering for so long to power the many challenges.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, it was not smooth sailing here.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A new ordeal is coming.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Suddenly I was subjected to racial discrimination from people all over town.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I was not directly violated.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, most of the people I meet around town are clearly avoiding me.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was as if I was inside a transparent sphere with a radius of about 2 or 3 meters, and people were not allowed to enter the sphere, or if they did, they would quickly scurry inside. It is as if I am psychic. I almost always have a seat all to myself on buses, trains, and other public transportation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\"I never thought it would be so hard to be on the receiving end of discrimination.\"<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\"I never thought I would be the one...\"<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This may have been the reason for my intense homesickness.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I believe that people are creatures that seek nature in difficult times. I desperately tried to escape and moved to a nearby remote island in search of nature. I stayed in Vancouver for only one month.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-5-0-3\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-image\" data-index=\"23\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-5-0-3\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-image so-widget-sow-image-default-113ccd71f3e6-10106\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"sow-image-container\">\n\t\t<img \n\tdata-src=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/IMGP4163.jpg\" width=\"1500\" height=\"998\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/IMGP4163.jpg 1500w, https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/IMGP4163-800x532.jpg 800w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\" title=\"a wild deer\" alt=\"\" \t\tclass=\"so-widget-image lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1500px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1500\/998;\" \/>\n\t<\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"widget-title\">a wild deer<\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-5-0-4\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor\" data-index=\"24\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-5-0-4\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fortunately, there was no discrimination on that remote island!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And in island life, I lived and worked on two farms for several months.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/en\/The%20community%20is%20called%20WWOOF.%20It%20is%20a%20community%20that%20matches%20organic%20farms%20that%20offer%20free%20sleeping,%20eating,%20and%20farming%20experience%20with%20workers%20who%20help%20with%20the%20farming%20work%20for%20free%20in%20return.%20(There%20are%20WWOOF%20communities%20all%20over%20the%20world,%20including%20Japan,%20so%20if%20you%20are%20interested%20in%20WWOOF,%20please%20check%20it%20out!%20Check%20it%20out!)\/?trp-edit-translation=preview\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">WWOOF<\/span><\/a>, t<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">his is a community called It is a community that matches organic farms that offer free sleeping, eating, and farming experience with workers who are willing to help with the farming work for free in exchange. (There are many of them around the world, including in Japan, so if you are interested, please check them out! Check it out!)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now, farming large tracts of land under the blazing sun was hard work in its own right.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Every day I worked up a sweat, and on some days I cleaned up large amounts of livestock droppings.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Vegetables that can finally be harvested after careful care.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was so good taste that it gave me goosebumps.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>I couldn't help but wonder such delicious food growing out of the earth.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-5-0-5\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-image\" data-index=\"25\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-5-0-5\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-image so-widget-sow-image-default-113ccd71f3e6-10106\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"sow-image-container\">\n\t\t<img \n\tdata-src=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/IMGP5449.jpg\" width=\"1500\" height=\"998\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/IMGP5449.jpg 1500w, https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/IMGP5449-800x532.jpg 800w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\" title=\"morning dew in the farm\" alt=\"\" \t\tclass=\"so-widget-image lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1500px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1500\/998;\" \/>\n\t<\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"widget-title\">morning dew in the farm<\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-5-0-6\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor panel-last-child\" data-index=\"26\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-5-0-6\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On days when I would get covered in dirt from working during the day, I would say, \"Ei!\" and jumped into the sea. At night, I slept in broken down campers and tents under a night sky strewn with countless stars. It seemed like a more natural and human way of life. It was a strange feeling to think that as a child I would never have expected to live such a natural life when I grew up.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was possible to stay in that pleasant environment for a long time.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But the day to move again came \"hmm\".<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One night, <strong>I had a strange dream about going to Alaska.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was a vast and beautiful natural landscape.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was strangely real, and I could feel the cold wind of the trees caressing my cheeks.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Michio Hoshino, a well-known Alaskan photographer in the photography industry, was also present.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>I felt sure it was some kind of omen.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I want to move now. I don't want to suppress this urge.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I promised myself that I would take special care of the omens.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So I immediately decided to go to Alaska.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But due to various causes and effects, I decided that if I was going to go to Alaska anyway, I would see more places before I went.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So once there, I decided to fly to the right end of the continental United States, and from there, I would spend several months traveling overland across the continent to Alaska, which is on the left end of the continent. I knew I had enough energy within me to accomplish this journey.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I excitedly told the old man, a farmer who was taking care of me, about my plans for that trip. But he said, \"Oh, come on, it's crazy. No, no, no, no! It's impossible!\" He denied everything with his eyes wide open. This shocked me so badly that I wondered whether I should give up the trip. But I decided to believe in myself first.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Until a few days before we left the farm, we were a little awkward and didn't really talk to each other. But one night at dinner.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In contrast to the chorus of insects outside the house, inside the very quiet house, the old man said to me softly as if he was trying to squeeze me.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\"Here you have a place to return to, so come back anytime soon.\"<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This was the first time, I knew that his own kindness had been strongly directed toward me before.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(For memories of the day we left the farm, click here.)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">...<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/en\/waiting-a-ferry\/?trp-edit-translation=preview\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While waiting for the ferry<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"pg-10106-6\"  class=\"panel-grid panel-has-style\" ><div style=\"padding: 100px 0; \" data-overlay=\"true\" data-overlay-color=\"#000000\" class=\"panel-row-style panel-row-style-for-10106-6\" ><div id=\"pgc-10106-6-0\"  class=\"panel-grid-cell\" ><div id=\"panel-10106-6-0-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-headline panel-first-child\" data-index=\"27\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-6-0-0\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-headline so-widget-sow-headline-default-eafff46c4538-10106\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t><div class=\"sow-headline-container \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"sow-headline\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Harsh_traveling_life\"><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tHarsh traveling life\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"decoration\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"decoration-inside\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-6-0-1\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-image\" data-index=\"28\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-6-0-1\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-image so-widget-sow-image-default-113ccd71f3e6-10106\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"sow-image-container\">\n\t\t<img \n\tdata-src=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_1316-scaled.jpg\" width=\"480\" height=\"640\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_1316-scaled.jpg 1125w, https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_1316-scaled-800x1067.jpg 800w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" title=\"On the road. In Chicago.\" alt=\"\" \t\tclass=\"so-widget-image lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 480px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 480\/640;\" \/>\n\t<\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"widget-title\">On the road. In Chicago.<\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-6-0-2\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor\" data-index=\"29\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-6-0-2\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I did not want to spend much money, so I traveled overland by overnight bus and hitchhiking. I stayed in the sofas of strangers' houses in each city.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.couchsurfing.com\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Couchsurfing<\/span><\/a> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">is the community to use.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The people who went out of their way to accommodate stranger travelers for free were truly diverse.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some were really kind, some expected something in return, and some were lonely. Some of them are still good friends with whom I still keep in touch from time to time.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>To meet countless people and landscapes every day, it was unusual and very exciting.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I suddenly found myself happily thinking, \"I'm traveling now.\"<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But of course, it's not all fun and games.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I have stayed at the homes of people who I felt were a bit dangerous, and I have also lost a lot of money in scams.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Above all, \"I don't have a home to go home to right away, and I don't even know if I have a place to stay tomorrow.\" Those facts made me mentally drained from the days.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On days when fatigue, lack of sleep, and trouble all combined, I felt irresistibly sad. I asked myself, \"Did I come out of Japan to feel this way? I asked myself. My parents had allowed me to go to university, and I could have gotten a job at a company in Tokyo as a new graduate, but I quit. My parents were opposed to my trip, and various negative thoughts poured out of me, and I felt guilty.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On the night I was alone in a freezing rental car, I was already a grown man, but I was ashamed to admit that I was wailing like a child, woofing and whimpering.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-6-0-3\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-image\" data-index=\"30\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-6-0-3\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-image so-widget-sow-image-default-113ccd71f3e6-10106\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"sow-image-container\">\n\t\t<img \n\tdata-src=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_1589-scaled.jpg\" width=\"480\" height=\"640\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_1589-scaled.jpg 1125w, https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_1589-scaled-800x1067.jpg 800w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" title=\"A picture from my traveling life. I gave it to the person who stayed with me and he was overjoyed.\" alt=\"\" \t\tclass=\"so-widget-image lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 480px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 480\/640;\" \/>\n\t<\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"widget-title\">A picture from my traveling life. I gave it to the person who stayed with me and he was overjoyed.<\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-6-0-4\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor panel-last-child\" data-index=\"31\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-6-0-4\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The extraordinary life on the road was turning into a daily routine. I finally arrived in Alaska just as people began to change from wearing T-shirts to jackets! (I flew from a town around the Rocky Mountains to Fairbanks, Alaska, so technically it was half by land and half by air.)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, the temperature there was already very cold.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"pg-10106-7\"  class=\"panel-grid panel-has-style\" ><div style=\"padding: 100px 0; \" data-overlay=\"true\" data-overlay-color=\"#000000\" class=\"panel-row-style panel-row-style-for-10106-7\" ><div id=\"pgc-10106-7-0\"  class=\"panel-grid-cell\" ><div id=\"panel-10106-7-0-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-headline panel-first-child\" data-index=\"32\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-7-0-0\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-headline so-widget-sow-headline-default-eafff46c4538-10106\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t><div class=\"sow-headline-container \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"sow-headline\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Connection_to_the_Earth\"><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tConnection to the Earth\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"decoration\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"decoration-inside\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-7-0-1\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-image\" data-index=\"33\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-7-0-1\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-image so-widget-sow-image-default-113ccd71f3e6-10106\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"sow-image-container\">\n\t\t<img \n\tdata-src=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Aurora.jpg\" width=\"1500\" height=\"998\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Aurora.jpg 1500w, https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Aurora-800x532.jpg 800w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\" title=\"aurora in Fairbanks, Alaska\" alt=\"\" \t\tclass=\"so-widget-image lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1500px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1500\/998;\" \/>\n\t<\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"widget-title\">aurora in Fairbanks, Alaska<\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-7-0-2\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor\" data-index=\"34\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-7-0-2\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I felt that Alaska, which was also the goal point of my traveling life, was a special place.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Again, I used Couchsurfing to stay in one place for a while.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But to my surprise, the owner of the house at that time rented the whole house for free. The house was like a traveler's house, as several travelers from other countries had accumulated there. And everyone could stay as long as they wanted for free. They also provide delicious food for free.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>There are so many different people in this world, I thought.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>and no more rushing around like a man being chased. \"I have a place to stay.\" I found these to be tremendously stabilizing.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So I did what seemed like sightseeing with my fellow traveler housemates who hit it off.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We all went to Denali Park, hot springs, and to see the Northern Lights.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-7-0-3\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-image\" data-index=\"35\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-7-0-3\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-image so-widget-sow-image-default-113ccd71f3e6-10106\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"sow-image-container\">\n\t\t<img \n\tdata-src=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/33959882706_399f2b078e_c.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" title=\"With travel companions at Denali National Park, Alaska.\" alt=\"\" \t\tclass=\"so-widget-image lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 800px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 800\/600;\" \/>\n\t<\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"widget-title\">With travel companions at Denali National Park, Alaska.<\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-7-0-4\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor\" data-index=\"36\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-7-0-4\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<div><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the process of doing so, I had a series of fortunate encounters, and by chance or inevitability, I ended up staying with a family living in the forest in Alaska for several months. Incidentally, I also used WWOOF here.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>The super wild life became an irreplaceable and important lesson in life.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Physical labor outdoors at temperatures below minus 20 degrees Celsius.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An endlessly white world.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Huge wild animals.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-7-0-5\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-image\" data-index=\"37\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-7-0-5\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-image so-widget-sow-image-default-113ccd71f3e6-10106\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"sow-image-container\">\n\t\t<img \n\tdata-src=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/caribou.jpg\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1000\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/caribou.jpg 1500w, https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/caribou-800x533.jpg 800w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\" title=\"Caribou Herd in Alaska\" alt=\"\" \t\tclass=\"so-widget-image lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1500px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1500\/1000;\" \/>\n\t<\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"widget-title\">Caribou Herd in Alaska<\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-7-0-6\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor\" data-index=\"38\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-7-0-6\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The host father, who was a hunter, whenever he saw a bird or a deer outside, he would say, \"Dinner!\" and he would gladly kill them with his gun and let us feast on them as our dinner. We would also talk to the animals we cared for as livestock, saying, \"Sorry, thank you,\" and then kill them, cook them, and eat them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The strong urge from within that cannot be put into words that I feel every time I take a life. A corpse that is still warm.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They were alive a moment ago, fresh and tremblingly delicious.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The true meaning of the word \"Itadakimasu\" echoed in my heart. (It's the Japanese traditional word we use before we eat food. The meaning is \"I take it\" in a polite way.)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To keep warm, they also went into the forest to cut down big old trees.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To secure drinking water, they went to the spring to fetch it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It felt the warmest in the world inside their handmade wooden house, which stood alone in the midst of a white world where everything was frozen.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There was a friendly family there that laughed every day around the fire.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-7-0-7\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-image\" data-index=\"39\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-7-0-7\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-image so-widget-sow-image-default-113ccd71f3e6-10106\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"sow-image-container\">\n\t\t<img \n\tdata-src=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/IMGP1563-1.jpg\" width=\"1500\" height=\"998\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/IMGP1563-1.jpg 1500w, https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/IMGP1563-1-800x532.jpg 800w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\" title=\"The Alaskan Family\" alt=\"\" \t\tclass=\"so-widget-image lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1500px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1500\/998;\" \/>\n\t<\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"widget-title\">The Alaskan Family<\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-7-0-8\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor panel-last-child\" data-index=\"40\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-7-0-8\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t><h3 class=\"widget-title\">Connection to the Earth<\/h3>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While living with them, they often told me, <strong>\"Connection to the Earth.\"<\/strong> It was a feeling that reminded me of the feeling of It was a sensation that I had completely forgotten.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>The fact is that to live is to receive other lives. The weight of the words \"Itadakimasu\" before eating. <\/strong>(in Japanese culture, we say \"Itadakimasu\" before eat, the meaning is \"I take it\" in polite way.)<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Others keep me alive.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I am also making the others alive.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>The fact that we will eventually die and return to the earth.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The warmth of people. The kindness of people.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A heart that not only cares for itself but also for others.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>The important thought for us as human beings to live on this planet called earth.<\/strong> I have come to feel strongly so.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(For memories of Alaska, click below.)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/en\/alaskan-lighter\/?trp-edit-translation=preview\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Alaskan Writer<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"pg-10106-8\"  class=\"panel-grid panel-has-style\" ><div style=\"padding: 100px 0; \" data-overlay=\"true\" data-overlay-color=\"#000000\" class=\"panel-row-style panel-row-style-for-10106-8\" ><div id=\"pgc-10106-8-0\"  class=\"panel-grid-cell\" ><div id=\"panel-10106-8-0-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-headline panel-first-child\" data-index=\"41\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-8-0-0\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-headline so-widget-sow-headline-default-eafff46c4538-10106\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t><div class=\"sow-headline-container \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"sow-headline\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Native_American\"><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tNative American.\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"decoration\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"decoration-inside\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-8-0-1\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-image\" data-index=\"42\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-8-0-1\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-image so-widget-sow-image-default-113ccd71f3e6-10106\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"sow-image-container\">\n\t\t<img \n\tdata-src=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/27259010834_05efdda6bd_c.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"532\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" title=\"At Stanley Park in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.\" alt=\"\" \t\tclass=\"so-widget-image lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 800px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 800\/532;\" \/>\n\t<\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"widget-title\">At Stanley Park in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.<\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-8-0-2\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor\" data-index=\"43\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-8-0-2\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Due to the length of my visa stay, I had to put an end to my life in Alaska just as winter was about to begin in earnest.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I continued south and returned again to Vancouver, Canada, our first place of residence abroad.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I am sure it was destined to return.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I was still subjected to discrimination as usual. So I completely reopened my mind and lived near a slum.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was a bizarre landscape, with heroin addicts lying around on both sides of the road. But for some reason, I decided to try living in such an area. And since my working holiday visa was still valid, I joined the locals and worked in cafes and restaurants for a few months.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the course of my daily life, I suddenly had a big realization.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Strangely, they were not discriminated against in other cities.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The other Japanese people in this city Vancouver are not discriminated against.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\"Why Just me \uff1f\uff1f\uff1f\uff1f\"<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Do I smell something special about myself?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Do I have bad eyesight?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hello, well do you have a similar experience as me?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I wanted to know the answer to that question, so I put aside my shame and asked around to many people.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And I could finally found out why!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was a really, really totally unexpected answer.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The city of Vancouver tends to attract homeless people from all over Canada because of its relatively mild winters.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Many of them are called \"Native Americans\" that they are aboriginal people. They have long been persecuted and discrimination.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And, oh my..,<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>My appearance at the time (sallow skin, long black hair, etc.), people thought that I was very similar to \"Native Americans.\"<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How can you find it out \uff01\uff01\uff01\uff01\uff01<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I was in the mindset of wanting to give a hard blow and say, \"I finally figured it out! I did it!\" and the joy of having found the answer.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-8-0-3\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-image\" data-index=\"44\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-8-0-3\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-image so-widget-sow-image-default-113ccd71f3e6-10106\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"sow-image-container\">\n\t\t<img \n\tdata-src=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/75665dc027700370ad8cd29df5aa02e6-scaled.jpg\" width=\"480\" height=\"640\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/75665dc027700370ad8cd29df5aa02e6-scaled.jpg 1125w, https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/75665dc027700370ad8cd29df5aa02e6-scaled-800x1067.jpg 800w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" title=\"My appearance resembled that of Native Americans.\" alt=\"\" \t\tclass=\"so-widget-image lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 480px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 480\/640;\" \/>\n\t<\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"widget-title\">My appearance resembled that of Native Americans.<\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-8-0-4\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor panel-last-child\" data-index=\"45\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-8-0-4\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As I researched them, I found out many circumstances. They originally had mystical values and a way of life, but today they have a tragic historical background that many people want to turn away from. I learned that they are far away from their original form due to the harsh environment that continues to this day. The more I researched, the more I fell in love with them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A culture that values its connection to the earth since time immemorial, long ago.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Respect for nature.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sacred values and ideas.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Their old traditional way of thinking is something I barely learned in Alaska, <strong>It was very similar to the important lessons of \u201cliving on this earth as a human being\".<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I also went to talk directly with people living in slum shelters (buildings where people can sleep for free provided by the state) and on the streets. Many of them were addicted to drugs or alcohol and seemed to be in a daze from start to finish, but there were others with whom I could have a normal conversation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And I learned a lot, including the dark side.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I also learned that each of them is now in a situation far beyond what we could have imagined, their backgrounds were really terrible.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you would like to know a little more about it, please go to<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/en\/dark-days\/?trp-edit-translation=preview\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Days of Darkness<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is quite dark and not often publicly available.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Any human being,<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>\"Enough love\" and \"the right education\". If there is a shortage of either or both, it becomes difficult for people to live as people. Especially during the period called \"childhood.\"It's very, very important.<\/strong> I have come to strongly believe that.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After leaving Vancouver, I decided to travel south across the continental United States. I had decided that this would be my last trip and that I would return to Japan when I wanted to.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"pg-10106-9\"  class=\"panel-grid panel-has-style\" ><div style=\"padding: 100px 0; \" data-overlay=\"true\" data-overlay-color=\"#000000\" class=\"panel-row-style panel-row-style-for-10106-9\" ><div id=\"pgc-10106-9-0\"  class=\"panel-grid-cell\" ><div id=\"panel-10106-9-0-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-headline panel-first-child\" data-index=\"46\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-9-0-0\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-headline so-widget-sow-headline-default-eafff46c4538-10106\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t><div class=\"sow-headline-container \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"sow-headline\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_Mushroom_Village_in_Mexico\"><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tA Mushroom Village in Mexico\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"decoration\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"decoration-inside\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-9-0-1\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor\" data-index=\"47\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-9-0-1\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you have read this far!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thank you for your cooperation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It has continued through my childhood, my school years, my working life, and my traveling life, but now it is finally the final chapter and the most shocking and important part of my life.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-9-0-2\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-image\" data-index=\"48\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-9-0-2\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-image so-widget-sow-image-default-113ccd71f3e6-10106\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"sow-image-container\">\n\t\t<img \n\tdata-src=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/ba36ffad1a268254ee62bc852f99d65c-scaled.jpg\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1125\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/ba36ffad1a268254ee62bc852f99d65c-scaled.jpg 1500w, https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/ba36ffad1a268254ee62bc852f99d65c-scaled-800x600.jpg 800w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\" title=\"In Monument Valley, U.S.A.\" alt=\"\" \t\tclass=\"so-widget-image lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1500px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1500\/1125;\" \/>\n\t<\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"widget-title\">In Monument Valley, U.S.A.<\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-9-0-3\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor\" data-index=\"49\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-9-0-3\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As a result, I proceeded to Canada, the U.S., Mexico, Cuba, Guatemala, and Costa Rica before returning to Japan, but many stories were truly born along the way.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A wilderness that stretches to the horizon.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Beautiful blue sea as if ink had been dropped.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A jungle with a teeming life form moving around.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Camp life. Giant ruins. Friendly people.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>I have numerous sparkling memories.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Sometimes I was surrounded by packs of wild dogs in the early morning in a dimly lit forest. I was almost caught in a gunfight feud between gangsters and police officers, I got altitude sickness and hallucinated on a mountain I was climbing, and <strong>several times I was clearly aware that I might die now.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"ms-outlook-mobile-signature\">\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-9-0-4\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-image\" data-index=\"50\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-9-0-4\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-image so-widget-sow-image-default-113ccd71f3e6-10106\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"sow-image-container\">\n\t\t<img \n\tdata-src=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/750b2c347a6b948e64318fe3426b5d68.jpg\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/750b2c347a6b948e64318fe3426b5d68.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/750b2c347a6b948e64318fe3426b5d68-800x450.jpg 800w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1440px) 100vw, 1440px\" title=\"Guatemala. At the top of the mountain Acatenango.\" alt=\"\" \t\tclass=\"so-widget-image lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1440px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1440\/810;\" \/>\n\t<\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"widget-title\">Guatemala. At the top of the mountain Acatenango.<\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-9-0-5\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor\" data-index=\"51\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-9-0-5\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is impossible to write about all of them, so I will omit them here.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you have the opportunity and are interested, I would be happy to speak with you!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Click here for memories of Cuba)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">...<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/en\/what-kind-of-eyes\/?trp-edit-translation=preview\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">what kind of eyes<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">...<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/en\/caribbean-sunset\/?trp-edit-translation=preview\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sunset in the Caribbean Sea<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But in Mexico, <strong>\"the mystical experiences\"<\/strong> I would like to note here only that.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>This experience made my life, my values, my way of thinking,changed on a cosmic scale.It was a great experience.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>I am a painter now, This experience has a lot to do with it.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-9-0-6\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-image\" data-index=\"52\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-9-0-6\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-image so-widget-sow-image-default-113ccd71f3e6-10106\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"sow-image-container\">\n\t\t<img \n\tdata-src=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/d56fff0fd111fd0bd3fa4c9ea16585dd.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"532\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" title=\"a local market in a village near Oaxaca.\" alt=\"\" \t\tclass=\"so-widget-image lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 800px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 800\/532;\" \/>\n\t<\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"widget-title\">a local market in a village near Oaxaca.<\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-9-0-7\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor\" data-index=\"53\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-9-0-7\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was during a trip to Oaxaca, a city in southern Mexico.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I was in the hospital in town for over a week with abdominal pain after being hit by something bad. I was gradually getting back to normal. I was beginning to have too much energy and free time on my hands. It was time for me to start moving around again.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\"Hey, Kota, there's a little village a couple of hours away on top of the mountain that you might want to visit. It's also called Mushroom Village, where you can eat hallucinogenic mushrooms. I heard you can eat hallucinogenic mushrooms.\"<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A young man who happened to be staying at the same inn told me over the large dining room table. He was a slender, slender man, about 20 years old, and looked like a modern, energetic Japanese boy.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\"What's that all of a sudden? You're scaring me!\" I laughed back, but the story stuck with me somewhere in my mind.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I quietly checked on my phone and found that such a village does indeed exist.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And when I got to someone's old blog or article that was caught in the search, my interest was suddenly piqued.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hallucinogenic mushrooms have been used in the rituals of shamanistic cultures since ancient times.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shamanistic culture is the peaceful culture of the revered Native Americans, a primitive religion with a long, long history, involved in the hippie boom in the U.S. since 1960. In an experiment in the U.S., more than 80% of the people interviewed who ate the mushrooms said, \"I've learned to be kinder to others than I used to be. It was one of the most amazing experiences I've ever had. That is one of the best experiences I have had.\"<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">...<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I am not sure what to do about it, but I am sure it will work. Many things have come together to bring me to where I am today.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Due to my physical condition in the last town, I was able to meet this young man.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Then, just as I was healing, he called out to me.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I might quite like to go...<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>This could be <strong>an omen of something.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Anyway, I am just able to go there.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If I don't like it there, then I just go back to this inn again.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Two mornings later, the two of us were on a three-hour bus ride to a mushroom village.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I was dozing off, but when I looked out the window, I saw that the bus was carefully and cautiously driving along the cliff road in a white world surrounded by pouring rain and deep fog. We had come a long way, I thought. When we reached the village safely and got off the bus, it was a little chilly and smelled good of wet forest.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-9-0-8\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-image\" data-index=\"54\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-9-0-8\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-image so-widget-sow-image-default-113ccd71f3e6-10106\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"sow-image-container\">\n\t\t<img \n\tdata-src=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/0b6cf13f53d0d39c554b3275d2d4b23a-scaled.jpg\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1125\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/0b6cf13f53d0d39c554b3275d2d4b23a-scaled.jpg 1500w, https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/0b6cf13f53d0d39c554b3275d2d4b23a-scaled-800x600.jpg 800w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\" title=\"A small village on a mountain covered in fog in Mexico.\" alt=\"\" \t\tclass=\"so-widget-image lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1500px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1500\/1125;\" \/>\n\t<\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"widget-title\">A small village on a mountain covered in fog in Mexico.<\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-9-0-9\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor\" data-index=\"55\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-9-0-9\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After unloading at the inn and taking a short rest, the young man and I went for a walk around the village.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The village, also known as \"Mushroom Village,\" was quiet and foggy with few people, and there were artworks with mushroom motifs and colorful artwork called \"psychedelic art\" everywhere. There were young Westerners with long hair and beards who looked like hippies, and villagers who looked like they had been living there for a long time.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Every time I see them, I asked them, \"Where do you get hallucinogenic mushrooms?\". They all answered in unison, \"Oh, I have some of those. I can sell you mine if you like.\" And, as is the custom in the village, they all quoted the same price.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What was even more impressive at this time was that everyone <strong>\"Strangely kind eyes.\"<\/strong> and that they were smiling. They seemed to be looking somewhere far away, but they were staring straight into our eyes. They looked straight into my eyes, and looked as if he wanted to say, \"I see. You've come a long way, too, haven't you?\". It was like the kind and gentle gaze of a parent gently watching over a kindergarten or elementary school student at graduation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">'No, I was just asking. Thanks.\"<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We were still scared inside, but we returned to the inn, saying to each other, \"It seems the story is true. On the one hand, I felt a little scared, but on the other hand, I also felt that we had come all the way here.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As I stood on the terrace of the inn staring at the misty mountains in a daze, the owner of this inn lady walked toward me.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\"Hello, madam. Um, do you have any mushrooms maybe?\" I asked.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\"Yes, of course. Do you want it?\" She said,<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The lady smiled kindly and said, \"Follow me.\" and went into a nearby home that was directly connected to the inn. We looked at each other and followed her. Then, from the refrigerator of her house. It was like \"I made a lot of curry. Would you like some?\" It was <strong>very natural.<\/strong> A colander containing a large number of mushrooms was presented to us.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-9-0-10\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-image\" data-index=\"56\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-9-0-10\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-image so-widget-sow-image-default-113ccd71f3e6-10106\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"sow-image-container\">\n\t\t<img \n\tdata-src=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/3bfac8f77a0cc72fbb0100fcfde1c437-scaled.jpg\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1127\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/3bfac8f77a0cc72fbb0100fcfde1c437-scaled.jpg 1500w, https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/3bfac8f77a0cc72fbb0100fcfde1c437-scaled-800x601.jpg 800w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\" title=\"Magic Mushrooms from the refrigerator\" alt=\"\" \t\tclass=\"so-widget-image lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1500px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1500\/1127;\" \/>\n\t<\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"widget-title\">Magic Mushrooms from the refrigerator<\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-9-0-11\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor\" data-index=\"57\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-9-0-11\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\"Five mushrooms per person, for one trip.\" she said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A little boy in the house would point and say, \"This one is big. The lady said, \"Look, look, don't touch it.\" Each of these scenes is a common scene in this village.\"A Frame of Everyday Life.\" Every sight was telling.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Different places have different common sense.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When in Rome, go where the locals go.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We both made up our minds, bought some mushrooms from the lady, and tried them in our room at the inn that night. We tried her recommendation \"to eat them as they are without washing them,\" and found that there was a lot of soil mixed in.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The texture in my mouth was really uncomfortable.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Overwhelming earthy aroma.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And above all, it tastes bad at the highest level!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The bitter taste was the highest.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">My mind was filled with images of the powdered medicine I spit out when I was a child due to excessive bitterness, and the sob performances often performed by comedians. I tried to cover it up with cheese and snacks that I had with me at the time, but I could not get rid of the bad taste. I finally chewed and swallowed the most disgusting food I had ever tasted in my life. (No, I can't call it food...)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.... But nothing has changed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After an hour or two, there is no change at all.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">...something was wrong?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What? Don't tell me she was fooled?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I said, \"Could it be that... that lady just gave me a bad tasting regular mushroom?\"<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The young man said, \"Hey - don't be silly! LOL.\"<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We laughed and discussed it with each other, and both of us tried to see it as a positive thing, thinking that it could be used as a story for laughter.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">but<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>However,<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>The time came suddenly...<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From this point on, I will be talking about \"mystical experiences,\" which are quite out of the ordinary. Please be prepared for the content to start sounding like science fiction. (Gobble)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-9-0-12\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-image panel-last-child\" data-index=\"58\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-9-0-12\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-image so-widget-sow-image-default-113ccd71f3e6-10106\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"sow-image-container\">\n\t\t<img \n\tdata-src=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/b70a911eccf058642f6b0fd1518350cb.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" title=\"Magic mushrooms in Mexico\" alt=\"\" \t\tclass=\"so-widget-image lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 800px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 800\/600;\" \/>\n\t<\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"widget-title\">Magic mushrooms in Mexico<\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"pg-10106-10\"  class=\"panel-grid panel-has-style\" ><div style=\"padding: 100px 0; \" data-overlay=\"true\" data-overlay-color=\"#000000\" class=\"panel-row-style panel-row-style-for-10106-10\" ><div id=\"pgc-10106-10-0\"  class=\"panel-grid-cell\" ><div id=\"panel-10106-10-0-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-headline panel-first-child\" data-index=\"59\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-10-0-0\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-headline so-widget-sow-headline-default-eafff46c4538-10106\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t><div class=\"sow-headline-container \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"sow-headline\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Paranormal_Phenomenon\"><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tParanormal Phenomenon\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"decoration\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"decoration-inside\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-10-0-1\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-image\" data-index=\"60\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-10-0-1\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-image so-widget-sow-image-default-113ccd71f3e6-10106\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"sow-image-container\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/reminiscence\/\"\n\t\t\ttarget=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" \t\t>\n\t\t\t<img \n\tdata-src=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/flash-WC-scaled.jpg\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1121\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/flash-WC-scaled.jpg 1500w, https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/flash-WC-scaled-800x598.jpg 800w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\" title=\"Mysterious World View\" alt=\"\" \t\tclass=\"so-widget-image lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1500px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1500\/1121;\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/a><\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"widget-title\">\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/reminiscence\/\"\n\t\t\ttarget=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" \t\t>\n\t\tMysterious World View<\/a><\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-10-0-2\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor\" data-index=\"61\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-10-0-2\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The room we were in was made of built-in wood, like a lodge. There were two large beds there, \"Don. Don.\"<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The room was simple, with only a small table placed on top of the bed. I lay on my back on my bed and gazed at the grain of the ceiling in a daze.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That's when.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A big green beautiful bird in front of me,was flapping their wings with ease.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It looked like a quetzal, a rare bird found in Central and South America. This bird was also the model for Osamu Tezuka's Firebird.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\"...Huh? There's a bird!\"<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Just as I thought that, the bird was gone and the room was back to normal.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\"...I see. This is finally the start of something.\" I was excited, but I thought quietly.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\"I knew it, that old lady. I think she gave us proper mushrooms,\" I said to the young man. I looked at the young man, who was lying on his back on the bed a little further away from me, and he quietly replied, \"I knew she gave me the right mushrooms.\"<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\"Yeah, there's a lot of Kellogg's Coco Pops Chocos on the ceiling. Lots of it.\" he said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I didn't quite understand what he meant, but it seemed that something had started in him as well.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-10-0-3\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-image\" data-index=\"62\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-10-0-3\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-image so-widget-sow-image-default-113ccd71f3e6-10106\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"sow-image-container\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/the-other-side\/\"\n\t\t\ttarget=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" \t\t>\n\t\t\t<img \n\tdata-src=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/1326098d30a91f6e9f9eedea290e7fb5-scaled.jpg\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1110\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/1326098d30a91f6e9f9eedea290e7fb5-scaled.jpg 1500w, https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/1326098d30a91f6e9f9eedea290e7fb5-scaled-800x592.jpg 800w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\" title=\"The Other Side | Inner Trip\" alt=\"\" \t\tclass=\"so-widget-image lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1500px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1500\/1110;\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/a><\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"widget-title\">\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/the-other-side\/\"\n\t\t\ttarget=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" \t\t>\n\t\tThe Other Side | Inner Trip<\/a><\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-10-0-4\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor\" data-index=\"63\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-10-0-4\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The room, which had been merely dark, gradually changed to a color scheme that could be described as psychedelic.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Everything I could see glittered and shone brightly.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The fluffy geometric patterns were both kaleidoscopic and undulating, like creatures or the ocean.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A view I had heard rumors about. A world like the psychedelic art I saw in the city.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\"I see, I'd love to draw that kind of art!\" I was excited and moved, but at the same time, I was also surprisingly calm and thought to myself, \"Oh, I'm really going to be surrounded by this kind of world.\"<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The strange phenomenon also involved the auditory sense, and the sounds heard were embodied and visible as beautiful waves.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I was thinking, \"Oh, so this is how sound reverberates,\" as I followed with my eyes the waves of sound that hit the walls and ceiling and returned. I think I was developing what is commonly known as \"synesthesia.\"<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I'm starting to feel guilty and say, \"This is bad!\", and I am the one who is moved and affirms, \"Wow, it's beautiful!\"<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But such a phenomenon was still merely the beginning.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From here I entered a deeper and deeper world of wonder.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-10-0-5\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-image\" data-index=\"64\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-10-0-5\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-image so-widget-sow-image-default-113ccd71f3e6-10106\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"sow-image-container\">\n\t\t<img \n\tdata-src=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Snapseed.jpg\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1500\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Snapseed.jpg 1500w, https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Snapseed-420x420.jpg 420w, https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Snapseed-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Snapseed-800x800.jpg 800w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\" title=\"The door of light\" alt=\"\" \t\tclass=\"so-widget-image lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1500px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1500\/1500;\" \/>\n\t<\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"widget-title\">The door of light<\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-10-0-6\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor panel-last-child\" data-index=\"65\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-10-0-6\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After a while, the young man suddenly began to tell me what he had felt and what had happened to him in the past.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\"Actually, there was this one thing that happened...this one thing.\" he said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The story was about a young man's journey before he met me. Apparently, he had been traveling with his girlfriend for a while, but she had dumped him along the way and he was traveling alone and sad. As he spoke, he kept dropping large drops of tears, as if he was expressing the emotions he had been holding in his heart.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">...It was a very, very strange phenomenon.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At first I listened quietly, but then I realized that I had known everything he was going to say for the first time in a long time, as if it had happened to me. It was as if it had happened to me.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So my phase became, \u201cOh, I know you did.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This sense of \"I've known for a while\" is strictly, \u201dWe share the world's memory.\" It is a feeling that<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I have memories and feelings of him being dumped, and I also have memories and feelings of the girlfriend who dumped him. At the same time I have the memory of watching the events he experienced from a little distance above, and the memory of the owner of the flower store he stopped at that day to buy flowers to make up with her.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And the next moment.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Oh my gosh, I'm,,,<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>\"I became the young man here and now.\"<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In other words,<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was a situation where another me was speaking to the original physical me.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No way,<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I never thought that the day would come when I would be a narrator and a listener at the same time while I am still alive.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once, once, I tried to calm down,<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I drank bottled water that was by the bed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And now I was also the very \"water\" that I had just drank myself.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is the sensation of \"it\" entering the mouth with the whole body, slurping down the throat and esophagus, and flowing down into the stomach with a thud.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When it comes to this point. <strong>It's all me now.<\/strong> I had the feeling that this was the case.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I am sure that at that time I could have been any person, creature, thing, water, or air.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And I'm still holding on to that mysterious power, <strong>\"Vision\"<\/strong>.\u00a0 I was flung into a different world where I was told that I was \"in a different world\".<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"pg-10106-11\"  class=\"panel-grid panel-has-style\" ><div style=\"padding: 100px 0; \" data-overlay=\"true\" data-overlay-color=\"#000000\" class=\"panel-row-style panel-row-style-for-10106-11\" ><div id=\"pgc-10106-11-0\"  class=\"panel-grid-cell\" ><div id=\"panel-10106-11-0-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-headline panel-first-child\" data-index=\"66\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-11-0-0\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-headline so-widget-sow-headline-default-eafff46c4538-10106\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t><div class=\"sow-headline-container \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"sow-headline\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Oneness_all_is_one\"><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tOneness, all is one.\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"decoration\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"decoration-inside\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-11-0-1\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-image\" data-index=\"67\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-11-0-1\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-image so-widget-sow-image-default-113ccd71f3e6-10106\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"sow-image-container\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/messenger\/\"\n\t\t\ttarget=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" \t\t>\n\t\t\t<img \n\tdata-src=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/oarfish.CW_-scaled.jpg\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1060\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/oarfish.CW_-scaled.jpg 1500w, https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/oarfish.CW_-scaled-800x565.jpg 800w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\" title=\"The messenger of the Dragon Palace\" alt=\"\" \t\tclass=\"so-widget-image lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1500px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1500\/1060;\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/a><\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"widget-title\">\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/messenger\/\"\n\t\t\ttarget=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" \t\t>\n\t\tThe messenger of the Dragon Palace<\/a><\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-11-0-2\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor\" data-index=\"68\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-11-0-2\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here is an explanation in case you are interested.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>\"Vision\"<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> indicates a word or phrase being defined <\/span><b>Native American. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is an otherworldly experience that we are invited to during the rituals of \"shamanism,\" the religion and culture of the \"shamans\" of the world. Generally speaking, when we speak of having visions, it is said to be close to <\/span><b>\"The sensation of traveling through another world\".<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The content of that vision varies, though, depending on the person, environment, and spiritual state. <\/span><b>Strangely enough, the destinations we reach at the end of our journeys are similar and have much in common.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>When you experience a vision,A sense of life that I didn't have before,gaining spiritual awakening and so on.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Those who go back and forth between visions, and those who lead others to visions, are <\/span><b>\"shaman\".<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is not well known, but it has a long history, having been depicted in wall paintings tens of thousands of years ago in ancient times.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Since ancient times, shamans have gained wisdom from visions, the people (Native Americans) peacefully it has a history of leading people to live in harmony with nature.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you are interested, you can research how Native Americans and other indigenous peoples (e.g., Aborigines, Ainu, etc.) lived peacefully for a long time before Westerners and other immigrants intervened.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From then on, I will talk about my vision.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u3002\u3002\u3002<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u3002\u3002\u3002\u3002\u3002<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u3002\u3002\u3002\u3002\u3002\u3002\u3002<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Suddenly,<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When I opened my eyes, I was my childhood self.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes, the shy boy as you read.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I was in the outdoor playground of the kindergarten I used to attend. And for some reason, there was a teacher in front of me who was strongly scolding me.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\"I know this scene somehow!\" I thought.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That is a memory I had completely forgotten.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But it was certainly a memory I had experienced in the past.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No matter what I say, the teacher interrupts my words and keeps scolding me in a loud voice without understanding anything.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\"Why is the teacher scolding me so strongly?\" I just cried and cried, unable to understand anything.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So remembering that..,<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To my surprise, the next thing I knew, I was inside the teacher.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I was scolding little me from the teacher's point of view.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At the time, I was angry with the teacher, just a bad memory, but now I understand that the teacher had her own circumstances (circumstances, personality, emotions, etc.).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\"Yeah, that would make this teacher angry...\"<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I guess it must have been hard for her, in her own way.\"<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I was convinced and sympathetic.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I thought so, and now I was watching the scene of such an exchange between two humans from some distance away.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In other words,<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>I flew into another world called a vision, becoming my past self, I became the person who was involved with me at that time, furthermore I also objectively watched the scene from some distance.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As I mentioned earlier, there are an infinite number of types of visions (spiritual journeys) that are compounded by a person's personality, circumstances, and environment. It has been said that each one is like reading a different novel.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">My vision at this time was <\/span><b>\"Re-experience the trajectory of my life to date\" <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in my case.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The memories were vivid and pleasant, and I experienced recurring experiences ranging from happy to sad and traumatic.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I also reunited with a transfer student who was there for a short time in elementary school that I had completely forgotten about.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In a room with warm sunlight streaming in through the window, I would watch my mother's daily casual exchanges with her as a third party from a distance.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">My childhood, my school years, my working life, my traveling life, and my life up to the present, in detail, in detail, in a strange way, repeated and repeated hundreds of times over and over,<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Gahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh \uff01\uff01\uff01\uff01\uff01<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I experienced it all again.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was a tremendous eternity of time, and a vast amount of information and emotional energy flowed through me without end.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I was almost swallowed several times by its furious whirlpool, and I said, \"It's too long! That's enough! That's enough! \uff01\uff01\uff01\uff01\" I even shouted several times along the way.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, through this experience, I felt as if I was able to see for the first time the true nature of the other party, which I had only been able to see in fragments until then.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-11-0-3\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-image\" data-index=\"69\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-11-0-3\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-image so-widget-sow-image-default-113ccd71f3e6-10106\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"sow-image-container\">\n\t\t<img \n\tdata-src=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/kaiju-in-my-heart.CW_-scaled.jpg\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1118\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/kaiju-in-my-heart.CW_-scaled.jpg 1500w, https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/kaiju-in-my-heart.CW_-scaled-800x596.jpg 800w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\" title=\"The kaiju (monster) in my mind\" alt=\"\" \t\tclass=\"so-widget-image lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1500px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1500\/1118;\" \/>\n\t<\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"widget-title\">The kaiju (monster) in my mind<\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-11-0-4\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor\" data-index=\"70\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-11-0-4\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It probably lasted about 5 or 6 hours in real time.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>However, in terms of experiential time, I would estimate that I was in that world for \"about one or two years\" at the shortest.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>In other words,I've spent about a year or two of my life walking the path I've been on.Everything was re-experienced and re-remembered in a very real way.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>I didn't know at the time.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>However,what I could learn by being the persons.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>What can be known by looking objectively.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What felt sad or painful at the time, what I didn't understand, all the encounters, all the partings, all the things, what I thought were coincidences, <\/span><b>all of this was inevitable.There were no coincidences. All of it was perfectly timed.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I just assumed that I was the only one at the time who thought it was the worst, or sad, or good, or a coincidence.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That time I was scolded by a teacher in kindergarten.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I also failed art as a student.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I have been working and falling apart of my mind.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I have also experienced racial discrimination.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I almost died in my traveling life.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was all a necessary experience.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I got into painting because of that environment of inferiority complex.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Because I failed at painting, I went to a normal university and studied abroad so I could learn about the breadth of the world.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I became a hard-working corporate employee, which gave me the ability to think. I also met some wonderful people.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The racism reminded me of my connection to the earth. I learned about the warmth of people. I began to think deeply about Native Americans and about human beings.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And now, because of their combined presence, I have come to travel the world alone and have now reached this point in my life.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">None of them should be lacking.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Everything is a milestone.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If any one of them is missing, everything is not possible.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>On this earth as a human being called me,I've lived and gained.It is a wonderful, irreplaceable experience.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How thankful and precious life is!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When I connected the dots of each such event and looked over the flow of my life's trajectory, it was one perfect, beautiful line.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Then I learned.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>\"Ah.\"<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>\"All along this soul of mine has been guided.\"<\/b><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-11-0-5\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-image\" data-index=\"71\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-11-0-5\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-image so-widget-sow-image-default-113ccd71f3e6-10106\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"sow-image-container\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/guidance\/\"\n\t\t\ttarget=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" \t\t>\n\t\t\t<img \n\tdata-src=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/eb0dd231c5dc1f2a743c922bebb735a6.jpg\" width=\"1306\" height=\"1500\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/eb0dd231c5dc1f2a743c922bebb735a6.jpg 1306w, https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/eb0dd231c5dc1f2a743c922bebb735a6-800x919.jpg 800w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1306px) 100vw, 1306px\" title=\"guidance\" alt=\"\" \t\tclass=\"so-widget-image lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1306px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1306\/1500;\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/a><\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"widget-title\">\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/guidance\/\"\n\t\t\ttarget=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" \t\t>\n\t\tguidance<\/a><\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-11-0-6\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor\" data-index=\"72\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-11-0-6\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I can't stop thanking all the people I have met so far.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And I couldn't stop being thankful for everything and events.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I kept shedding tears like a heavy rain.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Because we have each other, we can learn from each other.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Emotions, feelings, lessons and memories that one can never experience alone.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Each soul comes to earth to learn.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>We keep each other alive by being with each other...<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All living people survive by eating other life.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They use others as tools too.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Everything in this world is one: humans, animals, plants, things, water...<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When we look down on this planet called earth from space, it is just a small blue grain, but everything is circulating and complete within it. The water that falls from the sky as rain falls on the earth and grows vegetables. Animals eat the vegetables, and people eat the animals. Eventually, both animals and people die and return to the earth where vegetables grow.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Isn't that so when you think about it?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We live off of something. Someone is helping you, and you are helping someone else.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We are just exchanging and circulating the energy of the universe (love), aren't we?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>\"All is love and the cosmos.\"<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is a phrase that has been uttered by many great people in history and by religious people.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I didn't understand. I didn't get it.\" and I even snickered at these words.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I understood that clearly now.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>To love the other person is, also love yourself.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>By loving yourself, we can love others.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Hurting the other, is also harming yourself.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>If you hurt yourself, it also hurts others.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Everyone is part of the energy of the cosmos.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Each of us, the energy (love) of the cosmos is circulating.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Each of us just exists, it's a worthy love being\u2026<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I see<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><b>Everything is all one.<\/b><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><b>Existence in this cosmos,<\/b><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><b>it's all one.<\/b><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><b>We are all<\/b><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><b>one<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-11-0-7\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-image\" data-index=\"73\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-11-0-7\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-image so-widget-sow-image-default-334eeca80698-10106\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"sow-image-container\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/ceremony\/\"\n\t\t\ttarget=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" \t\t>\n\t\t\t<img \n\tdata-src=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/ceremony.jpg\" width=\"1061\" height=\"1500\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/ceremony.jpg 1061w, https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/ceremony-800x1131.jpg 800w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1061px) 100vw, 1061px\" title=\"ceremony\" alt=\"\" \t\tclass=\"so-widget-image lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1061px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1061\/1500;\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/a><\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"widget-title\">\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/ceremony\/\"\n\t\t\ttarget=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" \t\t>\n\t\tceremony<\/a><\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-11-0-8\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor\" data-index=\"74\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-11-0-8\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u3002\u3002\u3002\u3002\u3002\u3002\u3002<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u3002\u3002\u3002\u3002\u3002<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u3002\u3002\u3002<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By sunrise, I was back in the real world. I had just had such a terrific experience that I wondered what could possibly make this world real, but I knew intuitively that this was real. And my head was still a little fuzzy.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When I went outside, the deep fog that had covered the village for so long had completely lifted, and sparkling sunlight was gently shining through the gaps in the mountains.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The beautiful chirping of jungle birds and insects could be heard chirping, chirping, and chirping.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I took a deep breath, and as usual, the slightly wet, forest-like air filled my lungs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And I had the sense that the fog that must have been in my head for so long was clearing.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Oh.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Let's be kinder to people from now on.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Let's cherish each encounter.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Let's take better care of ourselves.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Let's do art again.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>In this life, I would contribute to the world through my art.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even now, more than five years later, when I hear the birds singing in the morning, I still remember my experience in this village.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-11-0-9\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-image\" data-index=\"75\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-11-0-9\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-image so-widget-sow-image-default-113ccd71f3e6-10106\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"sow-image-container\">\n\t\t<img \n\tdata-src=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/219bef83deadac97ae7e989548281315-scaled.jpg\" width=\"480\" height=\"640\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/219bef83deadac97ae7e989548281315-scaled.jpg 1125w, https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/219bef83deadac97ae7e989548281315-scaled-800x1067.jpg 800w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" title=\"On the road in grand canyon, America. \" alt=\"\" \t\tclass=\"so-widget-image lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 480px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 480\/640;\" \/>\n\t<\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"widget-title\">On the road in grand canyon, America. <\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-11-0-10\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor panel-last-child\" data-index=\"76\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-11-0-10\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t><h3 class=\"widget-title\">And now<\/h3>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A few months later, I returned safely to Japan.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now that you have read this far, how do you feel?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maybe some people might think, \"Isn't he a bad person?\"<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">People who have known me for a long time, may walk away from me.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Or, some people might feel \"Wow!\" or \"He is funny!\"<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And this may be an opportunity to meet new people.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>It doesn't matter how you view it for me.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But after all, you are reading this far down the page,<\/span><b> we resonate with each other, probably.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Everything I have written so far is an actual experience, a record of my real life, and an irreplaceable and appreciated asset.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Through it all, I have finally come to a sincere understanding of more and more things, and I have certainly become kinder to myself and others than before.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I was walking along, lost and stumbling, happy and distressed, when I inadvertently entered a rushing river and came to a place I had not expected. But now that I think back on it, I realize that everything was a milestone and I was on the right path. It is a sense of \"I was on the right path.\"<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Honesty,,,There is still much that has not been written.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are still things I haven't been able to write about in this mystical experience, and there were so many things that happened to me on the trip. There are various reasons why I simply cannot verbalize them yet, or I have taken the liberty of deciding that I should not say them just yet, but I hope to be able to tell you about them someday.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, that has been quite naked in the art.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I would be happy if you could sense something when you look at my art.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"pg-10106-12\"  class=\"panel-grid panel-has-style\" ><div style=\"padding: 100px 0; \" data-overlay=\"true\" class=\"panel-row-style panel-row-style-for-10106-12\" ><div id=\"pgc-10106-12-0\"  class=\"panel-grid-cell\" ><div id=\"panel-10106-12-0-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-headline panel-first-child\" data-index=\"77\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-12-0-0\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-headline so-widget-sow-headline-default-eafff46c4538-10106\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t><div class=\"sow-headline-container \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"sow-headline\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Finally\"><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tFinally.\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"decoration\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"decoration-inside\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-12-0-1\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-image\" data-index=\"78\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-12-0-1\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-image so-widget-sow-image-default-113ccd71f3e6-10106\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"sow-image-container\">\n\t\t<img \n\tdata-src=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/dawn.jpg\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1079\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/dawn.jpg 1500w, https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/dawn-800x575.jpg 800w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\" title=\"dawn\" alt=\"\" \t\tclass=\"so-widget-image lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1500px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1500\/1079;\" \/>\n\t<\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"widget-title\">dawn<\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-10106-12-0-2\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor panel-last-child\" data-index=\"79\" ><div style=\"text-align: left;\" data-title-color=\"#443f3f\" data-headings-color=\"#443f3f\" class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-10106-12-0-2\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After returning to Japan, I went back to my parents' house in Tokyo and read many books in various genres and watched many videos on Youtube and DVDs. I also went to meet various people in the field. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I learned about the many \"lightness and darkness\" of this world even more deeply. I am still studying even now, but I strongly felt <\/span><b>\"everything in this world is one.\"<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &amp; <\/span><b>\"We are all one.\u201d<\/b> <b>\"The idea is called \"oneness\". <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Through a connection with a Qigong master, I learned and mastered Qigong, the mysteries of the East. <\/span><b>The artwork uses a lot of Qigong.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I am trying to taste my life more deeply through art in this life, and at the same time, <\/span><b>to make this world and humanity a better place, I believe.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you feel pain in your life, need strength, or want to look at yourself again, please come and see my art. If you have <a href=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/en\/category\/works\/\">a chance to see my original paintings<\/a> in person, I hope you will come and see them and feel \"something.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I hope you will receive and cherish the special message from the painting to you. The best ideal is to actually own the work and always be able to go in front of the real thing and <a href=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/en\/tag\/collecting-reviews\/\">have access to the world of the painting. <\/a>I would be happy to discuss your budget with you.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But first of all, you can just look at it in a daze on the Web site as it is, or you can use it as a wallpaper on your computer or smartphone. You will surely feel mysterious power to heal you and give you strength.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We are all,<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">one.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thank you very much for your patient and long-suffering patience with my poor writing so far. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was a great honor to share your precious time with you.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Please feel free to contact me anything you feel. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is a great honor to receive messages of any content.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u25b6\ufe0e<a title=\"Contact\" href=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/en\/contact\/\"><strong>Contact\u00a0<\/strong><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Exhibition activities are exhibited at my own pace. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Someday, if the timing is right, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I look forward to meeting you in person when you have a chance. <\/span><strong>It will be the perfect timing, I'm sure. <\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Until then. Thank you very much!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>To see more artworks.<\/p>\n<p>\u25b6\ufe0e<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/en\/artworks\/\">Artworks<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>To see more essay<\/p>\n<p>\u25b6\ufe0e<a href=\"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/en\/category\/trip-notes\/\"><strong>Trip Notes<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>First of all Kota | Oneness Artist How did Kota come to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12827,"parent":1911,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_locale":"en_US","_original_post":"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/?page_id=3398","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-10106","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","en-US"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10106","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10106"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10106\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11793,"href":"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10106\/revisions\/11793"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1911"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12827"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10106"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}