[202509] I tried writing a letter to my future self one year from now
The other day, I went to write a letter to my future self one year from now.
It was such a meaningful experience that I decided to write it down in my notebook.
Overview
・Shop
Jiyucho (Kuramae Station)
https://jiyucho.tokyo/pages/jiyucho-tokyo
・Service where a letter arrives in one year
TOMOSHIBI POST (operated by Jiyucho)
https://tomoshibipost.com/concept/
・Price
4,070 yen (letter set and drink)
・Duration
2-hour limit (1.5 hours for writing the letter, 0.5 hours for the wax sealing experience)
Why I decided to go
・Because I had seen it on social media before and was interested.
・Because I decided on the day of and called, and there was an open reservation slot.
・Personally, I think my late 20s is a time of many changes, and I suddenly wondered what I would be doing next year.
Flow of the day
1. There are 5 concepts (if I remember correctly) for the letter, so you choose one that resonates with you right now.
I believe I chose a concept like [Meeting a new me].
It seems the postcards and poems included in the letter set change depending on the concept.
2. The shop staff brings you the letter set.
The set includes a postcard with a poem written by the shop owner (a poet) on the back, letter paper for yourself, a self-reflection sheet that serves as a lead-in to the letter, a postcard with a blank back, A3 paper for drafting, and a Jiyucho business card.
3. You are served a drink that matches the letter concept you chose in step 1.
What I received was ginger tea.
A mug with a gray hue was placed on a square wooden tray.
Since I was told to read the poem in the letter set first, I drank the tea slowly while reading it.
It was a gentle drink that felt warm to both my eyes and my body.
4. Go to the shelf next to the reception desk to get writing utensils.
I used a pencil and a ballpoint pen, but fountain pens and colored pencils were also available.
5. Write a letter
Since the letter paper provided for myself was smaller than I expected (the same size as a postcard), I wrote the main letter on a piece of A3 paper for drafting.
I wrote about the events of the day, the reason I decided to write, and things I have been thinking about recently.
Originally, I wrote about 'things I think have changed about myself recently and things I find interesting' on the letter paper provided for myself, and 'gratitude toward a few people close to me' on the postcard with the blank back.
6. I experienced sealing (sealing an envelope with wax).
I chose 4 colors out of 20 types of colorful wax.
I chose red, purple, pink, and silver.
I put the four pieces of wax into something like a spoon and melted them slowly with a candle.
Once melted, I mixed the wax into a marble pattern (you don't have to mix it) and dripped it all onto the spot to be sealed.
I pressed a stamp (you can choose between the Jiyucho seal or your initials) onto the dripped wax, left it for about 20 seconds, then removed it and let it dry.
7. Address registration
While waiting, I used the QR code provided on the instruction sheet to add contact information in case my address changes within the year.
Other
- The bookshelves at Jiyucho were lined with books of various genres.
When I asked the staff, they told me they have an exchange system where if you put a book you've finished reading on this shelf and write a letter to the next reader, you can take home another book from the shelf.
I think this system is wonderful because you can feel not only the story of the book itself but also the owner of the book (through the letter).
I remembered the following line from a novel I read a long time ago.
'I think there is a story in the book itself that has passed from hand to hand...'
'Not just the story written inside...'
*Quoted from Biblia Koshodo no Jiken Techo
- The door to the restroom is perhaps handmade? and the kitchen and restroom are located past the door.
- A book of poems said to have been written by the owner (a poet) was placed on the desk.
The content is somewhere between poetry and an essay, and I thought it would be interesting to read it carefully and find words that fit my current state.
Impressions
- Both staff members (there were two) were very polite, and I felt the service was excellent.
They took a video of me while I was doing the sealing experience, and after I finished, they took a photo of me with my letter in front of the bookshelf (I didn't ask for this; the staff member asked if I would like them to take one).
- I thought the one-year setting was exquisite. I don't remember the exact content I wrote, but it's a period where I will remember the existence of the letter, and unless something major happens, I will probably be alive.
Because I am writing to a version of myself in a future that is not completely unpredictable, but also not guaranteed, I felt that it might be good because the content doesn't become too vague.
I wonder what I will think when I read this letter next year. I want to read it with a fresh perspective, so I will dare not record the details of the content in this notebook.
I hope today is a good day for the me of one year from now.
That is all, thank you for reading!