I've started a private library.

Thanks to all of you, the note article about the 'dilapidated one-story house...' was read by many people. Since then, I haven't shared much about our home or lifestyle, but this article has inspired me to start sharing more about home-related topics (real estate and renovations) and our daily life (cooking, plants, cats, books, etc.). I have already started writing a few pieces, so please look forward to them.

This may be sudden, but we have decided to open our home as a 'private library' for free once a week. The theme of today's article is 'opening up our home.' I look forward to meeting those of you who read my notes.

1. The death of Bacho

Before I talk about the private library, I want to share a major event that happened in May. Our beloved cat, Bacho, passed away just before turning nine. A happy daily life was suddenly shut down one day. We have this house, there is Biako-san, and there are two cats, Bacho and Mu Continent. I go to work, eat meals, and at night, I can hear the chorus of frogs from the rice fields. I foolishly assumed that such a daily life would naturally continue tomorrow.

'Daily life is happiness itself'—I had seen this common phrase many times and thought I understood it, but when it actually happened to me, I couldn't accept it at all. I am sure there are many people who have experienced the loss of a loved one or a pet. You all have been living your daily lives while swallowing such sorrow, haven't you?

My cat died. From an outsider's perspective, that's all it is. I lost the gravity called Bacho that supported this house and our daily lives, and I was at a loss. He was right in the middle of the happiness that made up our daily lives.

[Postscript]
On July 22, 2025, I published a note recording Bacho's final moments. If you'd like, please take a look at this note when you have time.

Immediately after Bacho passed away, my motivation for work and my appetite decreased, and although I tried to pull myself together every day, I couldn't quite get into the right mindset. In the midst of this, I visited a small soba restaurant thinking, 'Maybe I can eat soba,' and the soba-gaki made by the master was movingly delicious. Not only that, he was working so hard, from taking phone reservations to serving customers, and I felt a little better after soaking up his energy. I was similarly moved by the work of people at the local convenience store and the nurses at the hospital I visited.

I wasn't directly told to 'do your best,' but the diligent work of ordinary people and their loving food and service gave me the strength to look forward little by little.

One day, an old man who farms in the neighborhood gave me a large onion. When I immediately made ginger pork with it, I felt both delicious and happy at the same time. This is also a cliché, but I was moved by how delicious something made by human hands could be. The deliciousness of an onion does not lie. The work of the old man who grew the delicious onion, from soil preparation to harvest, is packed into a single onion. He is a person who can save others through vegetables. I thought, I want to be someone like that to someone else. Perhaps the house we live in can also support someone in a small way.

2. Private Library 'fog books'

The introduction has become very long. Starting today (6/7), we have decided to open our home as a private library called 'fog books.' It is an initiative to open the small one-story house where we actually live once a week on Saturdays. (Please check our official Instagram as the schedule may change due to work.)

The operation is carried out by 'Tokiwa-sha,' a real estate company established by Asuka Tamura, also known as Biako. As this is a separate initiative from the real estate business, fog books is not aimed at direct profit. We bought this dilapidated one-story house with all its remaining items about five years ago, created our own renovation plan, and arranged for contractors and materials, purchasing the 150-tsubo property including the land, building, and renovation for about 15 million yen. We felt firsthand that we could live a rich life that suits our means without spending a lot of money. As Tokiwa-sha, we believe that the way of homes and living will gradually change, and fog books also has an aspect of being a social experiment in our own way.

We had been preparing for fog books even before Bacho's death, but with his passing, we were able to organize the meaning of it more clearly for ourselves.

| The collection is about 800 books |

Now, regarding the books, since my specialty is photography, you can freely browse about 800 books, including about 300 photography-related books such as domestic and international photo books that I have collected as a hobby, as well as art books, cookbooks, subculture books, and manga. They cannot be borrowed, but anyone can use them for free during opening hours. In addition to books, you can also view personal collections such as photographic works by photographers Masashi Asada and Meisa Fujishiro, and works by contemporary artist Yudai Iikawa. There is a large table that can seat 6-8 people and sofa seats. Please read your favorite books wherever you like. If you are not sure which book to choose, please ask the owner, and I will give you a recommendation.

3. Opening up our home

I have many opportunities to talk about 'living' with various people recently, and I feel that it has become a difficult era even to live modestly. For example, even if both husband and wife work, they have to cut back on various things to send their children to high school or university. Eating normal meals, sending them to school, occasionally having lunch with friends at a cafe, and traveling once a year... even such modest happiness is becoming difficult. Personally, I feel the limits of the capitalist economy. I have come to want to think about happiness and richness a little more on my own terms.

Isn't building connections with people as important as earning money? Meeting reliable friends. For us, the means to do that was to open up our home. Living in a big house, driving a nice car, being more convenient... going further. I don't want to deny those values. I am a person who likes to spend money on interesting things, so I want two or three more houses, I want to reach as many people as possible, and I still have those values. But I think it's okay to have new value standards on a different axis as well. I don't have a concrete picture of how the future will change by 'opening up,' but we made this choice based on intuition.

Opening up my home, opening up my work, opening up my heart.

I haven't been one to open my heart to people much, but I've decided to try opening up my home and my heart first (laughs). Next will be my work, I suppose. I want to explore new ways of working and new ways for a company to exist.

I believe that finding a place where you belong will become increasingly important from now on. Perhaps there are people out there who will love the books we've collected just as much as we do. I would be happy if those people could see this place as a slightly mysterious spot where they can step away from reality for a little while.

｜The first day of fog books｜

Today was the memorable first day of fog books. Although I only announced it to friends, one person I was meeting for the first time and one friend—a total of two people—came to visit. The person I met for the first time had read my note articles, so it was a connection made possible by note. Did you think, 'Only two people??' For us, it was a result we are completely satisfied with. I am convinced that even if it's small, we have taken a big step forward. Thank you so much for sensing something in this somewhat mysterious initiative and making your way to our home.

Seeing someone I was meeting for the first time reading a book in my living room felt completely natural and, in fact, quite comfortable. I hope that through fog books, connections and a cycle of empathy will be born, and that this will become a place for natural encounters. I truly want to meet many people now.

'I was interested in it on note, so I wanted to see the house'
'I want to talk to Tamura'
'I want to escape reality for a bit'
'I feel a little lonely for some reason'

Reading books is of course welcome, but I think the reason for coming here can be anything. Although it takes the form of a private library, I will be flexible (laughs). Please spend your time here as you like. I think the world needs places that are like 'blank spaces' that don't quite have a definition.

In addition to using the library, I also recommend taking a walk on the farm roads around the house. There isn't much here besides a small shrine, but if you look closely, you can find small insects and flowers. If you listen carefully, you can hear the sound of the wind. In the future, I hope we can do fun things like summer festivals, talk events, picnic plans, and workshops while having you all become accomplices.

This is a small, humble house that was a renovated, dilapidated one-story building. The number of people who can enter at one time is limited, so you might experience some inconvenience. Here, we are surrounded by rice fields and farms, and you can look out over the mountains of Nara. We don't have any special services or hospitality, but we welcome you with all our hearts. At first, please feel free to drop by without any pressure, just like you would visiting a friend's house.

I launched a new Instagram account for the opening of fog books. I am posting photos of the books I own and book reviews, alternating with photos I've taken on my travels that have been reformatted into vertical images📕 You can get a rough idea of events, opening days, and how to enjoy the space through the Story highlights, so please take a look at your leisure. If you love books, photography, are interested in one-story houses, or like plants, I would be very happy if you followed us! There are some precautions regarding your visit, so please be sure to read them before coming.

【Click here for the official fog books account↓】

4. Finally

By the way, the article 'Dilapidated one-story house...' received the Lifenet Insurance Prize in the Lifenet Insurance note official contest 'Things I'm glad I chose myself.' fog books was opened using part of that prize money. (Used to purchase books, parking cones, and other supplies.) This private library might not have been born without note.

If there is even just one person who thinks fog books is necessary, I believe it is worth continuing for that reason alone. If you are anxious about going to the library right away, we will be planning workshops and talk-lunch parties (fog picnic) in the future, so please join us at those times.

I am looking forward to meeting everyone I met on note in person. I would be very happy if you could come and visit.

Well then, take care.