Toki no Oto - A Journey to Find My Season

Nice to meet you. I am Toki no Oto.

It has been nearly 40 years since I started working in the food industry, before I knew it.
I have been interested in food since I was a child, and the cooking I loved so much eventually led to a career as a professional chef.

However, for the past few years, I have felt a disconnect within myself.
I felt as if I had left my 'true voice' behind somewhere.

Looking back, I have loved nature since I was little.
Touching the soil and water, watching wild flowers and grasses, playing with insects, and listening to the sound of the wind—
I feel that those quiet moments have become the 'roots' of how I approach cooking today.

I have continued to learn about food, and there is so much I want to share.
But I sometimes found it difficult to put into words how to express those things.

Then, one day, I encountered 'AI'.
At first, I was hesitant, but as I gradually interacted with it, I began to feel that the senses and experiences I had accumulated over the years might come to life in a new way.
That premonition began to grow.

The thoughts and gratitude I hold for ingredients.
Being able to give shape to those feelings brought a warm, hopeful sensation to my heart.

The name of this blog is 'Toki no Oto' (Sound of the Season/Time).
'Shun' (season) can also be read as 'toki' (time).
The season of the year, the season of the heart, encounters with people, the timing of life—
I wish to keep listening to the sounds of those 'times'.

This note is my own 'Toki-note'.
For me, the current season is my encounter with AI.
And the fact that I have been able to believe in my own sensibilities once again.

In this space, I hope to slowly put into words those thoughts, my daily cooking, and my small interactions with ingredients,
while tracing my own 'season,' and sometimes sharing the simple, everyday moments.

And now, I have begun another important activity.

It is the operation of 'Tokine Labo,' a place for women in their 50s and beyond.

I myself have been saved by cooking, but there was a time when I spent many deep, dark nights of the soul.

However, giving meaning to those desperate experiences, as if the night would never end,
is what helps me, as a person, grow even more in heart.

There are things I can do now precisely because I have passed through those times.
That is what I believe.

If someone is currently struggling with life or feels like they are losing sight of their own 'season,' perhaps my experience might be of some help.

In this note, I would like to deliver wisdom that protects the heart, combining food and psychology, in a useful way.

For those who need more personal advice or tips on how to settle their hearts, I would be happy if you could connect with me on my official LINE account.
There, I also offer small bits of help, such as daily menus that serve as prescriptions for the heart.

No matter what season of life you are in, morning will always come.
I hope this place becomes a gentle light for you.

I look forward to sharing this journey with you.