<figure id="attachment_397537" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2500px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-397537"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="efd64041"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/10/eb1b8d34ea88ec391582f985bd5262d5.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-397537" class="wp-caption-text">Illustration drawn by Kanda-san</figcaption></figure>
<h2>This year again, &#8220;It&#8217;s time to go to the hot springs!&#8221;</h2>
<p>Finally, the autumn-like temperatures have arrived, and the insects have grown more docile. This makes me want to go glamping or to a hot spring in the mountains right away. As someone who hates insects, the six months between now and early spring are a precious time for me to coexist with the mountains.</p>
<p>Three good friends from junior high and high school who often appear in this series of articles accompany me in this desire every year. As usual, this year, we said, &#8220;Let&#8217;s go to a hot spring soon! and we planned to stay in a guest room with an open-air bath for one night and two days.</p>
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<p>I always take on the role of finding a place to stay. Since I love to travel, it is fun for me to know what kind of accommodations are available. I can also name the inns that I myself would like to stay at.</p>
<p>When I asked them about their requests, they replied, &#8220;A place with a nice view from the outdoor hot spring&#8221; and &#8220;I want to eat delicious food in a relaxed atmosphere. If the inn is reasonably priced, the food is usually good and served in a quiet space like a semi-private room in the dining room. So we decided to respond to the latter request by choosing a slightly more expensive inn than our previous lodging choices.</p>
<p>The problem arose in the process of searching for the former request, an &#8220;open-air bath with a view.</p>
<p>A quick look at inns across the country revealed that the view from the inns in Hokkaido was particularly spectacular. （Hokkaido!) ), I sent a group line with suggestions for lodgings near Niseko and Lake Akan.</p>
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<p>（I wondered which one would be the best!) ) I was so excited that I immediately received a reply, &#8220;Pi-you♪&#8221;. Thank you for checking it out! followed by &#8220;I appreciate the loose hot springs! I&#8217;m so thankful for the loose hot springs!</p>
<p>I decipher from our long relationship that a &#8220;loose hot spring&#8221; means a hot spring that I can visit casually. In short, I wanted to go to a hot spring closer to home. He said he was too busy with work until the day before and was exhausted on the day of the trip.</p>
<p>（I wondered why he wanted to go to Hokkaido, even though it is so close.) I wondered why he wanted to go to Yugawara, and he replied, &#8220;How about Yugawara? How about Yugawara? Yugawara?　That is indeed too close! I couldn&#8217;t help but shout. I couldn&#8217;t help but shout out. I had to travel a certain distance to feel like I was on a trip. So I replied, &#8220;Yugawara is no different from going a few stations away, so I&#8217;ll give you a break! I replied.</p>
<p>Then the group LINE stopped. The message was read, but no one replied. It was probably because of the message I had sent. What in the world had I done? I am one of my few precious friends. (I must recognize my mistake and fix it!) ) I desperately tried to think of a reason.</p>
<p>One thing came to mind. During the past five months, I had been on location in Taiwan three times and in Hong Kong twice during the three-day, two-night period from Friday after the live broadcast of &#8220;Pokapoka&#8221; to Sunday night. I also used that weekend for a private trip to Hawaii once. It is not a hardship for me, but rather a gratifying schedule. However, it has caused a change in my sense of distance.</p>
<div data-friday-nextpage-lead="The &quot;mistake&quot; I made"></div>
<h2>Self-discipline from blunders</h2>
<p>New York and Paris used to be &#8220;far away&#8221; but now they are &#8220;so far away&#8221;. I used to think that Hawaii was &#8220;somewhat far,&#8221; but now I feel that it is &#8220;close. So, the nearest place in Japan is &#8230;&#8230; almost near my home.</p>
<p>Depending on the environment in which each person finds himself or herself, there are differences in the way one perceives things. It is natural and inevitable. However, it is a big mistake to apply the same changes to your friends and force them to do the same. I had made that mistake.</p>
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<p>As soon as I grasped this reality, I felt regret and impatience as if to say, &#8220;Gosh! I felt a rush of regret and impatience. I hurriedly searched for a place to stay in the Kanto area and sent in a list of potential accommodations.</p>
<p>From then on, the conversation proceeded smoothly. Everyone&#8217;s reactions returned to normal, and we decided on an inn in Yugawara, about an hour and a half train ride away.</p>
<p>We have been together for more than 25 years since we were junior high school students. We know each other well and accept each other&#8217;s good and bad points. That is why it does not matter if each of us has changed over the years, such as working in the entertainment industry, having a baby, getting divorced, or becoming obsessed with idols. As long as we both remained the same inside, that was all that mattered. But this time, I had forgotten this irreplaceable and important rule and tried to break it. 1m is 1m, nothing more, nothing less. I reminded myself once again not to lose my precious friend.</p>
<figure id="attachment_397538" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 3004px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-397538"><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-397538 size-full" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/10/695002d97b11ca3cd791054813aeec37-2.jpg" alt="" width="3004" height="3734"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-397538" class="wp-caption-text">Kazuki Shimomura</figcaption></figure>
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<p>His first book, &#8221; <a href="https://amzn.to/4dbWKKN">Where is the Royal Road?</a> is now on sale!</p>
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<p>Aika Kanda was born in 1980 in Kanagawa Prefecture. After graduating from Gakushuin University with a degree in mathematics, she joined NHK as an announcer in 2003, and left in 2012 to become a freelance announcer. Since then, she has been active mainly in variety shows, and currently makes regular appearances as the main MC of the daytime TV program &#8220;Poka Poka&#8221; (Fuji Television Network).</p>
<p>From the November 15, 2024 issue of FRIDAY</p>
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 Aika Kanda

 It finally started to look like autumn, and Aika Kanda said to her good friends, "Let's go to a hot spring soon! Aika Kanda said, "It's time to go to a hot spring! As she is responsible for finding a place to stay, she makes the mistake of looking for a place that meets everyone's needs...and then she makes a blunder.

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