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This week ended up being one of contrasts again, the kind Japan does so effortlessly: a quiet winter flower, a global tech forecast viewed from afar, and a quartet of metal sparrows dressed more elegantly than most commuters on the Shōnan line. The camellias have been blooming, almost stubbornly, despite the cold. There’s something steadfast about them: soft petals, strong timing. I wrote about how they appear precisely when the world feels muted, offering a little burst of warmth you have to slow down to notice. Winter has never been my favorite season, but the camellias always remind me that stillness has its own beauty: not loud, not rushed, just present. In a completely different direction, I wrote about an event that summarized the big themes from CES 2026. I didn’t actually go to Las Vegas, but listening to the discussions from here gave me the sense of watching the future unfold from a slight but meaningful distance. It struck me again how Japan navigates technological change: with curiosity, yes, but also a kind of measured hesitation. Even observing CES second-hand felt like a reminder that innovation doesn’t have to be breathless to be meaningful. And then, on a much quieter note, I found myself remembering Enoshima Station, where the famous metal sparrows perch on a railings. They’re tiny, solid, and very much unmoving, except for their outfits. Each season, someone dresses them in hand‑knitted sweaters or little scarves, giving these cold metal birds an absurd amount of personality. There’s something wonderfully human about the whole thing: an anonymous act of care that transforms an ordinary station platform into a small moment of delight. These threads; a winter bloom, a technological future viewed from the sidelines, and four overdressed metal sparrows, somehow feel connected. They all ask for a certain kind of noticing. Japan has a way of teaching you this: beauty in small things, perspective in big things, and humor in unexpected places. I hope your week held something that made you pause too, whether it was a flower, a conversation, or just a tiny surprise that briefly brightened the cold. Warmly, Saskia
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