This is the first article.
My morning started near the old textile district of Nishijin, where traditional wooden townhouses line narrow streets. Most of the shops were still closed, but the sound of a kettle boiling inside one of the houses reminded me that people here start their day early, even if it doesn’t always happen in public view.
A few minutes later, I passed a small workshop where a craftsman was preparing strips of bamboo for lanterns. He didn’t say much, just smiled and nodded. Winter light fell beautifully across his workbench, and for a moment it felt like time had slowed to the pace of his hands.