A Passion Project in the Making

Creating the INOW program

Hello reader, thanks for being here! I’m Kana and this is the Sunday edition of Tending Gardens, which you can read about here.
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Last Sunday, I didn’t manage to find the time to write. It left me feeling a little low, as though I was letting myself—and perhaps others—down, barely a month into writing. But what truly warmed my heart was hearing from several of you who reached out to check if everything was okay.

A friend gently reminded me, “It’s human.”

Those words, simple as they are, held so much comfort. They helped me put things into perspective and release some of the unnecessary pressure I was placing on myself.

Hearing from you also reminded me that there are real people on the other side of this writing—people who are present, listening, and kind. Thank you for your understanding and grace during life’s busier moments. It means more than I can express.

The INOW program: a passion project in the making

This past Sunday, we began working on a video project for the INOW program—a project that holds deep significance for me. I haven’t shared much about INOW before, but it’s the very reason I chose to move to Kamikatsu.

INOW (イノウ, pronounced ee-nou) is a homestay-based educational tourism program that I co-created with a small team of three women. The name "INOW" comes from the local Awa-ben dialect, meaning “let’s go home.” It reflects the program’s intention to create a sense of belonging and connection for participants in Kamikatsu.