STORY 05A mature couple’s journey

• Our son was transferred overseas, and he took his wife and our grandchildren with him. Our daughter, who we had been concerned about, finally got married and moved to Kumamoto, far away from us. The only ones left at home are me, always busy with work, and my husband, who is somewhat restless as he prepares to retire. From now on, it will finally just be the two of us.

  “Dear, how about we treat ourselves for all of our hard work?” I proposed a trip, and he instantly replied, “Yeah, let’s go somewhere with beautiful autumn leaves” with a smile on his face. We hadn’t gone on a trip together, just the two of us, in around 30 years. I want my husband to release me and to enjoy himself as he pleases. I want him to remain active each day, out and about as much as possible, and I want him to handle many of his own household chores. But most importantly, I want to take care of his emotional needs.

  It is common for people who leaves their jobs upon retirement to value themselves less, socialize less, and become generally apathetic overall. In contrast, their wives are as energetic as ever, and know how to enjoy themselves with their girlfriends, so they are often unable to notice the gloominess in their husband’s heart.

  Tateshina is perfect for our generation, as it is not far from an urban area, and it has a reputation for being quiet and luxurious. We decided to stay at Tateshina Shinyu Onsen, one of the oldest hotels in Tateshina.

  

• I had heard that it had recently been renovated. It is located at the far end of the Tateshina Onsen resort area, and is truly serene and otherworldly, with nothing to be heard but the sounds of the river and birds singing. The valley is now a fiery red with autumn foliage. How very picturesque! Entering the hotel, located in such a secluded place, is like stepping into an entirely different world.

  My husband said, “Woah, I feel like we’ve wandered into Wonderland.” I believe that as long as he retains this kind of sensitivity, he will not become melancholic in his old age.

  The corridor of Iwanami books, the salon of Misuzu books, the paintings of the time when Prince Hitachinomiya visited, and the handwritten poems by Byakuren Yanagiwara all made us feel as if we had magically slipped back in time to the Showa period.

  

• After taking a bath while gazing at the wonderful view, my husband and I enjoyed a relaxing meal in a private room, eye to eye. The new variety of sake from Masumi, a famous local brewery, was also very tasty.

  After dinner, we went to the bar. Our son has a family, and is doing well far from home. Our daughter has started a new life in a new place, with both a bit of anxiety and great expectations. My husband and I have been doing our best. Together, we raised two wonderful children, and now, we are back to just the two of us.

  This trip was a way of rewarding us for all of our hard work, but it was also a chance for us to reaffirm that we are best friends and to reaffirm our quiet determination to continue cooperating in overcoming the challenges that lie ahead. Nowadays, it is said that people live for 100 years, and we look forward to the ups and downs remaining in this life, which we expect to continue for a very long time to come. We as a couple are setting out on a new journey, and today is our second honeymoon.

  

• “We should cherish the time we have together from now on. That being said, we also value each other’s independent time, space, and lives. We need to tenderly watch over each other, without interfering, and sometimes, we need to be indifferent.”

  I had been waiting for the right moment to say that to him for a long time. We were at an extraordinary and wonderful bar, which was probably why I could say it so frankly.

  My husband bashfully said, “You’re absolutely right, dear. I hope that we have a healthy relationship for the rest of our lives, not too close, not too distant.”

  We toasted the past 40 years with another Jack Daniel’s and soda, the drink we had on our very first date.