もう、こんなになくていい、
ある日彼女は悟った。

人生を変えたい。そう思った時、人はどこに向かうのだろう。Eさんは、軽井沢の森へと向かった。その時、20代。10年前まで、よもや田舎に住もうなんて考えもしなかった。生まれも育ちも東京で、実家は不動産業を営んでいた。高校時代にカナダに留学をし、その後大学生の頃は友達と遊んだり、飲みに行くことが楽しかった。卒業後は、家の仕事を手伝っていた。

ある日、ふと「きりがない」と思ってしまった。このまま実家に暮らして、四六時中家族といて、夜は友達と飲みにいく、そうして歳を重ねていくことに。もちろん新しく部屋を借りることもできたけれど、東京という街の「全部ある」環境がいやになってきた。こんなになくてもいい。もっとシンプルでいい。幸い、仕事もほぼリモートでできることが分かった。やるなら今のうちだと思った。

モリノイエに相談した時「まだ若いのに」「女の子ひとりで大丈夫か」などと言われる覚悟をしていたけれど、「素敵な選択ですね」とあっさり言われた。「ともあれ見てみませんか？」と誘われ、軽井沢を行き来するうち、自分の考えも整理されてきた。東京に仕事を残しているし、万が一手放す時のことも考えて、あまり遠くの僻地はやめておこう。立地は傾斜地や崖地を避け、スーパーもほどよく近く、周辺のお家も整備されていると安心だよね、なんて話をしながら見ていくうち「ここいいかも」とピンとくる土地が見つかった。森の中に、そこだけパッと光が降り注いでいた。

小さな家を建てる。イメージはすぐに付いた。２階建てにして、目の前の景色を全部きれいに切り取っておきたいから、西側に大きな窓を作り、ピンクのカーテンをかけよう。キッチンにはカウンターを造作し、仕事や食事はそこで。2階はベッドルームにシャワーと洗面台、洗濯機も。カーポートは屋根を付けると、雨や雪の日も濡れずにすむ。

間取りも動線も、できるだけシンプルに。あまり迷うことなく、感覚でポンポンと決めていった。また「不動産の仕事にも役に立つな」なんて思いながら。

そうして完成した時、あまりにもイメージ通りでびっくりした。違和感がまったくもってなかった。

ソファに座りながら窓の外を眺めていると、カナダで暮らしていた時のことをよく思い出す。まっすぐの高い木がたくさんあって、夏は緑に、冬は雪で白に覆われる。ここに大きなクリスマスツリーを飾ると、まんまカナダになった。

One day she realized “I don't need so many things.”

Where do people go when they want to change their lives? Ms. Edano headed for the forests in Karuizawa. She was in her twenties at the time. She had never even thought of living in the countryside until ten years ago. Born and raised in Tokyo, her family was in the real estate business. She studied abroad in Canada during high school, and as a college student, she enjoyed hanging out with friends and going out drinking. After she graduated, she helped with the family business.

But one day, she suddenly thought, “There is no end to it.” She was going to grow old while still living at home, being with her family, and going out drinking with friends at night. Of course, she could have rented a new room, but she was getting tired of the “everything is there” environment of Tokyo. It didn’t have to be like this. It could be simpler. Fortunately, she found that she could do most of her work remotely. So she figured it was time to move on.

When she talked to morinoie, she was prepared for responses like, “You are still young for this,” or “Are you sure you can handle it on your own as a single girl?” But she was simply told, “That’s a wonderful choice,” and “So anyway, why not take a look?” She began to organize her thoughts as she went back and forth to Karuizawa:

“I still have a job in Tokyo, so I don't want to live in a distant, isolated area in case I have to let go of the property.”

“I might feel safer away from slopes or cliffs, being close to the supermarkets, and having proper houses in the neighborhood.”
　As she looked around the area, chatting with staff, she found a plot of land that she thought might be the one. A single splash of light glowed amidst the trees.

“I could build a small house here.” The image came to her immediately. It should be a two-story house, with a large window on the west side where pink curtains framed a beautiful view of everything in front. The kitchen would have a counter for working and eating. There would be a bedroom, a shower, a wash basin, and a washing machine upstairs. A carport with a roof would keep the car dry on rainy or snowy days.

The floor plan and flow lines should be as simple as possible. Her decisions were based on intuition, without much hesitation. Though she did think it would be useful for her real estate work.

When the house was completed, she was surprised to find it ended up exactly as she had imagined. There was no sense of unfamiliarity at all.

When sitting on the sofa and looking out the window, she often remembers when she lived in Canada. Both there and here, there are many straight, tall trees, green in summer and covered in white with snow in winter. Decorated with a big Christmas tree, it is just like in Canada.