For a week during this exhibition, I traveled by train from Gunma to Tokyo, spending two hours each way. People often tell me how exhausting that must be, but I actually enjoy traveling by train. It is because those hours offer me something special: time when I do not have to do anything at all. I can simply sit and be.

Although it may seem that I am doing nothing, my mind is quietly wandering through all kinds of thoughts. For me, it is a precious time when my mind is free to wander.

When I look around, I notice that most people are gazing at their smartphones, seemingly trying to fill every moment.

Time flows at the same pace for everyone. Yet whether it feels long or short, enjoyable or boring, depends on how each of us experiences it. Perhaps one of the little secrets to a fulfilling life is learning to enjoy the moments in between, when we have nothing in particular to do.

It seems a little sad to me that these precious moments are so often taken over by our smartphones. They connect us instantly to people all around the world, but sometimes they can also make us forget the small joys right beside us, and the quiet time we need to spend with ourselves.

To be honest, when I accidentally leave my smartphone at home, I feel restless and uneasy. And yet, sometimes I wish I could deliberately leave it behind, free myself from its hold, and enjoy a whole day with a more open and peaceful mind.

In those moments when nothing is required of us, in the space between one thing and another, there may be unexpected discoveries and a quiet richness waiting to be found.