A quiet audio journal from Japan, sharing small observations from everyday life—the light in a room, the way we arrange our homes, and the gentle moments that often go unnoticed.
Rooted in slow living and a mindful approach to home, each short episode offers a calm reflection on how our living spaces shape how we feel, work, and live.
Hosted by Tokyo-based interior designer Chiharu Tsuji, this podcast is recorded in a soft, soothing voice, inviting you to slow down and see home a little differently.
These personal notes touch on design, travel, routines, and the quiet details that often shape
P.12 Lake Biwa and Shiga | La Collina, Vories Architecture and a Quiet Journey in Japan
Travel through Shiga and Lake Biwa with Chiharu as she visits La Collina Omihachiman, explores the architecture and legacy of William Merrell Vories, and stays at a quiet lakeside hotel.
This episode looks at how Vories influenced Omihachiman and how his legacy still connects with local culture, business, architecture, and Taneya today.
A reflective journey through Japanese architecture, landscape, food, friendship, and slow travel in Shiga, Japan.
11 Sept 2026
p.11 Can You Create a Parisian Interior in Japan?
Can you really create a Parisian interior in a Japanese apartment?
In this episode, Chiharu explores what happens when an interior style travels from one culture to another. Parisian apartments are shaped by high ceilings, symmetry, historic architecture, and proportions that are very different from those of a typical Japanese home.
Drawing on a renovation project in Karuizawa, she reflects on how elements such as mouldings, herringbone floors, arches, and a fireplace can be adapted to a Japanese space without simply copying Paris.
She also considers why a traditional tatami room can feel uncomfortable with a ceiling that is too high, and recalls a moment when she realized that “Scandinavian interior” can mean very different things in Denmark, Sweden, and Finland — just as Japanese, Korean, and Chinese interiors are not the same.
Perhaps the goal is not to recreate a style exactly, but to understand what we love about it and translate that feeling into the place where we live.
19 Aug 2026
p.10 Designing a Home Before Meeting Its Owner
What happens when a home is designed for someone the designer has never met?
In this episode, I share an unusual renovation project in central Tokyo. Instead of simply renovating an apartment and selling it empty, we imagined one future resident and designed the floor plan, storage, furniture, lighting, and curtains around her daily life.
I also look at the difference between home staging and creating a fully finished home, and why even a few centimeters can matter in a city where every square meter is valuable.
A story about renovation, real estate, and designing not just a property, but the life that may begin inside it.
14 Aug 2026
p.9 The Secret of the Lazy Susan
What is a Lazy Susan, and why is it called Susan?
In this episode, I explore the surprising history behind the rotating table, including its connection to Japan and a famous Tokyo dining venue in the 1930s.
Similar ideas appeared in different cultures, but they shared something in common: making it easier for people to stay seated, share food, and enjoy conversation.
From Japanese hospitality to contemporary interior design, this is a small story about how a simple piece of furniture can quietly change the way people gather around a table.
12 Aug 2026
p.8 Why I Recommend Round Tables in Japan
Why do rectangular dining tables still feel like the natural choice in many Japanese homes?
In this episode, I look at how Japanese ways of living have changed, from traditional ideas about family roles and seating hierarchy to today’s more open kitchens and shared domestic life.
I also explore why I often recommend round and oval dining tables. They can change not only the flow of a room, but also the way people sit, talk, and relate to one another.
A small reflection on interior design, family life, and the changing shape of home in Japan.
11 Jul 2026
p.7 What Okinawa’s Dark Nights Taught Me
From Tokyo to Okinawa, everyday life in Japan can feel surprisingly different. In the Yaeyama Islands, closer to Taiwan than Tokyo, a walk through a truly dark night made me question what we call convenience.
On Ishigaki and Iriomote Islands, I encountered dark roads, subtropical forests, tiny creatures, and people whose way of life is shaped by the nature around them.
This episode is about travel, convenience, and what we may fail to notice when we arrive somewhere carrying our own idea of what is normal.
1 Jul 2026
p.6 Why Hotel-Like Living Doesn't Last
Why do hotel rooms feel so relaxing?
In this episode of Living Notes, recorded from the quiet island of Kohama in Okinawa, I explore why so many people dream of creating a hotel-like home—and why that feeling doesn't always last.
Perhaps the secret isn't luxury at all. Perhaps it's fewer decisions, less visual clutter, and a home that gives your mind a chance to rest.
Drawing on my experience as an interior designer in Japan, I share simple ideas inspired by hotel living, minimalism, and thoughtful home design—without asking you to give up the things you love.
If you've ever wished your home could feel as peaceful as your favorite hotel, this episode is for you.
26 Jun 2026
p.5 The Japanese Way of Living with Light
Traditional Japanese homes had a unique relationship with light.
Soft daylight filtered through paper screens, while paper lanterns carried warm light after sunset.
So why do many modern Japanese homes rely on bright ceiling lights?
In this episode, I explore how the history of Japanese homes shaped the way we live with light—and why sometimes, one lamp is enough to change the feeling of a room.
17 Jun 2026
p.4 Japanese Hospitality Without Words
During a winter journey in northern Japan, I experienced a form of hospitality that was never explained, yet somehow deeply understood.
At a traditional Japanese inn, small details quietly unfolded throughout my stay. A haiku written by the chef. A painting on a teacup the following morning. Tiny gestures that felt less like service and more like a conversation.
As the journey continued through Matsushima and the Tohoku region, I found myself reflecting on memory, presence, and the things that can be shared without words.
In this episode, I explore a uniquely Japanese sense of hospitality and the quiet beauty of communication beyond language.
I hope you’ll enjoy spending a peaceful few moments with me.
Page Four: Japanese Hospitality Without Words
13 Jun 2026
p.3 Living With a View
What is the real value of a beautiful view?
In this episode, I reflect on how the things we see every day quietly shape the way we feel, think, and experience our homes.
From a Tokyo apartment with a remarkable view to the Japanese concepts of shakkei (borrowed scenery) and engawa, this page explores the gentle connection between our living spaces and the world beyond them.
A quiet reflection on home, perspective, everyday life, and the views we live with.
11 Jun 2026
p.2 What do you see when you look up from your work?
Page Two: What Do You See When You Look Up From Your Work?
What happens when you look up from your desk?
In this episode, I share a story from a home office project in Tokyo, and reflect on how the position of a desk can influence the way we work, focus, and feel.
From a workspace placed in the center of a room to the quiet habit of changing where we sit, this page explores how small shifts in perspective can transform our daily routines.
A quiet reflection on home offices, remote work, workspace design, and the views that shape our working lives.
8 Jun 2026
p.1 Choose What Matters Most First
When I chose the apartment I live in today,
I wasn’t looking for the biggest space or the best investment.What mattered most to me was something else:
greenery outside my window, natural light throughout the day,
and the peace of mind that comes from knowing I could always find my way home.In this first page of Living Notes,
I reflect on how identifying our non‑negotiables can make life’s decisions a little clearer—
and why the things that matter most often can’t be redesigned later.A quiet reflection on home, values, natural light,
and the small choices that shape how we live.
4 Jun 2026
p.0 Why I Started LIVING NOTES
In this first episode, I share why I began LIVING NOTES — a quiet audio journal rooted in small observations from everyday life.
I talk about the moments that led me to start recording: the light in a room, the feeling of home, and the desire to capture gentle details that often go unnoticed.
This episode reflects on how slowing down, noticing space, and living with intention shaped the beginning of this project.
A soft introduction to the themes that continue throughout the series — design, living, and the quiet rhythms of life in Japan.
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