The Goats Next Door

One of the things I love about living in Nagano is how close I am to nature—and to animals.

My landlord sometimes brings his goats to the field right next to my house. They stay there for a while, eating grass and spending their days quietly.

Whenever they are here, the atmosphere around my home changes a little.

People from the neighborhood walk past and stop to look at them. Some smile, some talk to them, and others simply watch them eating grass.

The goats don't do anything special.

They are just there.

And somehow, that seems to make people happy.

I sometimes bring them grass or a few cabbage leaves. They can also be surprisingly lonely. When I call their names, they sometimes answer me with a loud "meeeh," which always makes me smile.

Having them so close has brought a little more joy into my everyday life.

But they have also made me think more deeply about animals.

Since moving to Nagano, animals have become a much more visible part of my life. I sometimes see wild deer while driving through the mountains, and in winter, foxes can even appear near my home.

Living among them reminds me that this landscape doesn't belong only to us.

We share it with so many other lives.

I hope the goats can spend their days peacefully, eating grass and enjoying the open air.

And I hope the wild animals around Nagano can continue to live freely in these mountains and forests too.

Maybe that is one of the things this life in Nagano is teaching me.