【Little Draw】Hoshino Yugakudo
The Karuizawa Kogen Church, nestled in the quiet forest of Hoshino.
When I first visited this place, I was deeply moved by its serene beauty—how stillness and warmth could coexist so gently.
In November, as I was thinking of what to draw for this year's Christmas, I had planned to finish something earlier…
But then, my beloved dog Kiki passed away.
I lost all inspiration. I couldn’t bring myself to pick up the pen.
Some time later, this place came back to me—calm, gentle, and quietly sacred.
And I knew: This is where I want to send my Christmas greeting from.
So I drew this scene, and quietly placed Kiki in the illustration—just a small presence, but always by my side in spirit.
Though she’s no longer with me, I hope that somewhere in another world,
Kiki is spending a peaceful, warm Christmas too.
And to all of you,
who made it through this year, in your own way—
