Episode 2: A girls' trip (6 people, 40s, close friends)
Characters:
Rie (45 years old): Medical equipment company sales manager. Her work and private life are fulfilling, but she sometimes wants to spend time relaxing with friends.
Kumi (44 years old): Housewife. She struggles with raising three children every day, but she looks forward to occasional breaks.
Tomoko (45 years old): University professor. She is immersed in research every day but values interacting with friends.
Yoko (44 years old): Freelance writer. She travels around for interviews every day and wants to enjoy time with friends after a long time.
Junko (45 years old): Gallery owner. She has turned her passion for art into her job, but in her private life, she likes to relax with like-minded friends.
Mika (44 years old): Culinary researcher. She seeks inspiration for new dishes and hones her skills daily.
Six women gathered at the luxurious villa "experience villa Nasushiobara" in Nasushiobara. Close friends since college, their faces were filled with anticipation as they met for the first time in a while.
"Everyone must have been busy with work and child-rearing. It's important to take a leisurely vacation like this once in a while," Rie said, and Kumi agreed. "That's right. Having this time is what allows us to keep going from tomorrow."
Upon arriving at the villa, the first thing that caught their eye was the open living room and dining area. "What a lovely interior!" Junko exclaimed in admiration. "The sofas and tables are stylish and look comfortable."
Next, the spacious kitchen caught Mika's attention. "With these facilities, we could even make authentic dishes. Enjoying cooking together is one of the delights of a girls' gathering, isn't it?" "That's right, I'm looking forward to Mika's home cooking," Tomoko smiled.
"Hey, look! They even have a proper private sauna and stone bath here!" Yoko exclaimed happily. "It's like coming to a spa, even though we're on a trip!" "It's the perfect location to heal tired bodies," Rie also narrowed her eyes.
After carrying their luggage to their rooms, they headed to the villa's pride, the free-flowing hot spring. "Isn't this lotion-like water the best?" Rie immerses her body in the smooth water. "The effects of the hot spring make the fatigue disappear in no time," Tomoko also looks comfortable.
"By the way, how was the stone bath?" Junko asks Kumi, who had gone in earlier. "It was fantastic. The comfort of the far-infrared rays was amazing. I sweated a lot and felt like I detoxed both my body and mind!" "Then, maybe I should try it too," Mika is also intrigued.
After refreshing their minds and bodies in the hot spring and stone bath, it's Mika's turn to show off her skills. Using fresh ingredients from Nasu, she creates a variety of body-friendly creative dishes. "Mika, did you make all of this by hand?" Yoko is surprised to see the colorful dishes lined up on the table. "The vegetables in Nasu are really good. Ideas for dishes kept popping up one after another, and I ended up making too much," Mika replies with a smile.
"The wine pairs perfectly too, it's the best combination," Rie takes a satisfying sip, and Junko nods. "Cooking is all about love being the best seasoning, isn't it?"
The women's laughter doesn't cease until late into the night. Honest conversations that can't usually be heard bloom, and sometimes even ticklish love stories come out. "Ah, I laughed so hard for the first time in a while! Being with everyone makes me feel younger," Tomoko says while wiping the laugh lines at the corners of her eyes. "That's right, we all need to stretch our wings like this once in a while," Kumi agrees.
On the second day, they take a trip to "Nasunogahara Park" near the villa. "On such a nice sunny day, we want to fully enjoy nature outside, don't we?" Yoko inhales the clear air to her heart's content. During the walk, Junko stops. "Hey, look at that. There are cute rabbits." The women can't help but cheer at the sight of a family of rabbits running through the field.
"We walked a lot, so I'm thirsty," Rie said when they had circled the park. "There's a café in just the right place. Let's have some tea, everyone," Kumi points to a store with a cute exterior.
At the café, each of them orders their desired menu items. "Fufu, even the cake decorations are stylish," Junko's gaze is fixed on the shortcake Rie ordered. "I can sense the art. Presentation is important, isn't it?" "I like the coffee ground from the beans here. The aroma is so good that I keep repeating it," Tomoko's words are agreed upon by Mika as well. "Really, you can tell it's a particular about its shop."
Returning to the villa, the mahjong room caught Yoko's eye. "Hey, why don't we play mahjong since we're here?" "That's a good idea. I also want to exercise my brain with a brain sport once in a while," Junko's suggestion is agreed upon by Kumi, Tomoko, and Yoko. On the other hand, Rie says she has a work call and heads to a different room, while Mika decides to spend a relaxing time in the hot spring. The mahjong room is a paid option, and a phone call is required for same-day use. When you call, you are given a PIN code, which you can use to enter the room.
Rie headed to the workation room. This is also a paid option and requires a PIN code. Entering the room, she finds dual displays, a keyboard, mouse, and a high-end office chair. "I can't believe it's so well-equipped... I think I can focus and work," Rie sits down, impressed.
Meanwhile, Mika goes to the hot spring again. "Since I'm here, I think I'll alternate between the hot spring and the cold water bath," Mika soaks in the free-flowing hot spring and rests her body slowly. After a while, she moves to the adjacent cold water bath and immerses herself in the cold water. "Alternating between the hot spring and cold water bath feels so good," Mika closes her eyes in comfort.
In the mahjong room, the game between the four of them was getting heated. "Ron!" Yoko claps her hands happily. "As expected, Yoko is strong," Tomoko was amazed. "No, no, I'm also out of practice, so my hands are dull. But it's so easy when the mahjong table is fully automatic."
As they become engrossed in mahjong, it's time for dinner. "How about we all make pizza for dinner today?" Mika stands in the kitchen, and the other women follow. "I'll roll out the dough!" "I'll cut the toppings." The sight of them enjoying making pizza together is like they've returned to their student days.
"Mmm, delicious!" Kumi's expression as she bites into the finished pizza is filled with happiness. "When we make it together, it's not only fun but also twice as delicious," everyone nods at Rie's words.
After the meal, they chat to their heart's content. "It's been so long since I've had this kind of time. Spending it with everyone makes me feel young at heart," Junko says while tilting her wine glass. "That's right. We can't usually be honest, so I think it's necessary to bare our hearts like this once in a while," Tomoko smiles at Yoko's words. "Listening to everyone's stories, I also had lots of new discoveries."
The fulfilling time passes in the blink of an eye, and they reluctantly face the morning of checkout. "Thank you for the fun time. Let's get together like this again," Rie looks around at everyone and suggests. "Yes, definitely! I'll serve as the organizer next time," Yoko readily agrees, and the other women voice their agreement one after another.
In the car on the way back, Kumi suddenly speaks up. "Hey, experience villa Nasushiobara was really wonderful, wasn't it?" "Yes, I think it's the perfect place to relax with friends," Tomoko looks back. "The hot spring, the gorgeous rooms. Being surrounded by nature, we were able to heal from our daily fatigue," Mika also expresses her thoughts. "More than anything, I was happy to be able to laugh a lot with everyone after a long time," the women's expressions soften at Junko's words.
The two nights and three days at experience villa Nasushiobara. It was an irreplaceable holiday where they could be released from daily stress and reconfirm the bonds with their close friends. Although they each walk their own paths in life, they were able to feel once again the preciousness of sharing time like this. Recharged, they will likely walk their own paths strongly again from tomorrow.
Episode 2 End
Next, we'll bring you Episode 3: Men's Hot Spring Trip (7 people, 50s, hobby mates).