akiya , as-told-to , bond-market , Business , Business / Artificial Intelligence , Business / Big Tech , Business / Companies , Business / Computers and Software , Business / Markets , Business / Social Media , business-idea , business-insider-today , business-strategy , Careers , CoECI News , countryside , E! Insider , Energy & Environment Newsletter , Finance , Gaming News Roundup , Gear / Gear News and Events , Global , Global Precipitation , global warming , globalstar , HEALTH , Home , House , insider-picks , insider-picks-guides , insider-reviews , insider-reviews-2021 , insider-today , japan , job-market , Markets , Markets & Festivals , News , newsletter , Newsletters , Nexstar Media Wire News , People News , Personal Finance , personal-finance , Photovogue / Editorial / News , Politics / Politics News , Property / News , Real Estate , relocation , renovation , Reviews , reviews-rit-ads , Security / Security News , shop , Shop Beauty , singapore-freelancer , Small Business , small-business , tokyo , Travel July 13, 2026 This essay as told is based on a conversation with Koyo Murata, 25, founder and operator of Villa ASO guest house in Taiki, Mie Prefecture, Japan. His words have been edited for length and clarity. I grew up in a quintessential rural town in Japan with about 8,000 people. My elementary and middle schools only
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