I wanted to start something completely new when I turned forty, and I chose to be a singer.
Last year, when I turned fifty, I wanted to start something new again. But I didn't want to force myself to find it.
One day, while taking a walk in the neighborhood with my husband, we met a neighbor who was working on her garden.
She told us that her husband, who passed away about 10 years ago, had lovingly created that garden. We offered to help her.
Since then, we have become friends and started visiting each other at home.
When we visited her, she showed us some old photos.
I noticed one photo in which she and her husband were playing the Shamisen, a traditional Japanese musical instrument meaning "three strings".
She told me, "We used to learn to play the Shamisen together, but since my husband passed away, I don't play it anymore, and I never will, so if you are interested, you can take them with you.
Since we were given two Shamisens, we decided to learn together.
Coincidentally, before that conversation, we had found a Shamisen school about 20 minutes' walk from our house.
It was a beautiful house with a Japanese-style garden, and somehow, I thought it would be fun to go there to learn the Shamisen.
So, my new challenge has begun as it was!
Thus, I started learning to play the Shamisen once a month in that beautiful house with a well-trained teacher.
It has been eight months since then.
I am enjoying the lesson every time.
Here is a piece called "Hanakage Hensoukyoku."
I hope you like it!