Prologue: Question about ‘What is Happiness?’

In January 2020, I leaved Japan and reached to Denmark.

Before I came to Denmark, I was working as a Copywriter/Writer at Tokyo. I had such a feeling- the desire that I want to see the world with my own eyes more. And I had also the feeling that I want to write with considering people’s happiness.

Then, first of all, what is happiness? That question brought me abroad and spent my last year of 20’s there. I decided to come Denmark because I heard Denmark is called the happiest country in the world, and I wanted to know the reason.

After I arrived to Denmark, I stayed at Danish Folkehøjskole(Folk high School in English, there have no exams, no grades, and students can pursue what they love, Nordic individual educational place for adult) for 6months. After school I visited Finland and Estonia, then I stayed as a volunteer worker from autumn.

Afterwards, I came back to Japan at the end of March 2021.

That was my plan but.. just a few months after I arrived Denmark, Covid-19 rapidly covered all over the world. I spent almost all time in Denmark from the beginning of Covid-days.

The school was closed from the middle of March to June, which is almost half of schooldays. Cities and boarders were closed, and everything was under restriction. But even that, I could find many things.

People might ask me, ‘Then, did you find the answer of Happiness?’, and I would say ‘I can’t say ‘this one’ ...yet’.

‘Happiness’ is too big theme and sometimes I think I won’t able to find even I use all my life.

There are many opinions, many shapes.

What can I do for the society even if I think of that individually?

Though, therefore I believe there are worth to pursue.

If people ask me ‘What is Happiness?’, I would answer ‘It might be like pieces of puzzle’. During my stay in Denmark, I talked with many people and listened from them, and little by little I could see some ideas like puzzle pieces that make a shape of happiness. Those pieces are sometimes like social system, and sometimes like a way of think. And I think it is good to move the world more better directions, through piling that small pieces.

This blog is here to share little by little some pieces I found in Denmark, and pieces even I would find in the future.

*You can see in japanese version from here.