2025 Year in Review
Bye Bye, 2025
It’s that time of year again to write the year in review. I have been writing these reviews since 2014, consistently in Japanese every year, so this is my twelfth year doing so. Sadly, I haven’t written any year-in-review posts in English since 2022.
Since I have some time this year, here is my Year in Review for 2025.
Overall, I think 2025 was a good year, though I wouldn’t call it a great year. I started working part-time in an office setting in November 2024, but I was laid off in February due to significant government funding cuts. Fortunately, I was rehired in May and I am still happily working in a department that arranges interpretations and translations in various languages. As an interpreter/translator myself, I care about this work, so this position suits me.
As usual, I have been busy this year with my commitments to several board positions: I serve as VP of the Victoria Japanese Friendship Society, and a board member at large of the Other Guise Theatre Company. I am also a member of the National Association of Japanese Canadians(NAJC)’s National Executive Board. I also chair the Arts, Culture, and Education Committee at NAJC.
If we met in person this year, then you know that I often joke about how I’m busy with things that don’t make me any money.
Below is a monthly summary of notable events and travels from 2025:
January
New Year’s day pilgrimage to Shin Mei Shrine on Knapp Island
February
Attended the NAJC Capacity Building Initiative meeting in Toronto
March
Vancouver to attend the Emperor’s birthday reception hosted by the Japanese Consulate
Got laid off from work
Travelled to Japan with family
April
Nanaimo for NAJC BC Regional meeting
May
Turned 50
Saw some friends and made new ones at the Short Circuit Pacific Rim Film Festival
Morioka delegates visited Victoria
VJFS 30th anniversary celebration
June
Toronto/Stratford to see my son in Forgiveness opening at the Stratford festival
Knapp Island for friend’s celebration of life
July
MCed in Hamilton for Hiroshima & Nagasaki 80th anniversary event
Attended Kenjinkai (prefectural association) meeting in Toronto
August
Co-organized the Japanese Cultural Fair at Esquimalt Gorge Park
September
Went to Whistler to interpret for the BC Woods Global Buyers Mission
Organized the 2nd GEI: Art Symposium for Japanese Canadian artists in Toronto
Attended NAJC Capacity Building conference in Lethbridge
October
Vancouver to see “Kokuho” film at Vancouver Film Festival
November
Coordinated a program with 100 junior high school students from Japan.
Attended a National Executive Board strategic planning meeting in Vancouver.
December
Enjoyed a chill Holiday season
Things that didn’t work out this year
1. Decline of eyesight
This is a big one for me. I really felt my eyesight decline, so I started using reading glasses. I had a pair made in Japan (which is much cheaper than in Canada, and I highly recommend it), However, it is not perfect, and I need to visit my optometrist to get a proper eye exam. I was constantly bummed out about not being able to see things clearly, and I know I sound mopey, but my quality of life declined due to this age-related suffering. Getting old. I don’t recommend it.
2. Lack of time
I know I sound like a broken record, but I definitely lacked the time to do the things I wanted to do. I wasn’t able to release a new episode of my English podcast, Dual Perspectives, and I felt pretty sad about it. My Japanese podcast wasn’t very active either.
I also lost several people close to me this year. One person fell ill, and I haven’t seen him since. Life is precious and short.
Things that worked out this year
Traveled home to Japan
After eight years, I finally got to go back, but this time I went with my husband and younger son. We stayed in Tokyo for a few days, saw friends, and then traveled to Osaka and Fukuoka. Finally, we went to my hometown of Sasebo in Nagasaki Prefecture before returning to Tokyo. We also got to enjoy the cherry blossoms. I don’t want to say that this was the trip of a lifetime because I hope we get to do this again, but it sure felt like it. It was especially meaningful because it was my husband’s first time in Japan, and I think it made a profound impact on him. I am so grateful that we got to take this trip, and I hope that there will be many more.
New friends
I made many new friends. Sure, most of them are work friends and colleagues, but they are all so fantastic, and I felt so much joy getting to know each one of them. I hope we continue getting to know these amazing people in 2026.
Small steps closer
I made further progress in my career in the film and TV industry. I made more connections this year and submitted my first grant application for a short film I’m producing. Although I still have a hard time calling myself a filmmaker since I haven’t “made” any films yet, I’ve taken some small steps toward working in the industry. I also made new connections and worked on a couple of cool projects as a cultural and dialect consultant.
My hopes for 2026
I will reclaim my time by reducing my volunteer hours. I don’t have enough time for the things that are important to me, so I’m going to say “no” more often in 2025.
I want to write and produce more podcast episodes. I also want to finish my first script.
My 3 words
My three words for 2025 were “Move,” “Release,” and “Embody.”
I’m about 90% sure of my three words for 2026, which I will write about in my next post.
Thank you for being a part of my life if we got to spend some time together this year.
If not, let’s make time to see each other in 2026!