Canon's Diary

Action without thought is empty; thought without action is blind – Goethe

While living with schizophrenia, I move between Tokyo and Osaka. Through this journal, I hope to quietly share moments from my daily life—and memories from the journey I’ve taken with my illness.

Category: Schizophrenia

  • In Takatsuki, Osaka, winter does not bring much snow. I hear that it almost never settles on the ground. Still, by the time February arrives, the cold sharpens, and for the past few days fine grains of snow have wrapped the city as if they were drifting through the air. I walk about fifteen minutes…

  • The water is very cold when I wash the dishes in the kitchen. After finishing breakfast—pork miso soup I had made ahead of time and bacon and eggs—I did a quick cleaning of the room and hung the laundry out on the balcony. It was ten o’clock on a Saturday morning. From the sixth floor…

  • Monday, September 15, 2025. A cloudy sky. The air was pleasantly cool, and for the first time in weeks I turned off the air conditioner, opened the window, and let the outside breeze drift in. In Japan, today is Respect-for-the-Aged Day, a national holiday. The scaffolding that had long surrounded the exterior walls of my…

  • Saturday, August 30, 2025. For lunch, I had soba with cabbage, carrots, and pork. Lately, I’ve been drawn to soba made entirely from buckwheat flour. Its flavor is rich, its texture slightly dry at first, yet springy and chewy at the core. I also enjoy the simple pleasure of finishing the meal with soba-yu, the…

  • August 25, 2025. It was mostly a clear day. The heat outside was said to be relentless, but under COVID restrictions I did not leave my apartment, and so the true feel of the day remained beyond me. From my window I could see clouds drifting at times, but unlike yesterday, there was no thunder…

  • Sunday, August 24, 2025.I just finished dinner and I’m now in my apartment in Osaka. During the day, the temperature soared above 36°C, but around 7 p.m., as darkness fell, the sound of rain began, soon followed by rumbling thunder. Since I haven’t drawn the curtains, the lightning flashes reflect strongly across my dimly lit…

  • Saturday, July 12th. Towering cumulus clouds are rising in the sky.In Osaka, the temperature reached a sweltering 36°C—a true midsummer day.Ever since I adjusted my medication back to the previous dosage, that foggy feeling in my head has lifted.Yesterday, work went smoothly enough. But as quitting time drew near, fatigue started to catch up with…

  • Thursday. It’s somewhat cloudy. My head feels a bit hazy—probably due to the increased medication. On my way to work, I suddenly wondered if I had brushed my teeth this morning. When I touched my cheek, I could tell I had shaved. My teeth felt smooth too, so I probably did brush them, but I…

  • June 28th, Saturday. A perfectly clear day. When I woke up, it was already past 9:00. A week’s worth of fatigue had hit me all at once, and I had overslept. I had an appointment at the psychiatric clinic at 9:30, so I jumped out of bed and hurried to get ready. In the kitchen,…

  • Wednesday, June 12.I woke up at 6:30 this morning. When I opened the curtains, I was greeted by clear skies for the first time in a while. My smartwatch told me I’d slept for a full eight hours, and I felt refreshed. I was careful not to drink too much at last night’s dinner gathering,…