February: A Birthday Month to Remember 🎂✨

Why have a birthday when you can have a birthday month? Yes, February is shorter. Yes, it technically gives us fewer days. But I refuse to let that diminish the celebration. This February had everything: sparkle, friends, champagne, snow in Tokyo… and, plot twist… Norovirus. Which, as it turns out, was also part of the gift.

Here’s what shaped my February ⬇️

🎁 Gifts That Sparked Joy

There is something magical about friends who just get you. The kind who knows what makes you light up before you even say it.

This year’s birthday gifts felt deeply personal and joyful.

💐 Flowers from Fujitsu colleagues

A gorgeous posy that lasted until the very end of February. That is a quality bunch of flowers. Longevity is underrated - in blooms and in life.

🍾 Moët Champagne

A beautiful bottle now waiting patiently for a March dinner with friends. I love a gift that extends the celebration beyond the day itself.

👜 The Word That Raised Me - “Tenacious”

When someone asked for my favourite word, I did not expect it to come back engraved on a jewellery box. The word is tenacious. My mum used it to describe me growing up. It shaped how I saw myself. And now my jewels sit inside a box engraved with that identity. That one felt special.

🐑 Year of the Sheep (of course!)

Born in the year of the sheep, I have been collecting the 12 teal-blue zodiac figurines. This year I found two sheep that were simply too cute to leave behind. They are now tucked away until 2027 - the next Year of the Sheep. Still five members of this flock to collect. The treasure hunt continues.

🌸 A Sakura Silver Dish

Forged by a traditional maker with over 100 years of craftsmanship. It is delicate and strong at the same time. Just like sakura. As blossom season approaches, I cannot wait to bring her out for spring moments.

🥗 A Glass Bowl with Personality

Textured. Stunning. Display-worthy. But life is too short for “display only.” She will hold salads, noodles, and everything in between.

🕯️ Mari Mekko Blue Candle Holder

The softest, most soothing blue. The kind of object that quietly changes the mood of a room. My friend absolutely nailed that one.

🎧 Lawyer on Air — 5 Years Young

On 14 February, the Lawyer on Air Podcast turned five.

Five years.
Over 100 guests.
Hundreds of stories.
Thousands of downloads.
One community.

We celebrated at Hotel Indigo Shibuya - chic, joyful, warm. Guests, fans, supporters - and so much laughter.

At the 3rd anniversary, I remember boldly declaring I had set the bar so high it would be impossible to top.

Well. We did not just top it. We deepened it. The joy felt fuller. The connections are stronger. The mission is clearer.

Lawyer on Air has never been just something you listen to. It has been:

the voice that makes you feel less alone
the story that makes you think, “Maybe I can try that too”
the mentor you have not yet met

And now… we are building even more around it.

🎶 Swiftie → Perfumer → Tiffany Girl

My birthday themes have become a bit of a tradition.

2024: Taylor Swift in Tokyo. Official Swiftie status unlocked. No apologies.
2025: Crafting my own signature perfumes. Still wearing them. Still loving them.
2026: Tiffany Blue Box Café.

If you know, you know how hard it is to get that booking.
I casually checked… and an opening popped up. Wow!

Champagne. Tiffany blue. Beautiful food. Friends around the table. I fully embraced my inner Tiffany Girl.

Then… Norovirus.

On 3 February, Norovirus arrived with zero warning and knocked me flat for seven days.

I realised something. I have not been sick in two years.That is 723 healthy days. And I had completely taken them for granted.

When your body is vibrant, you barely notice it.
When it is not, you notice nothing else.

I just managed to recover enough to toast birthday bubbly. It made me reflect deeply on the body we live in every single day. These days I am focused on:

A probiotic every morning
If I have wine in the evening, maximum two glasses (usually one is enough)
Listening to my gut. Literally.

So if you are reading this: What is the next small thing you can do to level up your awareness of your health? Fun is wonderful. But vitality is the foundation.

❄️ Snow in Tokyo

It only happens once a year, but Tokyo under a white blanket is pure magic. I stayed in. Listened to music. Pottered. Looked up into falling snowflakes. One of my favourite things to do. There is something childlike about it.

📻 On the Airwaves

I kicked off 2026 on Tokyo radio - appearing on interFM’s Peace & Business Talk, interviewed in Japanese by Keiko Okada.Three episodes exploring cross-cultural collaboration and leadership between Japan and New Zealand:

Episode 1 aired January 4
Episode 2 aired February 1
Episode 3 airs March 1

Speaking in Japanese on radio? Still slightly surreal. Bridge-building in action. You can find the series on Radiko Podcasts.

🎙️ Lawyer on Air Highlights

Aida Wang — Strategic Career Wisdom

Aida, a top-billing recruiter at Just Legal, shared invaluable advice for bengoshi building their careers in Japan. The key takeaway for me was : Start your deal sheet from day one, and as I have done my whole career speak to a recruiter early and during your career, not only when you want to move.Strategic thinking beats reactive thinking every time.

🎧Listen here

And if you missed it, a very special moment…

💯 The 100 Guest Milestone

In Episode 6, the microphone was turned on me.　Yoko Oshima stepped into the interviewer’s seat.

Reaching 100 guests felt surreal.
One hundred voices.
One hundred stories.
One shared mission of connection, growth, possibility.

🔗 Listen here

Season 12 is already recording. We are not slowing down!

🌏 Jandals in Japan Podcast

On Jandals in Japan, we explored grassroots diplomacy with Gareth Pidgeon from the New Zealand Embassy. We covered:

Japanese phrases used in diplomatic life
Matariki celebrations growing across Japan
The power of humility in relationship building
Even the best vegan ramen in Tokyo

Because culture, connection, and noodles all belong in the same episode.

🎧Listen here

🌸 🌸 Cherry Blossom Watch Begins

In Japan, spring does not start on a calendar. It starts on television.The gradual percentage updates of bud formation. The TV studio lighting turned pink neon. The anticipation.The collective national excitement. Soon Tokyo will be wrapped in pink.I cannot wait.