Hirayasumi by Keigo Shinzō is a feel-good slice of life manga series that follows 29 year old Hiroto and his laid back approach to life. He recently inherited a house from a curmudgeonly elderly woman he befriended and is now dealing with home ownership. His 18 year old cousin, Natsumi, has also come to live with him while she attends art school.
Hiroto’s simple, laid back life tends to rub the wrong way for the other people in his life. They think he should settle down, find a wife, and a career. But Hiroto actually teaches his friends that it’s ok to slow down and enjoy the simple things. “Hirayasumi” is Japanese for “noon rest” (or lunchbreak), and this series certainly encourages you to take a break, slow down, and relax.
Each chapter is a day in the life, usually either from Hiroto or Natsumi’s perspective. Sometimes this entails Hiroto going to work at the fishing pond or deciding what to cook for dinner.
If you’ve been interested in trying out manga but aren’t sure where to start, I think this is a good title to start with.
There are currently seven volumes available with more on the way.
