Hello. This is Yamauchi from the Production Department.
It's been a while since the new year began, but have you all made your plans for this year yet? With January approaching its end, various projects are already in full swing, but in this article, we, the members of the production department, would like to introduce our aspirations for 2017. (Let's go back to the New Year atmosphere for a moment.)
The theme of Monosus Production Department is " Is our work connected to society? " (hereafter abbreviated as "Watasha").
Everyone is involved in a variety of projects under the vision of our department manager Manabe, who says, "I want many of the projects we undertake to be of some use in the activities and work that will shape the society of the future." Because our scope of work is so diverse, we are often asked by other departments and acquaintances, "What kind of work do you do?" However, if you take a look at this list of articles , I think you will get an idea of what kind of work the Monosus Production Department does.
Well, that was a long introduction, but below are all our members' New Year's resolutions.
Each one is accompanied by a photo taken during the New Year.
Produced by Minnanowatasha 2017
Let me start by saying this.
- Makoto Yamauchi (Planner/Director)
Before I get into my goals for this year, let's take a quick look back at the work I did in 2016. Below are the main projects I was involved in:
each,
- Japan's Regional Issues
- Japan's Environmental Issues
- Japan's working style issues
These were projects related to the above. None of them directly support users, but rather provide mechanisms and tools as a platform provider to help end-user activities and projects move forward. This year, at least in the first half of the year, these three will likely be the main projects I'm involved in.
This year, I want to work in a way that allows me to get a more real sense of reality. I would like to be involved in projects that allow me to feel a direct connection with society, contribute more directly to social issues, and provide direct support to those in a weaker position in society. (Even if it's not a project, it could be in the form of volunteer work.)
When you think about the connection between your work and society, you need to think about how your work is reaching people in society, and what kind of effect it has? You need to increase the resolution of your awareness of that. Increasing the resolution ultimately comes down to whether or not you can have a "real" feeling. And I want to share that real feeling with everyone in my department and the company.
Come to think of it, the charity exhibition "AAA" for the Kumamoto-Oita earthquakes (organized by the Kagoshima gallery NEW ALTERNATIVE ) held at my privately run gallery Open Letter was direct in that sense.
Although the exhibition lasted only four days, many visitors came, and we were able to donate about 300,000 yen, which was the sales from the works and merchandise sales minus expenses, to the repair costs of the bookstore and cafe that are the hubs of the young writers and artists community in Kumamoto and Oita, and to the activity costs for the next charity project there. ( More details here )
I personally serve and sell the works that artists have kindly agreed to exhibit in my own gallery, and transfer the money that is deposited in an account I manage to the charity organizer's account. When I went on a business trip to Kumamoto in August, I visited the bookstore that received the donations and was able to say hello to the owner. The amount I donated may not have been large, but this series of actions was very meaningful to me.
You might say that I feel a sense of connection to this activity because it is something I am doing using my private time and money, but I can't really put it into words. But the feeling I had at that time was that I really did have a sense of being connected to society, and I would like to continue looking for work and ways of working that will allow me to feel that connection as much as possible.
I take a walk around the neighborhood with my parents on New Year's Day. It's a happy thing to be able to spend New Year's with my parents every year, but I have mixed feelings about seeing my parents age every time I see them. But I have to see them. Everyone, let's take out a loan to see our parents' faces.
- Kaori Iwaki (Planner/Director)
What kind of work does the production department do?
This is a question I am often asked not only from outside the company but also from within the company. Indeed, I have been busy last year running around running the Kamiyama Monosasu Juku (employment-based vocational training) as the secretariat, working on web production, local revitalization projects, event management, food-related businesses, and more.
At first glance, the work of the Production Department may seem disparate, but at their core, the thoughts are the same...I feel that the "connection with society" that the members have cultivated in their respective fields is also the driving force behind creating something new.
Well, this year we have started with a new structure with some member transfers. It is a unique department in that we all gather in Yoyogi maybe once a month, but we hope to create a new "our work" by being inspired by each other's work and empathizing with each other's connections to society.
The New Year's joy is eating "Hakata Zouni" at my parents' house. In a soup made from flying fish stock, yellowtail, chicken, kamaboko, taro, carrots, shiitake mushrooms, bonito leaves, and soft, gooey rice cakes are the best. Fukuoka people think that rice cakes are round everywhere in the country.
- Nao Uemura (Planner/Director)
From Morioka in the north to Kumamoto in the south, I worked on various projects with many people in various regions in 2015-2016. Over these two years, I learned about the hidden charms of various regions, the challenges they face, the wonderful people there, and the many lessons I learned from them.
I would like to share this wealth with all the members of the team working on local projects, provide support when necessary, and hope to further expand the connection between Monosus and the local community.
My direction has changed completely since the new year, and I have been tasked with taking on a new project in a new field. I intend to make many new connections here so that I can continue to connect with my team, but I think I will be busy for a while, so I will first focus on my health in 2017, which is a year of bad luck.
For now, I'll just drink alcohol throughout the New Year to regain my energy.
- Yoshiko Nakaniwa (Designer/Editor-in-Chief of Monosasu )
Last year was the first year for the Monosasu website. I was in charge of the site as editor-in-chief and it was a hectic year, but I was able to meet people I would never have had the chance to meet in my previous life and work, expand my circle of connections in unexpected places, and discover the fascinating world of media.
This year, I will be transferring from the design department to the production department in order to fully realize my editing work. However, editing is similar to design (it's an extension of it), so I don't think it's a job that's too far removed from what I've done up until now.
If media is a kind of community, then how can we connect and warm that community, how can we connect disparate ideas and things to create new value and diversity? My goal for this year is to think about this kind of "editorial design," and I see it as a connection point with society (Watasha).
The view of Doi Town, Ehime Prefecture, from where my partner's ancestors rest. Every house seems to have some kind of citrus tree, and orange dots are the default view.
- Yuka Hatanaka (Director/Editor)
I am responsible for two main tasks.
The first is directing events for companies, and the second is directing and editing leaflets and brochures.
Although each project has different objectives and targets, the common thing that each project needs to consider in order to realize its vision is what the project wants to do for society, and how to make something happen together with others by taking action yourself.
We hope that disseminating information through events and productions will serve as a starting point and become a solution that connects people who are trying to solve problems.
2017: Broadening your horizons. At Kagura Ski Resort in Niigata.
- Ken Uehara (Director)
As a project manager, I create opportunities to "expand people's potential."
Through my work connecting technology and society, centered on Field Hack, a project I encountered in 2016, I want to help people realize the breadth of ways in which their skills and experience can be utilized, and to create opportunities for new discoveries. First of all, I think it's important to connect with each person involved on an equal footing. Secondly, imagine what kind of experience would be valuable to that person. Finally, it's important to ensure that this image is consistent with reality. By further enhancing these three abilities, I hope to encounter many moments when people (including myself) can discover new ways to utilize their skills.
Field Hack TONO was held in Tono City, Iwate Prefecture.
- Marie Fujiwara (Director)
We want to connect people who believe that what they have can make society better and more interesting, and who want to share that information with the world, through comprehensive promotion in areas such as manufacturing and online.
Last year, I worked at an IT company, where I was in charge of online promotions on social media, planning and managing the production of catalogues, banners and other materials, as well as creative presentations.
I have had the opportunity to go to rural areas for work, and have met towns and people where each person is involved in building the local community and opening that community to the outside world. I hope that more people will learn about the rural lifestyle that has existed for a long time but feels new again today, and that this will be a catalyst for something.
In my work in the education field, I learned that if we don't deny the characteristics of today's children, but rather create lessons that are tailored to them, the possibilities will expand dramatically. I think technology has great potential.
I would like to use the know-how and insights about manufacturing that I have accumulated little by little to help expand the possibilities for people and communities.
Watching the sunrise in Onomichi, Hiroshima Prefecture, where he spent his childhood.
- Yoko Omura (Monosasu editorial staff)
My name is Omura, and after graduating from the second class of the Kamiyama Monosasu School, I will be working at Monosasu in Yoyogi from the new year. I will be involved in editing the Monosasu website.
My six months as a student there were special times when I learned coding and writing and lived in the nature-rich Kamiyama.
The reason I became interested in the company Monosus and wanted to participate as a student is because I felt that they looked at social interaction and "work" from a slightly different perspective than ordinary companies, through projects such as the Food Hub Project and the Kamiyama school.
From the new year onwards, I hope to continue growing as someone who can convey the "honest current state" of Monosus. Thank you for your continued support!
After moving from Kamiyama to Tokyo, I went to the nearby Futa Tenjin Shrine for my first visit of the year. The weeping plum blossoms were starting to bloom, and I felt the spring coming.
*Director Manabe has been omitted as he is busy preparing the cafeteria for the Food Hub Project.
We will soon have a fresh article about Kamaya, the restaurant that recently had its pre-opening!
Everyone's aspirations are refreshing! You can really feel their desire for new possibilities.
I look forward to having a good relationship with you this year too!