Achimura weekend II

- Sekitatei Ishida Onsen Ryokan.

Getting hard to wake up in the morning, we went for breakfast at 9am. I have been on a budget trip in Japan, I think this is the most luxury breakfast I had for this trip. Japanese services is totally amazing, from the first step we stepped into the Ryokan I feel that every tiny details has been nicely taken care of.

Went for Onsen after breakfast, and then we had a meeting with Hemi sensei (the man from Karaoke yesterday). He was Ota san's art teacher in his elementary school. I can't imagine after 18 years later I'll be working together with my primary school teacher...

The meeting held until late afternoon, Hemi San try to explained about Japanese spirit to me in simple English. I really hope I can understand Japanese better, I think I'll seriously take a Japanese language lesson in future.

- Achi-mura.

Too bad we don't have chance to explore around Achimura. Most of the time we were just stuck in the ryokan, but it was an enjoyable experience, the services and the amenities are simply perfect. I admired Japanese's distinctive sense towards every tiny details in their daily life, It's a good practice for a graphic designer too.

- Omedetou Yamada san.

Back to Nagano city at night, celebrated Yamada san's birthday in 1166 backpackers hostel. Otanjoubi Omedetou for Yamada san's 23 birthday~

Achimura weekend I

- Ohayo 1166.

Saturday. Had good rest after the long hard working week, Ota san still rushing work in office today... I was just lazing around, walked to Gondo 権堂商店街 for lunch, bumped into a flea market and choir performance by school kids, good start for a cheerful weekend. Merry Christmas~

- Country road, takes me home...

Ota san came back from office around 4pm, and we went to a nice venue called nijuHair for some live performance again. I don't know exactly what's that shop do, but it a got good ambient, I really love the old antiques and wood decorations, it's all over in Japan!

- Kamen Ai chan. - Man on the swing.

- NijuHair.

We had to leave before the show ended because we have a meeting at Achimura tomorrow morning, a small town about 2 1/2 hours drive from Nagano city. Otsukare chan Ota san~ Once we touch down Achimura, Ota san's friends asked us to join them for karaoke... It's a really local and old Japanese style Karaoke. It's remind me of cheesy karaoke we had in Malaysia too :)

- Gambatte. Mina gambatte.

- Ota singing.

- superb Ryokan.

We spent 4 hours mostly doing nothing in the karaoke session. Arrived Ishida Onsen Ryokan at 2am. Had free stay here because we're working on some project for this gorgeous Japanese onsen hotel, hurray!

Day 11

- Kazehakase san and Gen san (water water camel)

We are going to have first round presentation with Sato Kensaku san today. Ota san had already finish the design yesterday night, I'm still working on it. ( I always work until very last minute, have to learn how to work efficiently.)

Kazehakase san and Gen san's (guitarist from Water water camel) visited us around lunch time. They are both talented musician, I felt pressure standing beside the 2 gentleman. Just realized that they are having performances around Nagano for few days. Now I know why Ai chan lend me their CDs...

- free jam in Kanematsu.

Had quick lunch at Shimaya restaurant right around the corner, and then head back to office to rush out my design.

Tea time with Kei san and Hattori san around 4pm (I'm so easily get distracted). We had coffee and Kei san bought cakes for all of us. Back to work again finally finished up the flyer design with helps from Ota san to layout some Japanese text.

7pm, Sato Kensaku san and producer came over for the meeting, we presented 2 visual design, one by me and one by Ota san. It was quite exciting, the presentation went really well, they loves Ota san design, and might want to apply it into poster too for the next stage. Yokatta ne.

Ota san was so happy and even bought me dinner, I feel relief too at least my first task in Manz office is consider done... although I didn't really help much (as my design didn't get chosen at the end). Let's move on for the next project. Hope can do a better job next time.

男は黙ってサッポロビール!

Too fast to live, too young to die.

Got a bad news this morning when I login to my facebook. A friend of mine has just passed away at a very young age of 25. A bit sentimental today, rest in peace Champ. I'll pray for you from here, life will goes on.

R.I.P

今天收到Champ的死迅，与他不算是深交，但他也不只是个陌生的学弟。 有点伤感，为何他这么快选择这条路， 每个人都会有低落沮丧想轻生的时候，到底是多大的压抑才让人决定走上这条路。没有想过这些事情会发生在自己的朋友之中⋯ 或许他终于找到令他解脱的方式。

曾经想自己也会很早死，痛痛快快疯狂地活，然后死而无憾，从来没有想过为亲人和朋友做些什么。所有事情都先为自己想的人，最后是寂寞和悲哀的。长大了开始怕死，不是怕生命的完结，而是怕不能再见到亲人朋友，和世上一切美丽的事。

从现在起要学会更加爱惜自己，然后才能保护别人。每天为心爱的人活着比起只为自己而活可能会更加幸福吧⋯ 生命本来就已经很短暂，无论发生什么事情，请把握自己仅有的生命，去爱惜身边和更多需要帮助的人。

Soft movie for soft music

- Kazehakase and friends' live at Hiyori Cafe, Nagano.

Chill out day

Sleep late again today, go to office during lunch time. Ota san dragged me to a local workshop organized by great people from Nanographica to learn about making of しめ縄飾り (Shimenawakazari), a Japanese traditional sacred straw festoon commonly used for New Year decoration. Tough lesson, only able to made it by lot of helps from the Sensei. I have experienced a lot of traditional Japanese culture this time, I will never have chance to do this if I never meet you all in Nagano~ Arigatou.

- Live demo.

- Our special assistant Minori chan. - Done!

Spent more time doing works today, nothing nice comes out yet, hopefully can meet tomorrow deadline.

- Kazehakase and friends.

Had dinner again in wonderful Hiyori cafe with fellows of Bonnecura. There is a special live performance by Kazehakase 風博士 ( Ai chan borrowed me his CD's yesterday.) Didn't expect I will be able to catch his live by the next day. Relax and easing show, good music unwind tensions of whole day.

I'm so envy by the fact that there are so many adorable talented people, studios, traditional culture and beautiful natural scenery around Nagano city. There are interesting and inspiring stuff happening anytime around the neighborhood. It's a place with nice mixture of old and new Japanese culture, I don't want to go home T.T

Second week

"First week is the communication week, second week we start working."
Ota San said to me, on the very first day I came to his office.

Today is my second week in Manz office. Started designing a flyer for Taiko master Sato Kensaku, designing something for Japanese cultural related stuff is truly exciting. I found the long lost joy for turning on my adobe illustrator and start designing again today. Thank you Ota san, I miss doing graphic design.

1. Ohayo Kanematsu.

2. Men in black visited us.

3. Sneak out during lunch time, was attracted by the old cloth's shop.

4. Super friendly old couple, had a pleasant conversation with them with my very limited Japanese vocabulary. Always enjoy small towns in Japan rather than big city like Tokyo.

5. Bought a Japanese worker shirt, with a handkerchief as a free gift :P

6. Thanks Ai chan for lending me some more Japanese easy-listening music, like it! ( Kazehakase 風博士, and water water camel )

7. Mr.chef is making our free croquette lunch!

8. Have a lunch break, have a chit chat.

9. Bonnecura members having a regular meeting, I am sleeping.

10. Dinner at Hiyori cafe, just 3 minutes walk from the office, nice food and nice ambient. I'll come back again!

11. Introducing new Bonnecura's member - Mr. Nagamine. Very funny guy, we had a lot of nonsense jokes. Although I think I can only understand 1/3 of our conversation, or maybe less... but It's fun! Arigatou.

12. Met Aoki san in the cafe, who is working in a publishing company upstairs, and of course we didn't let go the chance to visit his office as well. Personally love publication design a lot and it's exciting for me to see how's a Japanese publishing company works. Well, most of the staff is still in the office after 10pm... tough works, as expected.

Second week II

Start working on a flyer for Taiko master Sato Kensaku, then I realized that for the past 2 years I was only working on advertising campaign and web design, it's been a long while I never really sit down and think about a project from a graphic designer point of view.

In advertising agency, we're talking about big concepts, strategies, award-wining ideas, gimmicks, ambients, viral, viral and viral. In web design, we are talking about flash, action scripts, iphone apps, html 5, and all the techgy languages that I don't even understand.

Nobody will care about a tiny flyer's design anymore, how it communicates with the viewer better, how it tells the story, how to make the graphic form nicer, colors, typesetting, grids, paper usage till the print production. Suddenly I have a feeling that I never designing a design properly for a long time. After all I still prefer the insignificant, out-dated, tiny print design.

Day 7

There are too many things and people I met today I can't go into details one by one. So, in short:

1. Good people in Kanematsu. Kaori san, Kei san, Kuraishi san. ( from L to R )

2. Yuka chan drop by to have lunch with us, and share about her love story... ^_^

3. Visited Nagano Art and Design School.

4. Thank you Aizawa san and Nagasawa san for showing us around~

5. Handsome teacher - Aizawa san.

6. Student's work, I like it.

7. Ota with the funny hat.

8. Ota san's senior, Hara Hiroshi visited us in the evening. He is a very experienced web director/ designer, I'm surprise he had seen some of my works before... and thanks for the blog too, it's my honor to know you Hara san. I'm not really that great, am just a lazy designer who run away from his job. Let's go get a drink sometimes~

What more can one ask for? After a long working day there is a delicious supper waiting for you at your doorstep. Thanks to our generous neighbor Orie san! Ota san and I enjoyed it so much! ippai ippai~

Stefan's answers

Our favorite designer got a new website with some advices for all of us.

mochi-pounding

version 2.0