niime 百科

Encyclopedia of niime

How do we lead our brand “tamaki niime”? In pursuing her goal, Tamaki stoically continues after her strict ideas and deeds. On the other hand, Sakai believes in his instincts and feelings to steer the direction of the brand. Once again, they have come to think back upon their roots.

Tamaki

Since we moved here, we have been inspired more and more.

Sakai

I think so.

Tamaki

After all, I ended up confused as to what it is all about, and my brain almost exploded.

Sakai

People who decide things logically have a tendency not to be aware of their thoughts and feelings. On the other hand, people who do things they want by their emotions tend to act carefree, but actually seem more stable because they are in sync. You are that kind of person.

Tamaki

I know, I know. I should be at “Ultra Instinct”.

Sakai

So everything is simple, after all.

Tamaki

Because I am a deep thinker. I feel frustrated when my thoughts and deeds don’t match up.

———You would like to devise a strategy, wouldn’t you? And you want to practice and experiment with your ideas?

Tamaki

I said that I came to the original position. So, the problem we have is the same one here in this Banshu-ori production place. We have our present products now because of our ancestors’ hard work. Our generation is not the one to accomplish everything. I can’t say big because I haven’t done, either. However, I would like to keep their “sprit”. The current generation has lost their motivations. They seem to give up on their lives. They have no passions.

Sakai

I absolutely think so. They have no passions.

Tamaki

However, we know we were irresponsible when we were young.

——-You think you were reckless, don’t you?

Tamaki

Yeah. I think I could admit it as we get older. I wonder if the older generations had the same impressions I have towards young people now. When we were 20’s, people in their 40’s might have thought that we didn’t have guts. I wonder if the same thing repeats from generation to generation? If it has been happening, I shouldn’t worry about it.

Sakai

While I was in Osaka back in time, a wife of artist I knew told me I would be an either one…..

Tamaki

Sakai was told that he would be living under a bridge or become a wealthy man.

Sakai

From that point of view, which was my original point, there were extreme possibilities, like complete opposites.

———By the way, you two have been living your way by not conforming yourselves in the past.

Tamaki

What do you mean “conforming yourselves” ?

——We humans stick to worldly reviews, and we often do not stay true, but you have been living without compromise.

Tamaki

I have been true to myself by that mean.

———-You haven’t been compromising, have you?

Sakai

No, I haven’t.

Tamaki

I was told that I was just a woman.

———You haven’t been rebellious.

Tamaki

Because I don’t care!

——-You are not two-faced. You two are very rare type of people.

Tamaki

Are we rare? I think we are ordinary.

——-People usually tend to hide themselves…

Tamaki

Why do they do that?

——-We may often not to show ourselves…

Tamaki

Aha, is that right?

——-You don’t, do you?

Tamaki

I have never cared about what others think about me.

Sakai

More than you, I have never ever cared about that.

Tamaki

(looking at Sakai) Never at all, huh?

——This may connect to their original position. A very relaxed atmosphere surrounds your hometown Katsuyama in Fukui.

Tamaki

No. that’s not true. Only we two are the exception. (laugh). When we go home once in a while, we hear people’s rumors. That’s annoying. Who cares, huh?

Sakai

No, I don’t care about it.

—— I think in everywhere else people love gossiping.

Tamaki

You had better enjoy the things happening in front of you.

——You can say it easily, can’t you?

Tamaki

Yeah.

——Usually, we cannot say it so easily.

Tamaki

Why? (talking to Sakai) When you have fun, it means really fun, huh? It doesn’t matter who criticizes it.

——……

Tamaki

I really think so. From the bottom of my heart.

——I think you truly believe it so.

Tamaki

Living is fun, isn’t it? I mean every day. Because my job is one of my hobbies, I have so much fun doing it. They frown to say not to understand that working is fun. Why don’t they have fun? We have been making so much fun of our lives, huh?

Sakai

I think so. I have never thought my life isn’t fun.

——-Ordinary people are…

Tamaki

You mean working is not fun because things don’t work as you wish?

——We can be very troublesome…

Sakai

Ah! I don’t have that worries.

——-You don’t lie about yourself, do you?

Tamaki

I have never hesitated.

Sakai

I didn’t do it if I didn’t want to do it.

Tamaki

I made it somehow.

Sakai

I only have done the things I enjoyed doing.

Tamaki

In all the things I have done, I have found the way to enjoy it. I even enjoyed studying for exams! I gave myself 100 credit points if I memorized these. I found joy in this accomplishment.

——You haven’t had any pressure to conform for others, huh?

Tamaki

Not at all. I did because I wanted to do it. No one told me to do it, even my parents didn’t ask me to do homework.

——-You didn’t feel pressured.

Tamaki

Yeah, but I am the type of person who needs to finish it quickly because I knew it would give me a hard time if I postpone it.

Sakai

I am not like you. If someone pressures me, I’d rather walk away from it.

——-You are the type of person who only does things you like to do. (laugh)

Tamaki

You are the type of person who didn’t do the things you must do. (laugh)

——Ms. Tamaki is the type of person who gets it done before she is asked to do it.

Tamaki

I don’t want to do it if I am forced to do it. …..it sounds too extreme.

———(laugh)

Sakai

And I have never worried about being disliked by someone.

Tamaki

I haven’t, either.

Sakai

I never worried what I should do if someone hates me.

Tamaki

I don’t care.

Sakai

I don’t care, either.

Tamaki

Do you care about it? Does anyone care about it?

——I think people are afraid to be disliked.

Tamaki

I may not be interested in people.

Sakai

I am not interested, either.

——-You said, you don’t like people, do you?

Tamaki

I am not good at getting too friendly or doing together with a group.

——Such as joining in and always doing things together?

Sakai

That is right.

Tamaki

I don’t know how to make friends.

Sakai

We have never had the idea of making friends.

Tamaki

From a particular point of view, we are different. Finally, I get it.

——-(laugh)

Sakai

I have believed I was an ordinary person because I am always the one who is just gathering information.

Tamaki

I have been just pursuing what I want to do.

———Ummm.

Tamaki

I have been interested in what kind of world I want to create, what I want to do, or what I want to challenge.

Sakai

Friendships are like sticking to an empty popsicle. Because after getting information (getting to know each other), I go to others. But, people keep it relevant because of being friendships.

—-Unsavory ties?

Tamaki

I don’t understand why they go out drinking.

Sakai

Me, either.

Tamaki

I don’t understand what is all about releasing stress, because I don’t have anxiety.

——Ah, is that so?

Tamaki

Because I enjoy every day.

——People could enjoy their lives every day if they have no stress.

Tamaki

The hobby I could think of is sleeping. I need to recover from tiredness, so I love to sleep.

——Today, I saw you facing down was not because of having stress, right?

Tamaki

I was confused and felt uneasy. Because I put in too much information but didn’t output much, it is because Sakai wouldn’t listen to me.

Sakai

I am listening!

Tamaki

You are not listening seriously.

Sakai

I am not listening seriously?

Tamaki

Today, Mr. Koshikawa has listened to me, so I could output my ideas. My mind is much clear now, and it motivates me to input again. In that sense, it is essential to circulate that by putting in and out.

—-Here we can see the connection with the theme “roots” and differences of those two people.

Tamaki

We still don’t know our differences at all, do we?

Sakai

That is true.

Tamaki

We have thought we are ordinary for the last 40 years.

——You haven’t analyzed yourselves, have you?

Tamaki

No, I haven’t.

Tamaki

I thought you like analyzing.

Tamaki

I like to analyze where you go. I love making goals but was not interested in analyzing myself. Ah, I had a time when I tried to conquer my weaknesses.

——-You were not excessively self-conscious, were you?

Tamaki

I have thought about why I am so easily upset. (looking at Sakai) He is not like me at all.

Sakai

No, I am not.

Original Japanese text by Seiji Koshikawa.
English translation by Adam & Michiko Whipple.