The Value of the First Floor (Ground Level)

People stop by more than you'd think

　It has been three weeks since my last post. Since I mainly work on weekends, it's undeniable that things move at a slow pace. The last Sunday of March was affected by the weather, with unseasonably heavy snow falling and so on. Well, amidst the spread of the novel coronavirus, I have been spending my time on weekends and holidays quite freely, doing things like tidying up, cleaning, and serving customers.
　What I've been thinking lately is that when the shutters are open, many people passing by actually stop and look inside. Not only those who seem to live in the neighborhood, but people of all ages and genders, as well as those with roots in other countries—I can feel the presence of diverse people who live, work, study, play, and so on in the city.
　I think this is because being on the first floor, at ground level, makes it approachable and naturally sparks curiosity. It is truly “Creating the first floor is creating the city.”

Finding hidden gems

　I think this is quite an exciting place for those who have a knack for identifying the value of old furniture and objects, are good at remaking them with a little care or repair, or can re-edit them for uses other than their original purpose, thus bringing out their potential.
　The person who found the table, tea bowl, and plate in this photo runs a salon (a beauty parlor?). When I asked how they planned to use the table, they said, “I’ll sand it down a bit and use it at home.” The choice of the tea bowl and plate was also full of taste, and I was surprised that such good things had been lying dormant.

　They also bought a mortar table and a kiln. They said the mortar table would be used in the shop's waiting area, and the kiln would be used as a water tank outside their home. I see, that’s a way to use them, I thought.

Upcycling old kimonos

　There have been other valuable encounters and discoveries. There are many chests of drawers, and inside them are many kimonos and old clothes. While I was wondering how to make use of them, someone who moved into the neighborhood about two years ago told me about WATALIS, a brand that works on “upcycling” by remaking old kimono fabrics sleeping in chests and sending them out into the world again.
　If kimonos tend to just gather dust in a chest, it would be wonderful if they could be remade into items like drawstring bags and reborn as new products. Since I am not running a business to make a profit here, donations or other socially good disposal methods are also strong options.

Google Image Search is convenient

　There are piles of things I don't even know the names of. There have been several times when I couldn't answer questions about them. That’s where Google Image Search comes in handy. You just take a photo and upload it to Google Image Search. I found out that the bell-like object in this photo is a figurine of a stupa.