<In Rodin's Garden> The USB Drive and I

Human encounters are mysterious things.

For many people, it is probably difficult to find a hairdresser or a dentist they truly click with.

I don't have any cavities, so I have no connection to dentists, but I was a nomad when it came to hairdressers for a long time.

However, I finally met my favorite hairdresser at a shop I happened to walk into. Although the person in charge changed a few times along the way, I have been going there for over twenty years now.

One day, my hairdresser returned from a short-term training program in France, looking as lively as a fish in water. To tell the truth, I had been worried because he had seemed somewhat depressed for the past few months.

It seemed that experiencing the authentic atmosphere had a significant impact on his sensibilities.

Seeing him still so excited, I suddenly decided to make a small guidebook as a gift. In this way, I wrote up about 40 pages of sketches and brought them with me on the day of my next appointment.

This unexpected gift was received with more joy than I had anticipated, and I was absolutely delighted.

And that was not the only happy event.

He had been introducing my sketchbook to his own customers, saying, "I received this book the other day!"

One of them was a female chef at a French bistro. Hearing that the boudin noir I had drawn was served at her restaurant, I visited her shop shortly after. While managing the cooking and serving all by herself behind the open counter, she never forgot to engage in conversation with her customers. It was a wonderful restaurant where the wine and food were delicious, and above all, the chef's thoughtful care touched my heart. It was a connection forged by the sketchbook.

The sketchbook eventually became a bit of a topic among his customers. Feeling encouraged, I created a second volume, and wanting to give it to the chef as well, I presented them both with a scrapbook containing copies of the manuscript.

With the third and fourth volumes, I continued to write one after another, imagining the hairdresser and his customers enjoying them. But in truth, perhaps I was the one enjoying it the most.

Since this event, I have given sketchbooks to friends and acquaintances on various occasions. I remembered, for the first time in a long while, the joy of writing.

I had been in a chronic slump where I couldn't write even if I wanted to, and I had long forgotten the joy of expressing myself.

One day, I found a book at a bookstore. I had just started thinking about wanting to write my own blog and was looking for a platform to serve as a medium, but I couldn't quite find one that matched my vision. I wanted something simple and easy to write on, where I could arrange pictures and photos to my liking, with no ads, and it would be even better if it were free to use.
This was my encounter with note.

At first, I didn't know how to use it and just posted articles, but gradually, my interactions expanded through comments.

My living environment on note changed drastically when I met the Umineko Production Committee. It was Jane who connected us.

From there, our interactions deepened before I knew it, and I eventually ended up participating in the Literature Flea Market.

When I handed out that sketchbook as a sort of business card to the fellow noters I met, everyone unanimously told me that I absolutely had to turn it into a book. This was surprising.

I have almost no interest in turning what I write into a book.
The reason is that even if it were a book, I wouldn't buy it myself. Why wouldn't I buy it? Because,

I can write it myself.

This is an important point.

I believe my sketchbook was appreciated precisely because I gave it to people I wanted to give it to.

However, turning it into a book means selling it to an unspecified number of people for a price. How much monetary value does my book really have? Besides, there are many people in the world who are better at drawing and writing than I am, and who are more knowledgeable. In such a world, would anyone pick up my book?

I thought about this point quite a lot.
And after thinking it through, I tried sending the images to the Umineko Production Committee.

Then, I received a better response than I expected, and I was pushed forward once again.

At that moment, I suddenly realized something.

Wasn't I too obsessed with whether or not this work had monetary value?
Five years have passed since the day I wrote the first sketchbook.
Remembering the smiles of the people I met during this time, I felt like taking a step forward.

Perhaps I could make even more people smile.
Thinking that, an indescribable feeling welled up inside me.
The voices of those who supported me resonate powerfully.

I took a step forward with courage.
As the work progressed, I received messages from the editor-in-chief, and I gradually found joy in seeing my handmade work become a finished book.

And so, yesterday, the sample arrived.
I picked up that small book and felt deeply moved.

This book is a USB memory stick packed with the memories of the people I have met.

Thus, the completed Umineko Sketch Book is finished. May it bring smiles to all of you as well.

<Frequently Asked Questions>

Q.Where can I buy it?
A. At the Umineko Production Committee booth (Ta 20) at the Tokyo Literature Flea Market held on * Sunday, May 19th.Q.Can I buy it online?

A.Yes, you can purchase it online via the Umineko Production Committee's BASE and BOOTH shops
**.Q.When will it be available for online sale?

A.Soon... (Please inquire with the Umineko Production Committee)
Q.

Q.It says ①, so will this be a series?
A.W-well, maybe... (Please inquire with the Umineko Production Committee)

Q.Honestly, is it interesting?
A.W-well, I wonder... (Please inquire with the Umineko Production Committee)

* Admission fee (1,000 yen) required starting in 2024
** Free shipping on purchases of 3,000 yen or more

The production and copyright of this book are entirely entrusted to the Umineko Production Committee. I do not sell it personally, so if anyone wishes to purchase it, please contact the Umineko Production Committee.

So, Editor-in-Chief Bonradi, please be ready to handle the flood of inquiries (lol)!

<Postscript (5/8)>
Online sales have finally started!

<In Rodin's Garden> Series (5)

*Click here for past articles in this series ↓