Kathryn Wortley, Author at Savvy Tokyo

Kei Hirata Is Inspiring The Next Generation

Kathryn Wortley — Wed, 08 Nov 2023 23:00:00 +0000

After graduating from Kanda University of International Studies, Kei Hirata was a cheerleader with the United States National Basketball Association team Oklahoma City Thunder (OKC Thunder) before burnout forced her to return to her native Japan. Once on the road to recovery, she joined the Niigata-based Albirex Cheerleaders and made a comeback on the cheer squad at OKC Thunder, later becoming a game-day assistant for the team.

In June, Hirata retired from both the OKC Thunder and Albirex to pursue new projects, determined that others learn from her experiences related to mental health and the pursuit of wellness. Savvy Tokyo spoke to her to find out more about her work.

What did your role at OKC Thunder involve?

I was responsible for communicating with the coaches and performers before and during the game, following the timetable for executing the entertainment program as it progressed.

Get comfortable being uncomfortable.

Before game day, I communicated with my supervisor and other assistants via text, email and phone calls; on game day, I used a radio. It was tough sometimes, but I followed one of my mottos, “Get comfortable being uncomfortable.” I want to continue to challenge myself with what is unfamiliar to me.

What skills did you use as a cheerleader?

Of course, dance skills, but they’re not the only criteria required to be a professional cheerleader. Auditions include an interview as well as a public speaking component. Once accepted, I had to communicate a lot with my teammates and coaches. In addition, when not on the basketball court, I represented the team in various community outreach programs. The number of opportunities to interact with fans and people in the community is five times greater than the opportunities to perform at games.

What was the most enjoyable thing about working as a cheerleader?

The OKC Thunder Girls spend time in the community when not on the basketball court. I have visited countless non-profit organizations, schools and other groups, and have enjoyed interacting with Thunder fans and people in the community.

And the most challenging thing?

I was not very good at small talk, even in Japanese at the time. I had even less experience with small talk in English, so meeting and interacting with lots of new faces and having to have small talk with them was something I felt uncomfortable with — I found it quite a challenge.

What lessons have you learned through your work?

Looking back, I should have enjoyed the moment as a cheerleader more, rather than be concerned about fluency in English. Today, I am more comfortable starting a conversation in English with someone I meet for the first time. I have made genuine heart and soul connections with the fans and people in the community I have met over the past seven years.

How do you face opportunities and challenges?

I always keep my mind open and say yes to opportunities that come my way. My approach to life is “Be your own cheerleader.” Whenever I begin to doubt myself and feel like giving up, I always give myself a pep-talk, to remind myself that there must still be some potential where I can grow. I would say, if you have a one percent chance of success, I encourage you to take the opportunity. Every experience is something to build on.

You give speeches to children on the topic of “Being different is a superpower.” Why is that your message?

I was born and raised in Japan. I didn’t grow up in an environment that encouraged individuals to freely express their opinions, especially when they differed from the norm. In Japanese society, there is a sort of peer pressure that we all need to blend in with others.

I used to grapple with complex feelings about being the only international dancer on the team, someone who didn’t speak English perfectly and didn’t share the same cultural background as my teammates. For a significant period, I struggled to be honest and express my thoughts openly in front of my teammates and coach. This internal struggle led me to believe that I wasn’t enough to be part of the team due to language and personal barriers.

Sometimes, the things we wish to convey don’t need to be spoken—they can simply be demonstrated.

As my journey with the team continued, I began to notice that my coach and teammates valued my consistent preparedness for practice and games, my exceptional care for my uniforms, and my deep respect for both time and others. It became clear to me that English language proficiency was not the primary factor in building trust; it was one’s personality that truly mattered. Sometimes, the things we wish to convey don’t need to be spoken—they can simply be demonstrated. This realization boosted my confidence and, for the first time, I felt that it was perfectly fine to be different from my teammates. I came to understand that the uniqueness I brought to the team were assets that contributed to creating a dynamic and diverse group.

This is precisely why I firmly believe that being different is a superpower, and I am committed to passing this message on to young children.

What are you most proud of?

Reflecting on my journey and the pursuit of my dream to work professionally in pro sports in the United States, I initially believed that my proudest moments would revolve around tangible achievements such as winning awards, representing the team on international trips, being named a co-captain or being recruited as a game day assistant.

However, with the benefit of hindsight and a deeper understanding of my time in the NBA, I’ve come to realize that these accomplishments, while significant, may not be the defining highlights of my career.

What I am truly most proud of is my ability to overcome challenges and persist in following my passion, even when my life didn’t unfold as originally planned or hoped.

Life is an unpredictable journey filled with both highs and lows. What I am truly most proud of is my ability to overcome challenges and persist in following my passion, even when my life didn’t unfold as originally planned or hoped.

What are you working on now?

My dance community called Dance with Kei aims to empower women and children to discover their true potential through dance. The Japan tour in June 2023 was a resounding success, as I had the privilege of sharing my love of dance with over 120 dancers in six cities. The experience was truly unforgettable. Building on my passion for giving back to the community during my time with the OKC Thunder, Dance with Kei has now become my primary platform for continuing to make a positive impact and leave a lasting legacy.

In my role as a freelance choreographer and advisor, I offer game-day choreography and insights into sports entertainment in the U.S. to collegiate and professional dance teams, including those affiliated with professional basketball, soccer and ice hockey teams in Japan.

Lastly, I am thrilled to announce my brand-new podcast, “Hirakei Podcast,” which debuted at the end of October. It is derived from my name, Hira(ta) and Kei, and in Japanese, hirake represents a fresh start and beginning; I hope this podcast gives listeners some inspiration to take action toward what they wish for in life! In this podcast, I will share my personal stories and the life lessons I’ve learned from nearly a decade of speaking at schools and corporate events. I’m very excited about this new platform, which will allow me to connect with people on a deeper level, and I hope that each episode will inspire listeners to feel empowered.

Take a listen to her podcast introduction below:

Savvy Spotlight is a monthly feature introducing foreign and Japanese women at the frontline of what’s successful, contributing, cool, unique and interesting in the city. If you have anyone in mind you would like us to interview, leave us a comment below with your recommendations!

Designer Kathleen Reilly Reveals What It’s Like Working in Japan

Kathryn Wortley — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 01:00:00 +0000

Kathleen Reilly has been recognized over the past decade by some of the biggest names in European art and design. Still, accepting an accolade in November 2022 from the online architecture, interiors and design magazine Dezeen for Homeware Design of the Year was particularly special—one of her dreams. Now Reilly hopes the honor will help her launch her winning design, Oku, a new kind of knife with a folded handle.

Oku, a new kind of knife with a folded handle.

Reilly’s success is founded on extensive study and hands-on experience in the U.K. and Japan. She graduated from The Glasgow School of Art’s Silversmithing & Jewellery Department and the Royal College of Art in London, where she specialized in jewelry and metal, before arriving in Japan in 2019 on a Daiwa Anglo–Japanese Foundation Scholarship.

Since graduating from the scholarship in 2021, she has been working with Japanese artisans to bring her designs to life while also creating metalwork and delivering guest lectures at international institutions in Japan and the U.K.

Savvy Tokyo met up with her to find out about her Japan journey and her current and future projects.

Congratulations on the Dezeen Award. How do you feel?

Winning a Dezeen Award has been a dream of mine ever since they launched the awards program in 2018. I can’t believe I managed to win, also at the age of 28, and with my first product. It is a real honor and also such a great opportunity to be showcased on such a global platform. It has also been a huge confidence boost. I’m looking forward to launching Oku, which won in the Homeware Design of the Year category, so please keep an eye out.

Tell us more about Oku.

Oku is really subtle; I was trying to create something innovative and also beautiful, inspired by honest design and Japanese aesthetics. The knife’s handle folds at 90 degrees, which allows it to sit on the accompanying wooden board, a plate or its side, without its blade resting on the table. Its composition is also intended to reflect that chopsticks are placed horizontally while Western cutlery is placed vertically. I collaborated with Japanese artisans; the knife is made in Tsubame-Sanjo and the cutting board is being made from domestic Sawara Cypress by Karimoku Furniture.

What brought you to Japan?

My fine art degree was about conceptual ways of thinking and pushing the boundaries—radical ways of making. I had done an exchange program to Tokyo about 10 years ago, so I had been here before. I was very aware of Japan being famous for traditional handcraft and technical skills. At that time, technical skills were really lacking on my side as I only had technical lessons about once a week. I wanted to improve my technical skills and was interested in steelwork, which is what I’m doing now. I wanted to experience Japanese steelwork practices first-hand.

As part of your Daiwa Scholarship, you completed a work placement in Tsubame-Sanjo, Niigata Prefecture, an area specialized in the production of metalwork. How was that experience?

It was such a great opportunity as Tsubame-Sanjo is renowned in Japan and beyond. The scholarship provided six months of training but I felt it wasn’t enough to learn all that I wanted so I stayed an extra year. The experience was tough because no one spoke English but it allowed me to really improve my Japanese. Even after I finished the work placement, I wanted to continue working with people in the industries in Tsubame-Sanjo and continue to develop projects with them.

Can you tell us a little about one of those projects?

With Meguru, I invited craftspeople, children and elderly people in the Tsubame-Sanjo community to make their own plates using an identical sheet of copper. Jeong Kwan, a famous chef of Korean cuisine, created a meal that we served on the plates—which all featured different designs—at a special event in Amsterdam last September. Together, we were able to elevate the dining experience to connect the minds involved in every part of the project’s process, from crafting to dining.

What are you working on now?

I’m collaborating with artisans in Toyama on a design involving glass and metal casting, two materials that the prefecture is an expert in. I want to create giant ornate glass vases with spun metal inside using the technique of centrifugal casting.

Pressed in the middle will be flowers, such as lotus and butterflies, as symbols of rebirth. It’s not an easy task but I’ve met some great craftspeople so far; hopefully, we can make something good together.

What is your everyday work life like?

I do quite a mix of messy work in the studio and also clean work where I need a tidy desk. I was recently renting a studio in Hachioji—called Studio Hakkotai—with a group of creatives based in Tokyo. I go there whenever I need to do any hands-on making like grinding or casting metal. It’s a great space and community. At other times I work at my desk at home creating models or doing design work on my laptop and so on. It’s nice to have two separate spaces for two different kinds of work but sometimes can be tricky when I leave something in one place that I need in another.

How has Japan helped your creative journey?

Japan has done wonders for my growth and development as an artist and designer. Being absorbed in the culture has allowed me to think more clearly about the work I want to produce and where I want to move forward. I feel I have been able to create more honest designs that are considerate of materials and making processes. I really recommend it to anyone who is an aspiring designer with an interest in Japanese culture, no matter how long they are planning on visiting.

What tips do you have for aspiring creators who are interested in living in Japan?

I would say learning Japanese would be the biggest tip—it has really opened up so many opportunities for me. Also, it is important to understand that trust and relationships are really important in Japan; it’s not always possible to just dive into whatever project you are wanting to do right away. Be aware that building up solid foundations is important: respect patience, trust yourself and be willing to learn.

Find out more about Kathleen Reilly and her work on her official website and Instagram.

Business Owner Kyoko Nagano Shares What’s Behind Her Passion

Kathryn Wortley — Fri, 08 Jul 2022 01:00:00 +0000

Since 2018, Nagano has been running three companies, each centered around an aspect of Japanese culture. She founded Mypal, a Japanese culture experience provider offering classes in tea ceremony, kimono wearing, bonsai and various traditional crafts. In the same year, she co-founded Sake Lovers, which aims to spread its love of nihonshu (Japanese rice wine) with the world while supporting small breweries in Japan. And, finally, she is a director of Hakko Farm, a promoter of fermented (hakko) foods.

With two of the three businesses heavily impacted by the pandemic, Savvy Tokyo asked the entrepreneur how she is managing, what keeps her going and—perhaps most important—how she does everything.

What set you on the path to being an entrepreneur?

It all began in Bangkok where I lived for several years due to my husband’s job. I was volunteering at an international day and received so many questions about Japanese culture. I realized that I didn’t know it very well and decided that I’d like to learn more. When we came back to Tokyo in 2016, I began taking lessons in Japanese arts such as ikebana (flower arranging).

I was sad to hear from the teachers that young people were not so interested in joining those lessons and I became concerned about the future of Japanese culture. I thought of how I could help keep the culture alive. My expat friends had free time and wanted to learn some Japanese culture so I thought of connecting them with my teachers. By enjoying classes together, my teachers could also practice English through hands-on experience so it was a win-win.

When the teachers became confident in their English capability, I listed their classes on Airbnb, TripAdvisor and other websites used by tourists. It went really well and soon the classes were attracting 200 people each month, which prompted me to set it up as a business. That was the start of Mypal Inc. It was hard at first as I didn’t have a business plan, but what I did have was passion and interest.

How did you become involved in the other two businesses?

Well, I met someone who also cared about protecting traditional Japan. Her passion was sake. She told me how sad she was about the closure of her friend’s sake brewery, which was about 200 years old, and asked me to help her do something to help small sake breweries. At that time, I liked sake but didn’t know much about it. Once I learned about its long history and sad decline—production today is one-third of production in 1975—I wanted to help. Together, she and I set up Sake Lovers Inc. to support craft sake breweries via sake export and sake brewery tours.

I’m also a director of Hakko Farm, which promotes Japan’s unique fermented foods.

How were the businesses able to respond to the pandemic and what are you focusing on now?

With Sake Lovers, we were able to pivot online when the coronavirus pandemic hit. We changed from offering in-person tours and tastings to virtual ones. But our main business now is export. Export sales have tripled in growth and soon we will begin exporting to Singapore and Taiwan. One of our online tours is also now listed by the Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau as an option for business groups interested in Japan.

Because of the pandemic, small sake breweries need us even more. Large breweries can grow and even open bars abroad, but small breweries, which consist of 95% of the total sake industry, are struggling. Last year about 150 breweries went out of business so it’s a really heartbreaking situation. I hope we can help more small breweries get their products overseas.

At Hakko Farm, we’re making a website in Japanese and English called Hakko Times. Since Hakko Day is Aug. 5, we’re trying to launch it then. We’re working with an amazake (sweet drink made with fermented rice) researcher who has appeared in lots of media in Japan and published two books. I hope we can operate as a media and seller of amazake.

Since Hakko Day is Aug. 5, we’re trying to launch [Hakko Times] then.

For Mypal, as there are no inbound tourists yet, I’ve been mostly doing project work for Singapore television media. Recently I had to find interesting stories about Aomori and support their production as a fixer and translator. One story was about a walking route showcasing moss. Another featured companies turning food waste into something meaningful: one makes crayons from dried-out vegetables and one makes tea from unused burdock.

How have you adapted to that new role at Mypal?

I had done it before. Years ago, a Singapore media producer joined one of my Tsukiji fish market tours with Mypal. When the time came for the market to move to Toyosu, she asked if I could speak to the Tsukiji fishmongers for her because I knew so many of them. Together we told the stories of some elderly fishmongers who were retiring from the business when Tsukiji closed. The producer liked that I coordinated everything and could be a fixer.

I love it because I love doing new things. I’m getting trained now to be a guide for foreign nationals at Toyosu Market. Visitors now can only see from the upper deck but after July, when I do all the sessions, I will receive a badge that will allow me to pass through the market with them.

Once tourism is back, we hope to provide more experience-based things like tea picking. Mypal has 18 teachers still listed on Airbnb and I hope they will start to have customers again. I’m trying to be positive.

What are the most challenging parts of your work?

I’m not a marketing specialist. Our business is growing by word of mouth and social media. I feel that we now have to invest our money in marketing because we have good content, such as sakegeek.com, but it’s not attracting many people because we’re not good at SEO. It should be a go-to place for sake brewery information but it’s not yet. Also, a lot of breweries think sake is good as it is but some people don’t want to drink it that way. That’s why we’ve come up with some ideas for sake cocktails that are more fashionable and Instagram-friendly.

How do you manage to do everything?

I use a chart to know how much time I can spend on each project and then juggle things around. But I’m kind of a workaholic. I don’t sleep much, which is not good for my health, but when you’re doing something that excites you, time passes fast and you want to get things done. I don’t feel the burden. Maybe in my previous life I was a tuna because they are constantly moving around. I like to move around and do things that excite me.

The three businesses are more like my passion projects. If I wanted money, I would be working in the financial industry like I used to. But life is short. I’m happy that I can do whatever I want to do. I can see the sake brewers happy and see people happy with my service. That motivates me.

For more information about:

Sake Lovers, see their official website or check out their Facebook, Instagram or Twitter page.
Mypal, see their official website or check out their Facebook, Instagram or Twitter page.
Hakko Farms, check out their Facebook page.

Exploring Lesser-Known Tokyo: Toshima and Shikinejima

Kathryn Wortley — Wed, 30 Mar 2022 06:00:00 +0000

These islands are more than 100 kilometers south of mainland Japan, yet still part of the Tokyo metropolis, resulting in great transport links by air and sea.

At just four square kilometers, Toshima is one of the smallest inhabited isles of the Izu Islands. It’s popular for fishing, hiking, star gazing, dolphin swimming and bird watching. Nearby Shikinejima boasts numerous pretty coves, vistas of neighboring islands and a hot spring-rich coastline with naturally warm seaside pools.

The islands are part of Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park and can be enjoyed as a weekend break. Here is a brief guide to Toshima and Shikinejima.

See the camellia

About 80% of Toshima is covered by camellia trees.

Toshima is famous for its 200,000 trees of camellia japonica, the camellia variety most suitable for oil production and treasured for its ability to moisturize hair and skin since the Heian period (794–1185). The circular island is one of the largest producers of camellia oil in Japan.

About 80% of Toshima is covered by camellia trees lined up on terraced fields: an ingenious method introduced hundreds of years ago to prevent the seeds being washed down the steep mountainside into the ocean. The camellia flowers bloom from November to March, creating swathes of pink and red hues. Take a stroll to enjoy the views and scents or watch the farmers harvesting the seeds and working the land. Locally produced products are on sale at the shop.

Relax in nature

Toshima’s Mount Miyatsuka offers views of neighboring islands.

For a stunning panorama of the nearby islands—and even Mount Fuji on a clear day—take the short hike through the forested heart of the island and up Mount Miyatsuka to the lookout at the summit. If you’re travelling by car, check out the viewpoint at Minamigayama Park, which has an extensive lawn and places to sit. By day, it offers one of the best 100 views of Tokyo and, by night, it’s the perfect spot to see the stars.

Explore land and sea

A torii gate marks the entrance to one of Toshima’s three shrines.

The island has three shrines, each with an important role. The largest, Azusawakenomikoto Shrine, dates from 1760 and enshrines the god who is the guardian of the village. All three are part of Toshima’s New Year festival called Kijjuwabi, whereby local people visit each shrine in turn to light sacred fires, beat drums and present rice and sake.

Toshima’s warm shores are also home to a pod of dolphins so it’s possible to go dolphin watching or swim with them on one of the tours provided by local minshuku lodgings.

Hit the beach

Nakanoura Beach on Shikinejima has plentiful sea life.

Shikinejima has four stunning beaches, providing ample opportunities for water sports or playing on the shore.

Tomari Beach’s horseshoe-shaped inlet is particularly popular for families due to its shallow, sheltered waters and white sands. In the Edo period (1603–1867), ships sailing for islands further south would shelter in the bay. Nearby Honuibara means place to mend sails while the hill on the cove was used to observe sea conditions.

For snorkeling and diving, Nakanoura Beach’s rocky shallows are home to plentiful sea life and, for the best sunset view, local people recommend Oura Beach.

Enjoy the views

Mount Kambiki offers views of Shikinejima’s rocky coastline.

The observatory on Mount Kambiki, the highest peak on Shikinejima at 99 meters, offers breathtaking views of the rocky coastline and its shallow waters, which are hundreds of shades of blue and green. In good weather, the panorama of the seascape is unsurpassed. A picnic table makes it an ideal spot to enjoy lunch or a snack.

For a truly local experience, try one of the varieties of sweets made with ashitaba, a perennial of the parsley family native to the Izu Islands. Literally meaning “tomorrow’s leaf” due to its extremely rapid growth, this plant is said to have health benefits.

Take a dip

Matsugashita Miyabi is one of Shikinejima’s popular outdoor onsen.

Shikinejima’s southern coast has a lot of geothermal activity, creating three unique onsen that bubble out of rocks on the shore. These natural hot springs, which have a different temperature depending on the ebb and flow of the tide, have been enjoyed for hundreds of years. Today, everyone enjoys soaking in them together, as swimsuits are required.

At Jinata Hot Spring, a steep and narrow path dating from 1908 winds down to the shore. It is thought this landscape gave the hot spring its name, which literally means “land” and “hatchet.” The steep and narrow path seems to have cut through the ground with an axe. At low tide, the temperature of the water released from the earth’s surface is 80˚C, so be careful to avoid the bubbling pools. According to local people, putting your hand in the vent in the stone wall along the road into the car park is a helpful guide to the temperature of the water before making the climb down.

These natural hot springs, which have a different temperature depending on the ebb and flow of the tide, have been enjoyed for hundreds of years.

From Jinata, it’s only a short walk around the cove to the other two hot springs. First along the route is Ashitsuki. It is said this onsen was discovered about 200 years ago when an injured sea lion was seen soaking in one of the pools.

These two hot springs have no facilities, but the last of the three, Matsugashita Miyabi, has several pools and a footbath as well as an outdoor (cold water) shower, changing rooms and access to the road. This hot spring overlooks the Philippine sea and a pretty harbor. The nearby sandy white shore and green pine groves are listed as one of Japan’s top 100 scenic spots.

Getting there

The quickest way to Shikinejima is the roughly 35-minute flight from Chofu Airport to Niijima, followed by a 10-minute ferry, but it’s also possible to depart from Takeshiba Port in Tokyo. The large passenger ship takes about seven-and-a-half hours to reach Toshima and about nine hours to reach Shikinejima, while the high-speed jet ferry takes around two-and-a-half hours. Each ferry stops at Oshima, the largest of the Izu Islands and an excellent hub for exploring the smaller islands like Toshima and Shikinejima with their pristine beaches, dolphins and stargazing.

Getting around and where to stay

Toshima is easily accessible on foot, although all paths are very steep. For Shikinejima, a great way to get around is by bicycle or electric-assisted bicycle; there are numerous shops offering hourly or daily rentals. Both islands have plenty of accommodation in the form of ryokan or minshuku, and Shikinejima has a campsite, too.

For more information, visit the Tokyo Metropolitan Government “Tokyo Treasure Islands Project” official website.

Dr. Mira Simic-Yamashita Considers Mental Health And The Pandemic

Kathryn Wortley — Fri, 19 Nov 2021 01:00:15 +0000

A therapist and university lecturer specializing in anxiety, low self-esteem, migraine and chronic pain, Dr. Mira Simic-Yamashita practices clinical hypnotherapy and rapid transformational therapy (RTT), an innovative combination of hypnotherapy, psychotherapy, neuro-linguistic programming and cognitive-behavioral therapy. After 18 years living in Japan, she has seen firsthand how the mental health field has improved in recent years, with more professionals and support options, as well as growing awareness of mental health among the public.

But now mental health professionals are faced with a new challenge: addressing the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic. Savvy Tokyo spoke to Simic-Yamashita to find out how the virus that causes COVID-19 has impacted her work, what the future might hold for Japan in terms of mental health and how everyone can practice self-care for good mental health.

How has your work changed since the outbreak of the pandemic?

I am seeing many more clients with anxiety issues. Health anxiety is fairly common, sometimes accompanied by obsessive-compulsive disorder, but so is general anxiety and panic attacks. There is a rise in job-related and relationship-related anxiety, too. Meanwhile, a passive lifestyle, boredom and lack of social accountability have triggered many people to binge eat, gain weight or feel apathetic and unmotivated, causing their self-esteem to plummet. Consequently, more clients have been seeking help for weight loss, motivation and self-esteem issues.

As for patients experiencing migraines (a neurological disorder with a huge mental health component), generally, I have seen an improvement. People are spending more time at home, in a controlled environment, avoiding commuting, gatherings, noise and smells—all stressors that can trigger migraines. That makes migraines easier to manage and control. On the other hand, increased screen time and Zoom fatigue are triggers for some people as well.

How has the pandemic impacted mental health issues and treatment?

I think the pandemic—and the sudden life disturbances that came with it—brought to attention existing mental health issues and dysfunctional family dynamics. People who struggled with anxiety, depression or relationship issues before, now have it amplified. I don’t think it’s different but more intense, and thus less tolerable than before.

My practice was online before the pandemic. Most of the therapists I know reacted quickly and moved their practices online. This has given patients easy access to their therapists but some find it uncomfortable to talk at home due to lack of privacy. Overall though, in terms of access to mental health services, I think teletherapy is a change for the better. With the lack of daily life structure and social accountability, some clients need more encouragement between sessions, so I provide more frequent follow-ups and unlimited email support to those who need it.

Eighteen months on from the Covid-19 outbreak, what trends do you see in mental health issues in Japan and what can we expect in the coming months?

The World Health Organization predicts that mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression, will rise rapidly worldwide. I expect that after the pandemic-induced long period of stress and uncertainty, and with our emotional resources and coping skills severely depleted, a mental health pandemic will emerge. Social anxiety might increase as people return to offices and schools. Many people already dread “going back to normal.”

On a positive note, I think people are becoming more aware of the importance of emotional and mental health—the pandemic was a catalyst for that. As activities are restricted, people have more time to pay attention to their well-being. They are better informed about mental health care options and more willing to seek them out. There is also a rise in people practicing meditation, yoga and other types of self-care, finding social support and a sense of belonging in online groups or using apps and YouTube videos to learn how to manage their emotional state.

Emotional wellness and general psychoeducational programs to prevent mental health problems need to receive greater attention. Learning how to deal with difficult emotions, manage stress, create healthy boundaries, take control of thoughts and build a support network can allow people to make healthy daily habits. People are incredibly resilient and, with a little up-front work and social support, solid mental health would be available for everyone.

How can people practice good self-care?

There are so many things people can do, but I will suggest three things:

Do the absolute basics: eat healthy food, drink more water, walk or cycle in nature and sleep well. Having a good mattress and pillow that will help you sleep better can do wonders for your mental health.
Make a list of things, activities and people that helped you in the past to overcome difficulties. Expand it based on your current situation. It can include supportive people (friends, family, doctors, online groups), self-care strategies that worked well (meditation, running, reading, a hot bath, listening to music), solution-oriented actions (visiting a doctor, hiring a lawyer, selling a car) and things that are soothing or bring joy.

I teach people how to assemble their own personalized resilience tool kit, which includes such a list. Having a list ready when difficult times come empowers people by showing them they are resourceful; if they could cope in the past, they can and will cope again.

Practice self-compassion. That can be as simple as hugging yourself or choosing to be gentler, kinder and more accepting of yourself. It is scientifically proven that those who regularly practice self-compassion are less depressed, stressed and anxious, and more content, resilient, optimistic and connected with others. It’s a very simple and soothing way to care for yourself.

What should people do if they need external help?

They should certainly ask for it, as there are many people who can help them, depending on their issue and psychological state. If they are going through a crisis and need someone to talk to, they can call TELL Lifeline. If they are in need of medications, they should visit a medical doctor or psychiatrist as only they can provide medications in Japan. If people want conventional therapy or counseling, there is the International Mental Health Practitioners Japan and TELL Counseling, both of which have therapists offering services in English. If they want to try a complementary method, such as clinical hypnotherapy, with a trained psychologist, they are welcome to contact me. The RTT that I practice is a form of advanced clinical hypnotherapy that works with the majority of psychological and physical issues, providing rapid, long-lasting results.

Contact Dr. Mira Simic-Yamashita
Email: mira.simic.yamashita＠gmail.com

Chief Relationship Officer Sarah Bull Brings A Personal Touch To Business

Kathryn Wortley — Wed, 23 Jun 2021 01:00:03 +0000

The Saitama-based Australian is chief relationship officer (and director of legal services) at Translation Business Systems Japan (TBSJ), a role that encompasses the management and care of the company’s internal and external relationships.

With team members in all major time zones and a growing client portfolio, she has key responsibilities and says that empowering people to shine while fostering ties with clients, collaborators and the wider business community is what every company should aspire to do.

Savvy Tokyo spoke to her to find out what her role involves and why it’s so important.

All photos © Tia Haygood, TopTia Photography.

How did you become a chief relationship officer?

I’d been working as a freelance translator and editor with TBSJ since almost its beginning (2010). In 2018, I had a bit of an epiphany that I was more extroverted than my lifestyle, which involved a lot of sitting at home on my computer. Alongside that were other influences—I’d been having professional coaching and my daughter was getting older—so I thought I could do more. By that time, I was also an advisor for TBSJ and had equity in the business so I asked the board if I could go to events for the company. They agreed.

The idea was for me to raise awareness of TBSJ by connecting with people, which I really enjoyed. Then the opportunity came up to join the board. I became involved with management and helped grow the business via industry events and client meetings. After six months or so, the person in charge of HR left and it became clear that I was the logical person to take over. I had so many roles, which all felt like a good fit, but it was tricky to cover everything with a title. The common thread was relationships—for networking, business development and HR/recruitment—hence the title.

What’s a typical day?

Right now I’m focused on internal relationships because TBSJ is growing and we’re only going to a few online events. It’ll be interesting to see how the role changes once we return to having in-person networking, meetings and events. Perhaps I’ll also be focusing on other things such as client acquisition once that happens.

That being said, the role is still evolving every day. I’ve figured out largely what I want it to look like. I think there will also be different needs at different times.

What do you draw on for your roles?

Steve Jobs said: ‘You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward.’ Certainly, I don’t think anyone would have predicted this career path for me. I’ve been in legal translation in Japan since 2007, in-house for the first four years as a legal translator at one of the largest law firms in Japan. Before that I was in Australia doing my master’s in Japanese interpretation and translation. That’s where I draw from for expertise and experience on the legal translation side.

You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward.

When I think back on the work I’ve done before that—in hotels and teaching English—it’s a bit of a mixed bag. But in all those roles, I wanted to have a say in how things were run and it wasn’t really possible. That’s one of the things I like most about my current role; I’m one of those people who gets to actually implement ideas for the company.

I’ve always read a lot of business books, even though it didn’t really make sense for me to be doing that so much when I was a freelance translator. I think I just always had that interest. And I’m a great believer in personal development. I read lots about it and am in my fifth year of working with a coach. The skills I’ve learned from working with a coach definitely come into play in my role. One of the main things I do is listen to people. Sometimes I have full-on and honest—what I like to call brave—conversations. It involves giving people space to open up and tell you what they need and want. Then I see what we can make happen. I don’t think I would be very good at that if it hadn’t have been for the coaching.

What advice would you give someone who aspires to be a chief relationship officer?

I think the role might look different in other companies. For me, a big part of it is engaging with people effectively, so whatever you can do to up your conversation skills, listening skills and problem-solving skills is good. I’m a massive fan of the concept of radical candor. In every conversation, I’m aiming for radical candor. It means demonstrating that you care personally about the person you are talking with and challenging them directly. You have to be very clear and kind. It’s simple but not always easy. I think those kinds of interpersonal skills are key for both internal and external relationships.

What challenges have you faced in the role?

Recently, our main focus has been recruitment. It’s always challenging to find the right people and put them in a role. I guess it’s not hard if you move people like chess pieces but I think people will leave before too long if you treat them like that. If you’re trying to maximize people’s potential and keep them happy in their job while at the same time finding a good fit and addressing company needs, balancing the various priorities is challenging.

What rewards have you experienced in the role?

There are lots! We have such a great team and it’s really rewarding to see them happy to recommend us to their contacts or share their gratitude. I’ve also been able to help staff make strategic moves within the company to boost their quality of life or to maximize their potential, which has been extremely satisfying.

How has the pandemic affected your role?

TBSJ has always been a distributed company so we didn’t have to make any adjustments to work protocols. The CEO and I have been most affected as we were the ones traveling to Tokyo regularly to meet people or attend events.

Our business has thankfully gotten stronger during the Covid period. But I did have to onboard one member of staff in the Netherlands as he hasn’t been able to come to Japan. That’s not ideal, but the way we’re set up, it’s not a problem.

How have you supported the staff at this time?

We’ve checked in a lot more. We have staff all over the world and a lot of them juggle personal responsibilities and work. For some, this process became more stressful with the implementation of stay-at-home requests and so on. In the early days of the pandemic, when everything felt more uncertain, we did a lot of online meetings, asking everyone to join if they could. It’s important as we can’t just have a quick coffee with someone—we have to be very deliberate about communication, to see how people are doing and ensure they feel comfortable to share things with us.

We realize the coronavirus has had an impact on people. I try to be a bit more open with staff and share my situation. I think myself and other board members have a responsibility to model that stuff as we don’t have anything at risk. It shows people that they can feel comfortable sharing that kind of thing if they want to; they don’t have to hide it.

With such a busy role, how do you manage your time?

My schedule is very unpredictable so I don’t pack it very full. A lot of people in my situation wouldn’t send their kid to after-school care as my daughter is 11. But I choose to put that extra support in place as it gives me up to 12 hours of uninterrupted work time. I don’t feel guilty at all because it’s good for her social development. Quite often I’ll pick her up and she’ll be reluctant to leave.

I also try to add as much ease to my life as possible. I don’t hold myself to very high standards when it comes to meals, housekeeping and so on. There’s a lot of letting go and not putting unrealistic expectations or pressure on myself.

What’s your secret to work-life balance?

I feel like it’s always in waves; sometimes I’m better at it than at other times. I try to get outside, go for walks and get enough sleep. There’s nothing definitive such as always taking weekends off. When there’s an opportunity, I take downtime, as the work is unpredictable. I think my work-life balance is a work in progress. I’ve got support structures in there, too, such as belonging to online groups that provide support, social interaction and a sounding board.

What do you do for fun?

Lots of long walks, preferably listening to podcasts or books. I read a lot and spend time on personal development, such as podcasts, calls and activities. And I get to the beach when I can, which is reasonably often for someone who lives in Saitama.

Hitomi Nomura, The Tartan-Loving Kilt-Maker From Gifu

Kathryn Wortley — Wed, 12 May 2021 01:00:42 +0000

When opportunity knocked, Hitomi Nomura embarked on a two-year journey to become skilled in the traditional art of kilt-making, in the Scottish capital of Edinburgh, before returning to her native Gifu to launch her business, Handmadekilts.com.

Today, she is a handmade kilt and tartan skirt maker, driven by a desire to bring a piece of Scottish culture to Japan. Savvy Tokyo spoke to her to find out how and why.

How did you get into kiltmaking?

I traveled the U.K. in summer 2015—Glasgow, Liverpool, London. Everything fascinated me and I saw a lot of people enjoying life. At the time I was working in the customer service department for an IT company.

Living in Tokyo was full of stress for me and I became curious about life in Scotland because people looked so happy.

After my trip, I would go to the library after work to research the history, culture and lifestyle of the U.K. I learned that each family in Scotland has a tartan, which I thought was so cool. I fell in love with Scotland and wanted to learn more about tartan.

How did you make that happen?

I was going through a tough time in 2017, so my best friend suggested I go to the U.K. on a working holiday visa but I didn’t get it, so I went to Ireland to learn English. While I was there I traveled around Scotland. I found one kilt-making shop where people were looking for their family tartan to get fitted for a wedding. I was so excited; I thought, is it true?

When I arrived back in Ireland, I found out I’d been granted a two-year youth mobility visa for the U.K. I thought, this is my big chance. I began researching kilt-making and sending out inquiries to schools and teachers. I got a reply from Nikki, a kilt-maker in Edinburgh. She offered me an apprenticeship, so I set off for Scotland.

What was it like being an apprentice?

Over seven to eight months I learned how to make several kinds of kilt including the highland dancing kilt, the box-pleated kilt and the tweed kilt. It took about one month to learn how to make each kind. I didn’t know how to sew so Nikki had to teach me every stitch. My first stitch was terrible! The most difficult part was making the pleats; a man’s kilt needs about 40 pleats of 7 millimeters by 7 millimiters, each sewn by hand. It was really hard work but I enjoyed it.

As well as Scottish people, Nikki had many students from abroad—from the Netherlands, Canada, Germany and New Zealand. A lot of them had moved to Scotland or were traveling around Scotland to learn about tartan. I was able to be part of a kilt-making community.

How did you spend the rest of your time in Scotland?

After the apprenticeship, I worked for four or five months making kilts for my host father, host brother and friends. I also worked at a Japanese restaurant before getting a job at a souvenir shop in front of Edinburgh Castle. It was such a great opportunity for me because I met nice people who were not only colleagues but friends, too. I could help Japanese customers to understand Scottish history and buy tartan products. Some of them really love Scotland and are my customers now. Others I guided around or recommended places to go. Working in the shop is when I first thought about setting up a Scotland-related business in Japan.

How did you set up your business?

When I came back to Japan in 2019, I started to make my own website and offer a bespoke kilt-making service. I didn’t expect to receive kilt-making orders; my main product was—and still is—ladies’ tartan skirts. But fortunately, I’ve been able to continue making kilts in Japan. I got an order from an Australian living in Kyoto whose ancestor was from Cornwall and from a Japanese living in Kobe who studied at Glasgow University and wanted a kilt made from Kobe tartan.

Why is bringing tartan and kilts to Japan so important to you?

There is meaning and history behind tartan and kilts. They have been loved for a long time and I want to communicate that to Japanese people. While in Scotland, I learned that kilt-making yields a low profit. It’s difficult to make it a business. But, just as kimono will not disappear in Japan, even if the number of traditional craftspeople falls, the kilt will not disappear either.

If Japanese people know the value of tartan and treasure it, they might want to help the culture to continue by having a kilt.

What dreams do you have for your business?

Lots of brands are working hard to remake kimono into other items. I think it would be great to do this with kilts by making tartan more popular. I made a tartan kimono for a Christmas party in Scotland. The Scottish guests were so pleased with it and said they wanted one. My business is still small but, as soon as possible, I want to make an easy-to-wear tartan kimono for Scottish people.

I hope my business can help the kilt-making industry even a little. The kilt has the power to fascinate people—I know because it happened to me! I hope that my work can trigger people’s interest in Scotland and perhaps even inspire them to visit.

Choosing Slow Fashion With Vintage Kimono-Dress Maker Lia

Kathryn Wortley — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 00:56:00 +0000

Despite her general disinterest in Japanese clothing, which she found too “girly,” Lia saw the potential of using the colorful patterns in Japan’s national dress to make one-of-a-kind outfits for ladies. With the gem of an idea and a passion to create slow fashion that leaves a limited impact on the environment, Tokyo Kaleidoscope was born.

As Lia marks 10 years since her dream began, Savvy Tokyo caught up with her to find out more about her label and how it came to fruition as well as her future plans.

Can you tell us about Tokyo Kaleidoscope?

Tokyo Kaleidoscope is a boutique sustainable slow fashion label that reconstructs vintage kimonos into bespoke designs. I utilize as much of the fabric as possible in each piece in a process I have coined “fabric origami.” I incorporate pleating, to fold away the fabric, and give larger seam allowances. My technique results in minimal waste and allows the piece to be altered in the future or for the fabric to be reused.

What inspired you to set up the platform?

It all began in my university days. I was required to graduate with a business idea, so I planned to launch a sustainable fashion brand in Japan using natural fabrics like silks, linen, and cashmere. But when I arrived in Japan, I saw how much waste there was in fashion and decided I didn’t want to go down that route.

One day I stumbled upon a stall selling vintage kimonos. I had an event that night and decided to use my pattern making skills to create an outfit from one of the kimonos.

I missed the dynamics of Australian fashion: there’s something so free and confident about it, but the kimonos filled the gap

The vintage kimonos had a lot more of the vibrant colors and prints that I love so I saw the potential of using them as a resource for the platform. I’m not a big fan of the everyday fashion I found here in Tokyo; it was a bit too girly and frilly for my liking. I missed the dynamics of Australian fashion: there’s something so free and confident about it, but the kimonos filled the gap.

I started offering a bespoke service to create pieces that individuals wanted, rather than create a larger production line and have items just sitting around. This approach allowed me to develop a more personal relationship with clients, which I think can be lacking in the current climate of online shopping. There’s something so lovely about getting to know an individual and hearing their stories.

What have been the best parts of running the business?

One of the loveliest aspects is seeing how individuals have discovered my work and fallen in love with it. When I have a bad day, as we all do, it really makes all the difference.

And the most difficult aspects?

I have been striving towards Tokyo Kaleidoscope for the past 10 years. It has become a more serious endeavor in the past 4–5 years. It was hard to work in multiple jobs whilst growing it organically and a couple of years after I made the first dress and thought I could make it a business, I had to take a step back and reevaluate if it was what I really wanted.

I had become kind of cynical and downtrodden as I had gone down the typical route into the fashion industry, forging contacts, and meetings. But there was bureaucracy and some blatant sexism. Some men in the industry who were interested in what I was doing even propositioned me at a meeting. I was in my early 20s and had just moved to Japan, not knowing anyone or speaking the language and I became disenchanted with it all. So I took a step back, traveled a bit, had a normal job, and realized that creating Tokyo Kaleidoscope was still something I wanted to do but I was going to do it my way—following the bespoke model.

What sparked your interest in Japan?

I always wanted to live overseas, and I originally thought of London because I wanted to see Europe. My parents met and married there, and my older brother was born there. However, my parents shot down that idea by pointing out that I could barely stand a Melbourne winter and a London winter is much worse. I thought that’s fair—I hate the cold.

I had visited Japan twice prior to moving here and really enjoyed it. Plus, I love Japanese food! So, I thought I could live here. Also, my mother always dressed me in natural fabrics as a child because I had eczema all over my body. When I researched the idea of developing a fashion label using natural fabrics while at university, I discovered Japan has one of the highest rates of eczema in the world so I thought of moving to Japan to see what I could discover.

What is your next challenge or adventure?

Early next year, I’m going to release a limited ready-to-wear capsule line of maxi shirt dresses, which will fit a larger range of sizes. The waistline will be around 85 cm, allowing the individual to simply cinch in the look with a long sash. What I love about the design is that it uses almost the entire kimono, so no one else will have the same shirt dress. Each shirt dress will come with a matching tote bag made from the remaining kimono fabric as well. I also hope to expand the bespoke element of Tokyo Kaleidoscope by introducing bespoke men’s short-sleeve shirts, too.

There’s something so lovely about getting to know an individual and hearing their stories.

Adventure-wise, I hope to travel again. I had a trip to Eastern Europe planned for this summer which didn’t happen. I’d love to visit there next year and be able to visit my hometown of Melbourne where I was meant to be this Christmas. So far, this year’s adventures have been about exploring more unknown places in Japan.

What do you do when you’re not working?

If I’m not working on Tokyo Kaleidoscope, I’m working on my Ryokan Wanderings blog, which documents various prefectures and ryokans I’ve stayed at. These generally have a private onsen in the room. It’s hard to find information about ryokans with private onsen in English so I thought that this blog would document my experiences and give me another creative outlet other than sewing. My plan is to add details of minshuku [guesthouses] that I’ve stayed at across Japan.

Apart from work, I enjoy simply finding a moment to sit down and read, or cycle around my local area, stopping at vintage shops, little boutiques, and so on.

Educating, Empowering And Embracing One’s Half-Japanese Heritage

Kathryn Wortley — Fri, 06 Nov 2020 00:56:13 +0000

Savvy Tokyo sat down with Nina Cataldo to find out more about the group, why it is important to her, and how it serves its community.

Tell us a little about Hafu Ladies.

We have three pillars: to educate, to empower, and to embrace. Members typically have a connection to Japan in a racial or ethnic sense, but we also have members who are culturally Japanese. A third are in the United States and almost half are 25-34 years old, but we try to make it a diverse community where anyone with our shared heritage can come together.

Quite a few members tell me it is a community where they are understood. They never felt like they were allowed to be Japanese because they didn’t speak the language. Realizing they were accepted no matter their language was a turning point. But you don’t have to be struggling with your identity to benefit from the community. Members have become great friends: a global community and sisterhood that count on each other.

I wanted to create a safe community for hafu women to discuss things—that could be more than just a space to find the next social gathering

How and why did you start Hafu Ladies?

There were about 20 hafu Facebook communities, but none focusing on women. I wanted to create a safe community for hafu women to discuss things—that could be more than just a space to find the next social gathering. I asked some half-Japanese friends about the idea who said it sounded awesome. Hafu Ladies started with those six members in a private Facebook group.

Historically, there has been debate on the word hafu. How did you decide on the name Hafu Ladies?

Most times I know of, it has been Western parents who have been uncomfortable with the word. There is also a generational difference. I know half-Japanese people in their sixties who have bad experiences with the word. For my generation, hafu is a sense of pride. But it’s a word that I only became comfortable with about four years ago. I grew up with my parents telling me I was daburu (double) not hafu, so I resisted using it and didn’t feel good when people called me hafu when I moved back here five years ago. But then I found the hafu community on Facebook. The majority of hafu, including myself, say hafu has developed into a word that connects us, that people know us as.

What has been your biggest challenge with the group?

The racial tension related to the Black Lives Matter movement in the group. I had to learn how—while respecting people’s opinions—to lead the community in a way that is not triggering and still welcoming. As part of our education pillar, we must be willing to learn from others. That means keeping the peace while keeping space for the discussion.

How has Covid-19 impacted the group?

Before the lockdown, we surveyed members about the events they wanted. Many were upset there weren’t events in their area, whether that was Osaka or the US. When the pandemic hit and we were all stuck inside, we explored what we could do online. Virtual events brought opportunities for speakers outside of Japan and took away logistics stress. We’ve now held virtual yoga, belly dancing and movement classes, academic reading circle, and discussions around identity and language. It has made our community more interconnected.

coming here after college, I thought I was going to be treated like a normal Japanese person only to find that I wasn’t

Why is Hafu Ladies so important to you?

It’s something that I didn’t have growing up in the US, where I blended in. Coming here after college, I thought I was going to be treated like a normal Japanese person only to find that I wasn’t. I had a tough time coming to terms with how I was supposed to interact with society. There are such high expectations, especially in Japan, where people think all hafu are beautiful, speak English, and have traveled the world. The reality is that so many half-Japanese people only speak one language and are not part white. I want this community to be a place where people can be proud of who they are.

Do you think the group can impact society?

I think there’s hope. I’ve done workshops in Japan and in Japanese communities about the truth of hafu, that it’s not all rainbows and butterflies. People said afterward that they never realized hafu go through struggles. Those simple realizations have an impact.

I want to give people the strength to speak about their experiences. The more that happens, the more we can change people’s view of us and of mixed-race people in general. I hope that being mixed-race or international becomes more normalized in Japan.

What plans do you have for the group?

I want to create a support network for parents with hafu daughters and start a mentorship for hafu girls and the wider community. I’m also interested in online and physical retreats.

What skills help you run Hafu Ladies?

My background is in public relations, communications, and event planning, which helps a lot with managing the group. As a writer, being able to craft anything from a simple post to telling the story of our community has been important, too.

I want to give people the strength to speak about their experiences. The more that happens, the more we can change people’s view of us and of mixed-race people in general

How has Covid-19 affected you?

Aside from bringing stress and worry, it has been a positive time for me to focus on my priorities. As a mega extravert, I was always out before and Covid has slowed that down. I’ve spent more time with myself than ever and learned to really enjoy that. It has been an interesting, transformative time.

What do you do in your free time?

Everything blends together, especially now when it all happens at home! Recently I’ve started golfing. But work is my free time. I love thinking about the next big idea or event. I’m also still traveling in safe ways, like road trips, and I watch Netflix and do journaling.

Exploring A Creative Outlet With Kaila Ocampo

Kathryn Wortley — Fri, 04 Sep 2020 00:06:47 +0000

Savvy Tokyo sat down with Kaila Ocampo, the Filipina entrepreneur, to find out the story behind Rainbowholic, her Saitama-based kawaii stationery and lifestyle products business.

What brought you to Japan?

It was my dream to come to Japan. I grew up watching anime, and my brother brought me souvenirs when he was an exchange student here. When I graduated from college, he helped me get into a language school in Tokyo in 2011. After completing my course at the school, I worked with my brother in his e-commerce company and then got a job as an English teacher at a school.

What got you interested in Japanese stationery and why is it so special?

Growing up, kids in my school exchanged letter writing sets. My family didn’t have much money so I would make my own sets, but I never really used them; I just collected and exchanged them. One time, a Japanese exchange student gave me a cute stationery pouch from Japan. I was so amazed by it. Now I laugh because it was from the 100-yen shop Daiso. Back then, the Philippines imported mostly Korean or Chinese stationery, so Japanese stationery blew me away.

When I came here, I thought it was like another world for stationery. Japanese stationery combines three important elements: high quality, cute aesthetics, and functionality. There is even stationery specially made for seasons and events like Children’s Day. Having stationery for every occasion is particularly charming. For any stationery lover, I think Japan is a paradise.

Japanese stationery combines three important elements: high quality, cute aesthetics, and functionality.[…]For any stationery lover, I think Japan is a paradise

How did you get into journaling?

Journaling started for me at school when I was asked to keep a reading journal to improve my English. I liked sticking things in it and being creative. While at college, I was rejected twice for a visa to visit my brother in Japan. Both times, I turned to journaling to express my dream of setting foot in Japan.

Why did you decide to start your own business?

It was accidental. I had a blog called Rainbowholic (now inactive) and was looking for another channel for my work, so I began YouTubing about journaling. The viewers started asking where they could buy the products I featured, and I realized I could fill the gap with a small stationery shop.

I relaunched Rainbowholic as a shop in 2016. It was meant to be a side hustle, but my family was in financial trouble, so I decided to make it a full-time business—I wanted it to benefit us all. I quit my job and my boyfriend quit his job in securities and became my business partner. For good luck, we registered the business on the first business day of the new Reiwa era, which was May 7, 2019. At first, people were surprised that kawaii stationery could be a business but, more than a year later, we’re still here.

My degree in advertising management and background in e-commerce, customer service, packing and logistics has really helped build the business. It has made me resourceful and given me the solution-orientated mindset to build my business dream here with my partner.

What kind of services and products do you offer and why?

We get about 80% of our business from Patreon—people pledge each month and I mail them rewards in the form of stationery. When I started I had only five patrons, now we have around 400 patrons.

We also have the Rainbowholic shop, which sells cutely packaged tea. When people journal, they want to relax so we are trying to promote an entire kawaii lifestyle and kawaii journaling experience.

What do you like most about kawaii journaling?

It doesn’t have any rules, anyone can do it and it is interpreted differently by every person. Someone might make a journal spread that I think is a little bit dark. For them, it’s kawaii; I think that’s cool. Kawaii journaling is about freedom and self-expression. The spreads are like art. Sometimes when you are not contented with the pages you create, you want to rip them out. I want to show that you can instead find a creative way to cover up your mistake or make something out of it.

What challenges have you faced in the business and how have you overcome them?

Building the capital for the business was hard but Covid-19 has been the biggest challenge. We rely on Japan Post but, because of the pandemic, they suspended international mail to some countries, including the United States and Australia, which make up about 50% of our clients. Thankfully, our clients have supported us and kept pledging, trusting us even though we couldn’t ship to them. It showed me that even in this pandemic, we cannot give up because there are people rooting for us.

There have been reports on the mental health benefits of journaling. What can it offer people?

A few years ago, I found out I had PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder). It’s like extreme PMS. It means I cannot control my thoughts before my period, so I release my stress by using stationery. Even if I have a bad day, I journal—and I’m going to make it cute!

People contact us and say they have got to know themselves better because of journaling. It’s a creative outlet that helps to release built-up stress. I recommend it because it is very therapeutic. People do journaling as a form of self-care and to connect with others via our kawaii journaling community on Facebook.

even if I have a bad day, I journal—and I’m going to make it cute!

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

Because of the pandemic, I’m mostly playing Animal Crossing, watching Korean dramas, and trying to journal just for myself. But when your hobby becomes your job, you have to find another hobby, so I’m trying to do many new things, too.

Don’t hesitate to follow Kaila Ocampo on her Instagram account to indulge yourself in the most kawaii journaling and Japanese stationery collection ever!

Launching And Nurturing An Online Community In Japan With Amanda McCready

Kathryn Wortley — Thu, 30 Jul 2020 00:17:10 +0000

Savvy Tokyo sat down with Amanda to find out how it all started, what challenges she has faced, and how her altruistic action has helped her, as well as her community.

Why did you set up TEN?

I attended Tokyo Here & Now, a two-day program run by Tokyo American Club to help newcomers settle into Tokyo. It was amazing. We learned so much. We were able to ask so many questions and get the answers right then. I thought, what happens afterward when we have a question about our new lives here?

Then I remembered a group called Singapore Expat Wives. I had found it on Facebook while I was living in Singapore, where I lived before Tokyo. It helped people in all aspects of their lives—that’s the magic of social media. I decided to set up a similar group for Tokyo, so expats here could cast a wider net to get the answers they couldn’t find elsewhere.

TEN is there to help. TEN was created as a place for asking difficult or obscure questions, and getting and sharing information

To this day, if someone is looking for an answer, when Google comes up short, TEN is there to help. TEN was created as a place for asking difficult or obscure questions, and getting and sharing information.

From approving posts and requests to join, to the general maintenance of the page, there is a lot to do. How do you manage?

Last year I added two wonderful admins, who are awesome. Having them help me has let me get more sleep. When I’m in the States in the summer or winter, I don’t feel like I have to get up in the middle of the night and approve posts. And it means I don’t have to check it constantly because we share the tasks.

Having more admins approve posts also gives a better flow to the group because posts can go up frequently throughout the day. We also can decide as a team on whether to approve tricky posts. We have rules, but some posts don’t fit perfectly within the guidelines. We can decide together if the post will help the community or if it is more appropriate for someone’s Facebook wall. I really appreciate their feedback on those posts.

How has TEN evolved?

There are always lots of similar questions and only a small percentage of the group actually sees posts that members make, so we are trying to utilize a section within our group called Units to address frequently asked questions in one place. It’s like a file of things that everyone can see and comment on. I’d love to utilize Units a bit more in the future to serve as a quick and handy resource for our members.

We’ve also extended our Show It Off Weekends (SIOW) to 72 hours, from noon Friday to noon Monday. That’s helped businesspeople because they can promote their product or service on workdays, too. When we started SIOW, our biggest purpose was to help grow businesses and give bloggers an opportunity to share what they are doing. Now it’s also an opportunity for people to connect. SIOW is open to all members, so many members also share projects and hobbies and, when members comment, we hope they strike up a friendship.

[…]when someone is looking for a photographer[…], they can Go to Unit 4 and find all of the photographers on TEN with links to their work and websites

This past month, we added Unit 4 to also serve business owners that advertise during SIOW. Unit 4 is the Yellow Pages of TEN. It is a work in progress, but now when someone is looking for a photographer, for example, instead of asking a question, they can Go to Unit 4 and find all of the photographers on TEN with links to their work and websites. We hope it will become a great resource for our members.

How is TEN helping the community during the Covid-19 crisis?

I think TEN’s collective mind in really valuable, especially now when a lot of us are staying home and looking for things online. We normally have 30-40 posts per day but since the outbreak, we’ve had 80-90 per day, sometimes even more. I think people are looking to TEN for answers. We’ve also been asking businesses to post any special offers they have, so members can help businesses that are hurting at the moment.

We are very sensitive to the fact that sometimes there is too much information available. With Covid-19, there are some people that can’t get enough information, and others are overwhelmed. For this reason, we decided to categorize all Covid-19 related posts under Unit 5. This lets people have discussions, post articles, share ideas of what to do, as well as mental health tips and more, in real-time, because they can post in the comments of each post. Some members were disappointed their information didn’t get its own separate post, but we felt this was a healthier way to handle the situation for the group as a whole.

How have you changed since your journey began with TEN?

TEN has definitely challenged me. I would say I’m an extroverted introvert. My husband says I “can talk a dog off a meat wagon,” but I really enjoy being at home. Because I haven’t worked for a long time, I also volunteer. This past year, I was the communications director for the PTA. I was put in that role because people in our school community noticed how I built and fostered TEN. This year somebody thought it was wise to make me PTA president, so I’ve been having fun in that role now, too. It’s a great opportunity to meet and connect with people. I’m a stay-at-home mom, but I’ve been developing leadership and people skills through my work on TEN. There have been times I’ve thought “what have I got myself into?” but TEN has been a fun challenge so far.

What do you do when you’re not managing TEN?

I love to work out. I spend a lot of time doing that. I love photography. My kids are athletic, so I love going to their sports events and being involved with their teams. Obviously, I do a lot of PTA stuff. I truly enjoy being out in Tokyo, sometimes it’s exploring the backstreets with my camera, having a meal with family or friends, and sometimes its crazy adventures with groups of friends. Right now, I miss all of that terribly.

What the future hold for TEN?

The group is still growing. It’s one of the groups that HR departments and new schools tell their new employees to join. I know because prospective members often give their reason for joining when they apply.

TEN doesn’t have to stay the same forever. It should always serve its purpose, and if that means we have to change how we do something, I’m happy with that. Also, Facebook is always developing, so I’m always thinking of how to use new features, to make TEN better.

I hope someday to have events; I’ve been talking about this for a long time. I think they would be well attended, especially after this coronavirus crisis. I think members would be excited to be able to get together, and I think it would be very healing. There are so many standout members in the group. I want them all in the room. It would be so fun.