Interviewer: Where were you born?
Tachi: Umm here. Quite close to Seijo, I was born in the National center for child health and development, in Setagaya city, so yeah I was born quite close to my house. And soon after I was born, my father was told to transfer to Nishinomiya city, Hyogo prefecture. So I lived there for about 1-2 years, but came back soon.
Interviewer: Do you still remember the time you were in Hyogo?
Tachi: Yeah I do. When I wasn’t still in kindergarten, I used to accompany my parents and visit my sister’s school observation day. She’s 3 years older than me. And since I was very young, I had no idea what I was doing. I would hug someone randomly in her classroom, cuz I thought they were my mom. I just remember that so much. So I came back here, Seijo, and attended a kindergarten called Yukari Bunka kindergarten. It was a heart focused school. Curriculum included drama class and mandatory drawing lessons. Since the kindergarten was designed by a famous architect, the building itself was elaborately designed. So yeah I was in a pretty much creative environment in kindergarten.
Interviewer: Then you just went straight to elementary school?
Tachi: Yeah I went to a public elementary school that was the closest school from my house. The Sasahara elementary school I attended was quite small.
Interviewer: What kind of elementary school student were you?
Tachi: I really liked drawing and animals. I mean I did do some sports, like dodgeball with my friends. But the boys around me were doing either soccer or baseball, and it was just me drawing. lol so yeah I was the drawing boy.
Interviewer: Why do you like animals?
Tachi: Well I loved dinosaurs. I mean I’m not sure why I loved animals, I guess the more I drew the more I started liking animals too. Yeah right now I don’t draw that much but back then, I drew manga and stuff. But in high school I chose music over art because I didn't really like the concept of being graded for art.
Interviewer: Did you take the junior high school entrance examination?
Tachi: Yeah I did. I think that was the time I studied the most in my life, so yeah probably the peak lol I would study more than half of the day facing my desk. The time I felt my brain grow the most.
Interviewer: What subject did you like the most?
Tachi: Well I guess I liked science the most. Right now I’m not a science person, but back then since I loved animals and dinosaurs, I liked geography and biology. Other subjects were quite the same.
Interviewer: Are there any particular events that stand out in your mind in elementary school?
Tachi: Hmmmm… oh I went on the Kawaba school trip. Kawaba is a place in Gunma prefecture, and every elementary student in Setagaya(part of Tokyo)will visit there in their fifth grade. And in sixth grade, we would visit Nikko Toshogu shrine, which is located in Tochigi prefecture. But in Kawaba, we would do camp firing and agri-tourism, like picking apples and drinking the juice. I don’t think there were any animals but it was fun and we did some hiking as well. In Nikko, we claimed some mountains. I did feel like “what are we doing”, but yeah it was memorable.
Interviewer: How about middle school?
Tachi: I did karate for six years from middle school to high school. At first I wanted to do some sports, so I was looking around and found out about Karate. When I went inside the Budokan( a place where you do Japanese material art) for the first time, I saw two people wearing helmets and fighting. And I thought “what!?” and felt like it was somehow similar to science fiction. I was simply interested, and since I also liked movies, like “the best kid” , I really like that one. My image for Karate was really linked with that. You know how uncle Nari would impart his skills to his followers, right? So I was quite adriming that so I thought I should give it a try. But at first it was quite hard since I never really did sports before. Quite tough but yeah I made it through with Seki and Watando(two club mates). Looking back now it’s quite funny cuz those two are crazy lol. Also since my school was quite far from my house, my lifestyle literally changed a lot. My elementary school were close but suddenly my middle school was in Kanagawa, which took me 2 hours to get there. Well I did get used to it gradually, but yeah the environment changed so much. Like I felt like I was going to a different country just to teach myself lol. People in my school were really unique as well, you know. I was in 1A(class name). So yeah it was really diverse.
Interviewer: Do you have any memorial events in your middle school? Like there were chorus contests, sports festivals, school festivals and stuff right?
Tachi: Hmmm I feel like the chorus contest is such a “Japan” thing lol. Like the process of deciding the music director, piano accompanist, and practicing is quite unique. There were also class competitions in the sports festival and cultural festival. I guess there were a lot of school events like school trips and such. It was a relaxed and carefree environment as well.
Interviewer: Do you think it was a good decision to attend Keio SFC?(middle school and high school)
Tachi: Yeah it was nice. Well to begin, the brand of Keio hahaha. But well it’s definitely a special school. Like even listening to people from other universities, I don’t think there’s a place with such diverse students and teachers. The environment too, cuz it's a school standing alone in the countryside, with a beautiful nature, and everyone’s doing what they love. So yeah how do I say, it was really peaceful. There were really no fights and stuff as well.
Interviewer: Do you have any unique teachers you remember ?
Tachi: There are a lot of them. but well let me think.. maybe one geology teacher. I feel like they have this one thing they really love. But yeah I feel like they were all nice teachers, and they were also playful. Yeah overall very peaceful.
Interviewer: Do you have anything you didn’t like about SFC?
Tachi: Too far. Haha And it stinks too haha
Interviewer: Do you have anything you wish you’ve done in middle school?
Tachi: Hmmm well I guess it was too peaceful in a way. Like… how do I say this. You know it’s quite peculiar compared to other schools. For example the relationships between the boys and girls. Well it was quite tenuous. Maybe only our class but yeah. No like they’re really nice people with communication skills but well idk… what was wrong or off. I mean there were many kinds of people but…well it’s like if you stand out, you’ll get knocked down haha. For example if there’s a guy who approaches a girl, people will be like “OMG”. So yeah it's quite similar to a small village, and people would keep an eye on each other. It’s a very limited community. So I think this was something very unique and also bad and good in a way.
Interviewer: Did anything change after entering high school?
Tachi: More people joined the Karate club, and well yeah it got interesting. I mean I liked it that way. To be honest I don’t really remember about the middle school Karate club, cuz I was quite stretched to the limit.
Interviewer: Did you study abroad somewhere?
Tachi: Ah yeah! I went to the UK for about 2-3 weeks when I was in 2nd grade of high school. It was quite eye-opening. Like the class style there was completely different, and the students would raise their hand and engage a lot. I feel like many students in SFC studied abroad. I mean there were a lot of returnees(students who lived abroad and came back) and also students from the countryside.
Interviewer: What did you think about the returnees?
Tachi: To be very honest, I was put off by them. I mean I simply thought they were great but the more I talk with them, I realize they’re the same people as I am. Same people, same Japanese. I really thought at first that they would only speak English but yeah they were essentially Japanese. Even more talkative than Japanese people, I mean they ARE Japanese. Well I think that’s quite it for high school. I didn’t really fall in love or anything, quite filled with study and club activities, but yeah it was fun.
Interviewer: How about the Karate Kanto Tournament(the Eastern Japan Tournament)
Tachi: OHH right I definitely need to talk about that. My karate club finally made it to the Kanto Tournament with the category called Team Kumite(the type of Karate where you fight with another team). I think it was quite a deal at my school. And the Kanagawa prefecture has a large karate population and many strong teams as well. But there were these two really strong teams and the third strongest fought with them so yeah we had a seat for the tournament. But yeah we really did well, cuz the year before that, we lost in the very first round and we were all really sad. But with Seki(captain) in the middle, we changed the practicing menu and started working hard, encouraging each other. And after all, we won against the team we lost the year before, and made it to the 3rd place. So yeah it was very fascinating, and the tournament was fun. Our coach was really great as well, and yeah since he was the president of our high school it was really special. We went to Utsunomiya for the tournament, and we had sooo much fun. It would’ve been crazy if the alcohol kicked in haha. We were really doing some high school boy stuff, you know. Feel like it was a special way to enjoy high school. It was a really good club.
Interviewer: And then you went to college?
Tachi: Yeah, I chose the faculty of economics, but didn’t really have any reason for it. It was pretty much the last choice for me. Well I didn’t really have much knowledge about economics in high school, so I got quite interested, and I also thought it can’t be useless in the future so yeah. But there were some people who had quite strong motives and objections to learn Econ.qq So I thought it’s quite free, and it’s quite meaningful as well.
Interviewer: We didn’t have any entrance exams, right? Do you have any thoughts on this?
Tachi: Right, I simply thought I was lucky haha
Interviewer: Do you feel like those who didn’t take the entrance exam have a difference from other students?
Tachi: Definitely. I mean people who are smart are very smart. And they’re really thoughtful actors. Feel like my lack of seriousness is…showing now. To be honest, classes are really not that hard in Japan, I mean ofc there are classes we need to take seriously, cuz it’s mandatory, but yeah most of the people in Econ are considering uni as a brand. Like they just want the credits.
Interviewer: Do you think there’s something unique about Keio?
Tachi: Hmmm well there’s a lot of inside community. Like there’s a thing called Mita-Kai(Alumni community) and people are proud about Keio, and they’re still living off their past. And yeah there’s also this thing called Soukei-sen, where our school would play baseball against other prestigious schools, and I really think this is quite special.
Interviewer: Do you like Keio?
Tachi: I love Keio haha. It might seem like I was saying some bad stuff but I really love Keio haha. In society, the school is perceived as having a sparkling image, and some would consider Keio as a flashy school, but if you actually enter, you’ll know there’s a diverse range of people. Especially SFC, but also in the Mita campus, there’s many kinds of people, so you can’t really define them in one picture, you know.
Interviewer: Are you in any circles(club in university)?
Tachi: I’m in the golf circle. Well there are two reasons why I started. One is that my parents were doing it so I had their golf equipment, and they could also teach me. The second reason was because I heard that the atmosphere of that golf club was very nice from my seniors. So yeah many people told me that it would be fun, so I visited their recruitment event, and I also thought it was fun so I joined. But to be honest, I couldn’t really engage because of COVID, but the time has come to decide the next executives, and even though I didn’t engage, I became the leader of the squad lol.
Interviewer: How many people are there in your club?
Tachi: Around 300 people. About 150 people joined my grade, but now there are only about 50 people, and 200 people joined this year. I think golf is getting popular in Japan. Maybe because of COVID not sure.
Interviewer: Do you golf often?
Tachi: Well it’s a very laid-back circle so people do it when they want to, so some people won’t do it at all. The club activities in Japan are very relaxed and easy lol.
Interviewer: Do you drink a lot? (Many club activities include drinking)
Tachi: Not really. Our circle doesn't really drink, but because there’s a lot of people in my circle, it’s like a whole university, and some people would drink and do their stuff but most of the people are quite earnest.
Interviewer: Okay what are you busy doing these days?
Tachi: Right now I'm job hunting, academics, and internships. I started doing an internship last year.
Interviewer: What kind of internship is it?
Tachi: It’s an intern in charge of managing social media advertising. So in Japan, there’s this thing called “Mr. Contest”, I’ll start from explaining about this lol.
Interviewer: Right! That was such a big event!
Tachi: Right so I participated last year around this time, and what we did was through instagram and twitter(x), we would showcase ourselves, build a fanbase, encourage them to vote for ourselves. Then, as finalists, we competed against each other based on the number of voters. Before this experience, I never really bothered with promoting myself on social media. But after diving into it and getting people engaged through Instagram, I found it quite fun. It sparked my interest, and by the end of summer break, I found this internship. It's all about social media advertising, specifically on Instagram, so I thought why not give it a shot? So yeah it’s been six months now.
Interviewer: What kind of things were you promoting at that time in your “Mr. Contest” era?
Tachi: Hmm well, to be honest, I didn’t really think a lot when I was appealing about myself haha. Yeah I felt quite lonely, to be honest, cuz I was operating it all by myself. I had to think about when and what to promote about myself. So maybe it helped me build some strength to do things properly. My manager didn’t do much haha. But it was really fun. Cuz I met people that I would’ve never met if I didn’t join this contest. I realized that there were so many kinds of people in Keio, like some who had completely white hair. I also met some people in other universities. Also made a girlfriend. And also made friends with some creative people. So I definitely think it was a good choice to do this contest.
Interviewer: Right. Going back to the question before, but how is your job hunting going? Is it though?
Tachi: So these days in Japan, many folks tend to focus heavily on summer internships right before their main job hunting season kicks off. Especially this year, the trend seems to be even stronger, with everyone around me hustling and bustling, feeling the pressure.
Interviewer: But you’re already doing your internship, so you’re not really in a rush?
Tachi: No, I’m in a rush haha. I'm nowhere near relaxed. Cuz this internship I've been doing for six months is a long-term one, and while I can say I've put in the effort during my student days, whether it directly relates to the job I want is kind of up in the air. I'm currently thinking about immersing myself in internships at companies I really want to work for. I think a lot of people are considering the same thing.
Interviewer: What do you wanna do in the future?
Tachi: Basically, I'm aiming for a job that resonates with people, you know? I’ve been eyeing stuff in media and advertising, and based on my own experiences, I'm leaning towards work that moves people's hearts through social media. Had a blast with that kinda thing in the past, and I reckon it'd be fulfilling if it brings happiness to others through what I do. I just hope it materializes into something tangible, you know? That's why I'm keen on pursuing a job like that.
Interviewer: So you want to convey something?
Tachi: Yep, I wanna create stuff that catches people's eyes and put it out there for everyone to see. So yeah I'm hoping to do work that meets the expectations and brings happiness to those people. Yeah, it's a bit rough around the edges, but that's the gist of it.
Interviewer: Nice so something like an influencer who creates empathy?
Tachi: Yeah it's a bit too trendy, but yeah, that's the vibe.
Interviewer: Do you have any hobbies?
Tachi: I love movies. It’s so hard to choose one genre, but I think each one of them has its own greatness.
Interviewer: Do you like horror?
Tachi: I love horror. Horror's like my top or second favorite genre. Weirdly, I'm into that creepy stuff. Might come off as a bit twisted haha. Pinning down exactly what I like about horror? Tough one. But I dig the realistic stuff. Lately, I've been really into Korean horror flicks. They're seriously terrifying and gory, which is probably why they're blowing up lately. You gotta check 'em out, they'll give you a good scare.
Interviewer: Kinda out of the blue, but what do you like or hate about Japan?
Tachi: I think people in Japan are kind. It feels like everyone tries not to make enemies. Maybe it's just in my circle, but I think everyone is genuinely nice, for better or worse. It's like everyone is considerate, which creates a kind world, but sometimes it feels like there's not much excitement or stimulation.
Interviewer: Recently there was an incident where ex-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe got shot. What’s your take on that?
Tachi: Very political haha. I mean, it was very shocking. Japan's known for being a peaceful place, so it's like that backfired big time. We all thought, “Guns? Nah, not here.” But then he got shot from like three meters away. That's something you don't expect to happen, right? Because it's peaceful, everyone's like, “Oh, it'll be fine.” But now it's like, maybe we need to wake up to reality. We need people to step up and say, “This is messed up”.
Interviewer: What is Japan to you?
Tachi: Hmmmm… Japan's my homeland, I mean that’s too obvious lol. That's a tough question. I'm glad to be Japanese. Food's amazing, you know? Japan's just... it's hard to put into words. Maybe 'myself' is the answer. Being here, it's tough to think about Japan from an outsider's perspective, so it's hard to answer when asked. Honestly, I think it's a great country. Kinda sounds shallow, huh? *laughs*
Interviewer: Do you have any last words?
Tachi: Am I going to die or something? *laughs* Well, definitely come visit Japan sometime. It's truly a one-of-a-kind place. Being an island nation, it's got its own unique culture, and everyone's friendly, plus the food's amazing. You'll have a blast if you come over for a visit.
Interviewer: Do you have any recommended spots to visit?
Tachi: You could go karaoke or bowling, that's fun too. And definitely gotta try some ramen while you're in Japan. Oh, and checking out local shrines around the neighborhood can give you a taste of Japan's history. You don't have to hit up all the famous UNESCO sites; you can feel the essence of Japan in these smaller shrines and such. They've got this charm to them, you know? Plus, you get to see the unique vibe of each region, especially during festivals. Summer's hot, but if you're into that, it's cool. Personally, I'm not a fan of summer—it's my least favorite season. I sweat a lot, so I used to get called “slug” *laughs*
Interviewer: Is Japan a country of “wabi-sabi”?
Tachi: No doubt. Japan has a unique charm that you won't find elsewhere, especially in art and such. I think the subtlety of Japanese emotions embodies the essence of “wabi-sabi”.