そう言えば俺は「木工作家」なるものになりたくて独立したのだったことを思い出した。たった二年できれいサッパリ辞めることになるのだが、今となってはどうでも良い。早い段階で「一人じゃなんにも出来ねえ」ってことが知れて良かったと思っている。生き残っていく為には、投資した時間や金に執着しないで時にはサッパリ諦めて、トライ＆エラーの回転数を出来るだけ速くすることが重要だと今は思うからだ。日、月、年といろんな回転軸が持てるとイイと思う。独立してすぐの25歳から、ありがたい事に百貨店の催事で「全国クラフトフェアー」や「椅子のオーダー相談会」「実演販売」などに呼んでもらえる機会を得た。なかなか出入りするのが難しい百貨店に独立１年目から呼んでもらえて、木工作家としての第一歩だ！なんて浮かれていたが、すぐに「そんな甘くない」を知る。今思えば、超アマちゃんだが当時はそれなりの自信があった。きっと10年後には今を振り返って同じように思うのだろうが。。売り場には北海道から九州まで全国の家具作家が集まっていた。隣のブースは集成材の板をBOX状にした組み立て家具。俺の家具はカンナやカタナを駆使した無垢材の削り出し。余裕で通用するな〜なんて思った。正直に言うと「勝ったな！」なんて思ってた。ココから先は想像どおり。俺の家具は全く売れない。隣のおじさんの家具はバンバン売れる。２週間の期間が終わって売上の差は１０倍以上だと思う。イヤでも気付く。彼には数十年を継続した歴史があるのだということ。それに伴う顧客がいた。数十年も掛けて積み上げられた「売る環境」があるのだ。そして、人に使ってもらえて初めて商品としての価値があるのだ。作るだけじゃない。知ってもらい販売に繋げる努力の継続。当たり前だが、そうして持続可能なものづくりが出来るのだと知る。俺には作るしかない。だから人に使ってもらえない。商品としての価値が無いのと等しいという事を知る。そんな当たり前も知らずに調子に乗って独立してしまったのだ。俺と、このおじさん。。勝つとか負けるとかじゃない。数十年の積み上げの差。次元が違う。恥ずかしくなった。そんな事を１年繰り返した。結果はどれも散々。惨敗だった。ある催事で、修業時代から目をかけてくれている営業マンの三浦さんが販売の手伝いに来てくれた。「良い家具つくってんだから〜自信もてよ〜」でもやはり惨敗だった。なんの継続も無い人間に社会で結果なんて出るはずが無い。三浦さんにも申し訳ないと思った。その夜、二人でラーメンを食べた。なんだか急に泣けてきた。「オイオイ！ど〜したんだよ〜情けねえな〜男だろ〜」江戸弁で言いながら三浦さんも泣き始めた。「悔しいな〜」二人で言いながら嗚咽した。26歳と70歳が嗚咽しながらラーメンを食ってる様は、周りから見れば異様な光景だっただろう。こちらを伺っていた大学生らしき若者数人に「見せモンじゃねんだよコラァ！！」26歳と70歳で当たり散らした。とにかく悔しかった。そして、木工作家はきれいサッパリやめることにした。人よりちょっと作れる位じゃどうにもなんねえ。このまま続けたら、何となくメシは食えるようになるだろう。でもそうじゃない。世界一になりたいんだ。歴史を創りたいんだ。目標は変えない。なぜなら、先輩達から引き継いだバトンを最高のカタチで後輩達に繋ぎたいからだ。俺一人では、それを叶えるための能力は無いってことを思い知らされた。だったら、チームとして目指そう！に切り替えた。小さくても良い。役割分担ができる組織を創ろう。んで、俺は人よりちょっと作れるじゃなくて圧倒的に作れるってところまで、ものづくりを突き詰めようと思った。まず一年前に喧嘩別れした亀井に声を掛ける。断られるも半年かけて口説く。環境整備のため、出来る仕事は何でもやろう。１年で1000万貯める。工場を引っ越そう。設備を入れよう。若い衆を雇おう。10ヶ月で叶えた。人材育成が始まる。イイ子達に恵まれているにも関わらず定着しない。全て俺の問題だと知るのに10年かかった。今は、本当にスゲー奴らに恵まれたと思う。神様だか仏様だかに感謝する。そんで、やっぱり。世界一になりたいんだ。歴史を創りたいんだ。引き継いだバトンを最高のカタチで繋ぎたいんだ。チームとして叶えるんだ。なんつってまた俺のアホみたいな話で前置きが長くなっちゃった。。。「ウチの若い衆」次回から本番！世界一の若い衆たちだ。 I have remembered I had started my own business to become a creator of woodworks. I completely gave it up just after 2 years later, which I do not care now. I think it turned out to be the best because I realized "I cannot do anything by myself." In early stage. Now I think it is very important to increase turn over of trial and error with giving up investments in time and money in order to survive. It would be good to have multiple timelines measured in day, month, and year. Thankfully, I had opportunities to have "crafts chair fair across Japan", "ordering session for chairs", "demonstration sales fair" hosted by department stores when I was 25 years old just after establishing own company. I was in merry and playful mode recognizing as the first step of a creator of woodworks with offers from department stores, with which it would be difficult to do business, in first year of the company. I have realized "It is not such easy" in a moment. In hindsight, I was super naive while I had decent self-confidence at that time. Probably 10 year later I would recognize myself as same looking back now. Craftsman all over Japan from Hokkaido to Kyushu were invited in those fairs. Ready-to-Assembly furniture consist of box made of laminated wood slab were sold at the Booth next to mine. My products are made from solid wood with planes and blades fully utilized. I thought my products work no sweat. To be honest I thought "I won !". Then, things go as you expect. My products were never sold. Products of old guy next to my booth were sold as flying out from the store. The difference in sales in 2 weeks fair would be more than 10 times. I have noticed whether I like or not. He had a history of dozens of consecutive years of business. He has clients associated with his history. He has "Selling Environment" piling up in dozens of years. And products would become valuable only when they are used by clients. Manufacturing would not be good enough. Continuous efforts making own products visible to clients resulting in sales. It would be too obvious, however, I have realized it would be fundamental of sustainable manufacturing. I was capable in just making products. So, others would not use them. My works would not have almost no valuable as products. I have become independent intoxicated with my capability in making furniture without knowing such obvious matters. I myself and that old person. It was not matter of win or lose. The difference in piling up of experiences. It would be indifferent dimension. I was Same of me. I have experienced something similar to above for about one year. Results were all terrible crashing defeats. At a certain fair, Miura-san, sales person who has been looking after me since my training era, came to help. "Please be proud of yourself who make good products. However, it was another crashing defeat. Person who has no business history cannot bring good social results.I felt sorry for Miura-san. That night, we eat ramen-noodle. Suddenly I cannot help from crying. "Hey ! What happened to you, I would be disappointed to se you crying, be a man !" Saying above, Miura-san also started crying. "So disappointed" We cried saying so. It should be extraordinary scene for outsiders to observe two men i 26 years old and 70 years old eat ramen noodle with crying. We blamed several young people who appeared to be college students saying "It is not a show." I was so disappointed. So, I have completely given up craftsman of arts. It does not help my goal to make furniture a little bit better than other craftsman. If continued, I would make money to survive. However, my goal is different. I would like to be No.1 in the world. I would like to change history. I will never change my goal. Because I would like to pass baton succeeded from predecessors to juniors in the best way. I have really realized I myself am not capable enough to make that happen. So, I changed the way to achieve them from by myself to by team. Small size would be adequate. I would like to set a team whose members' roles and responsibilities are clearly segregated. Then, I decided to pursue technique not slightly better than other craftsman but overwhelming others. First of all, I asked Kamei to re-join with whom I had dissolved one year ago after fight. He originally declined the offer but I have managed to persuade him in half year. In order to prepare the required environment, I have made anything we could. I have saved JPY10,000,000 in one year. We have moved our factory. We have introduced facilities. We have hired junior members. In 10 months, all have been achieved. It has started training younger employees. Despite good younger members, I was not be able to retain them. It took 10 years to understand all issues are attributed to me. Now, I really appreciated our younger members. ]I sincerely appreciate gods and/or buddha whoever. And then after all. I would like to be No.1 in the world. I would like to change history. I would like to pass baton to next generation in the best manner. It will be completed as a team. Never mind. My foolish introductory remarks seem to be too long. Next time would be main part of "Younger member of KOMA !" They are No.1 younger members in the world. Written by Shigeki Matsuoka
