CENTRAL_

For planning the seminar of Takahiro Shiramizu, the director of the shop of Yame local products “Unagi no nedoko” (eel bed), I went to Yame for a meeting and for visiting the place. My wife didn’t feel good so I brought my son with me. Takahiro Shiramizu is a father of two children, and thanks to him I could have a good time. In the picture we are at the soba restaurant “Fuminokura”, the only restaurant in Yame that appears in the Michelin Guide. For the first time after a while I went to Muff (Rail CAFE), where I bought a military waterproof bag.

While walking through the town I noticed this shop that sells food for birds. Their special mix seems to be very popular and there are customers who come to this shop from far away. There were also many birdcages displayed, traditionally made in bamboo. I think there are many shop in Yame like this, outsider in the mainstream business world.

Takahiro Shiramizu’s seminar was packed with guests. He is the manager, photographer, editor, graphic designer, event planner of the shop, and he even looks after the distribution of the products. There are few occasions to see his all his activities. In particular, he talked while showing the actual figures of sales and expenses, it wasn’t a speech made by a graphic designer or a product designer, but rather by a business model designer. The content was different from other designers’ seminar.

Because I don’t possess any particular professional specialization, I think I have to head for this direction. In the picture you can see one best seller item of Unagi no nedoko, “Monpe” (trousers made with traditional kimono fabric from Kurume), and New Balance 996. I think his stance and his philosophy came out, it was very good.

By the way, I heard that the day before the seminar, Masato Tsukuji came here from Tokyo.


Unagi no nedoko
Closing days: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday (open when national holiday) *the shop could be closed in special occasion
Business hours: 11:30〜18:00
Credit card payment: available
267 Motomachi, Yame-shi, Fukuoka-ken 834-0031
Tel./Fax: 0943-22-3699
http://unagino-nedoko.net