Episode 18 Hitomusubi, a Visiting Rice Ball Shop / Shu Joining the Team / Yutaro Becomes a Gardener

The "Yodoe Project" started the day before Christmas Eve in 2018. A major cleanup was done during the second round in late January 2019, and demolition and renovation proceeded during the third (March), fourth (May), and fifth rounds (July 2019). Two months later, over 8 days from September 23rd (Monday) to September 30th (Monday), 2019, the sixth Yodoe Project was implemented.

September 23rd was the 3rd memorial anniversary of Yoko’s father. Her younger brother Shu, his wife Atsuko, and Yoko came to Yodoe on the 21st (Saturday). Yoko's son, Yoshikuni, came from Tokyo on the 22nd (Sunday).

After graduating from a national integrated junior and senior high school in Osaka, Kuniyoshi majored in Economics at Kyoto University. After graduating there at the age of 24, he enrolled in graduate school at Hitotsubashi University for two years and researched probability and game theory. After earning the master degree at the age of 26, he got a job at a securities company in Tokyo. In the summer of his first year as a working adult, he fell in love with playing poker in South Korea. In his second year, in May 2019, he even won a tournament in Monaco.　Around that time, Yoshikuni started to saying, “I enjoy my current job, but I'm thinking of quitting. I want to master poker in my 20s while AI is still in its infancy.” Yoko responded, “If there's a high possibility that you will be transferred to the think tank department at the head office of your current company soon, I think it is not too late to quit after you experienced that.” However, when Yoshikuni arrived in Yodoe this time, he told his mother, uncle, and aunt, “The day before yesterday, I told my boss that I was quitting. He was worried and strongly opposed when I told the reason, but in the end, he understood and wished me the best.” 

At the time Yoshikuni told Yoko that he would pursue his dream, Yoko was thinking about two years ago. When Yoshikuni suggested Yoko to sell the house in Yodoe, Yoko replied, “Yoshi-kun (Yoshikuni’s nickname), I would rather see you following your dream and doing good in the world. We can always chat remotely. I will invite people here and have a fun life.” She was surprised that the first half of her words had come true in the unexpected form of “a professional poker player.” No matter what, she wished Yoshikuni success and happiness in the path he wanted to take.

For this round, first, the Tottori-based members came, and Kansai members joined after that. For lunch on the 23rd (Monday), Yoko requested Onigiri-kun to hold “Omusubiya Hitomusubi” at her house.  He was the one who made rice balls for Jacob, who came to Yodoe from Denmark last June (Episode 15). Onigiri-kun does not own the brick-and-mortar but runs food trucks at events and by request. Everyone ordered their favorite rice balls from the eight attractive varieties. All of them were so delicious. Both members and Yoko’s family enjoyed the conversation, and the project got off to a fun start.

The sixth round of the Yodoe Project is comprised of 12 members. The following 10 members participated in past projects.

★From Hamamura, Tottori Prefecture

• Shotaro (Shotaro Miyahara)
• Mr. Yatsuda (Kohei Yatsuda)
• Yuka-chan (Yuka Igawa)

★From western Tottori Prefecture

• Onigiri-kun (Toshiya Kobashi)
• Morisato (Satoshi Morita)
• Yuttie (Yuhei Kawazu)
• Teru-chan (Teruko Yoshida)

  ★From Kansai Regions

• Kumiko Sahara
• Shokichi (Shota Nozaki)
• Yutaro (Yutaro Kawai)

Two new members were…

★From Hamamura, Tottori Prefecture

   Mr. Nakata (Keisuke Nakata)

A person who introduced Hamamura to  Shotaro and Party–Kenchiku/Party Architecture.

★From Kyoto

  Shu (Shu Oki)

He is a qualified electrician.

After welcoming everyone on the 23rd (Monday), Yoko returned to Osaka for work on the 24th (Tuesday). Meanwhile, Kumiko took care of the rest of the meals for members during this round and often informed Yoko about the progress of the project.

Even in the absence of Yoko, the renovation progressed steadily. Members put the frameworks to the walls, which were facing National Route 9, in the Kitchen and Western-style rooms in order to install bigger windows. They also did the flooring and plastering work. Thanks to Shu’s (Shu Oki), electrical work had also started.

The backyard was also landscaped this time, with trees cutting and gravel laying. Approximately 50 years ago, Yoko’s brother Shu threw a seed of loquat that he had eaten into the backyard, which became a nice-sized tree many years later. First, it was supposed to be cut because it was located at the site where the deck was planned to be installed, but they decided to keep it as a tree of memories.

Yutaro (Yutaro Kawai), who participated in the second round, focused on maintaining the backyard this time. He was anxious about his future career plan and consulted with Kumiko during the project. On the last day of the project, he announced to everyone, “I'm going to become a gardener!”

Until early October, Yoko was busy working in Osaka; building systems for Company M, preparing for the unveiling of Company E's new factory, and teaching management games at a start-up seminar for women in Shiga Prefecture. She could not even go back and check things out on the last day of this round. Thanks to Kumiko and everyone who participated, the construction progressed smoothly, and a wonderful space was created little by little.