梅原 裕一郎

1. Stained glass (June/July 2019 issue)

I had a strong image of stained glass being found in church windows, but the shop I visited this time had works like lamps and kaleidoscopes, which was refreshing. I was at a as to which colour to use, but since it was a special occasion, I chose red for the petals and yellow for the centre, in the plum blossoms. I tried soldering this time to assemble the glass part, but it was fun because it was the first time in my life. It’s just I was a little scared because the tip of the soldering iron is 300 degrees.

Speaking of glass, when I was in my third year of high school, there was a glass shelf in front of the classroom. One day when I came to school, the glass was broken, and since I was in the front seat, I was the first to notice it and thought, “Ah, it’s broken.” Then go ahead with the last HR. When I said, “It’s been cracked since morning,” I was yelled at, “Say it!” I was like, “Get more interested in the class!” (laughs). Everyone had noticed and didn’t say anything, so I thought I was being kin. It felt unreasonable to be scolded by the representative (laughs).

I have the finished product at my front door. Soldering requires speed and concentration, but it was fun, and I would like to do it again. Also, I remember that the person at the shop taught me was very passionate about stained glass, and said that he also watched the works I was appearing in.

• Fan (August/September 2019 issue)

I was a little hesitant about the design, but since it’s a folding an, I decided to make it something Japanese style, so I chose a motif of auspicious Mt. Fuji and a plum design. I’m from Shizuoka, so I don’t have a lot of affection for Mt. Fuji (laughs). However, I could see Mt. Fuji from my grandparents’ house, and when I was little, I used to draw pictures of it with my older sister, so I feel nostalgic.

It was the first time since I was in junior high school that I used paints to draw pictures. From high school, it became an elective class, and I chose music… What I remember most is a class in which we brought vegetables from home and made designs using them. It was not a sketch, but rather a motif, and I remember it being a bit unusual and interesting. By the way, I brought green peppers with me (laughs).

I think that the folding fan will look like a picture even if it is displayed, so I would like to display it somewhere. Some people use folding fans, but I don’t think they suit me yet.

Mt. Fuji and plum blossoms when you’re in trouble… lol. Putting the frame into folding fan paper under the constraint that the glue was still wet required a lot of concentration. By the way, I still haven’t become accustomed to the “shy grown-up who uses a folding fan at the post-recording location” mentioned at the time. About 30 years from now (laughs).

• Calendar (October / November 2019 issue)

The concept is ostensibly “living with the fictitious Yuichirou Umehara.” However, there is actually a hidden theme, and I would like you to look for it while watching. It was a very hot day when we took the photo. I was glad it didn’t rain because we were filming outside, but I also had to wear heavy clothes to capture the season, so the weather was a little too good. There was a situation where we were filming on a boat in Inokashira Park, and it was like being in a sauna, and I was sweating like a waterfall, and that was the hardest part. I’m sure the finished product will give you a refreshing feeling (laughs).

Another behind-the-scenes story is that when were shooting the office worker-style cuts, there was actually an office worker resting on a bench in the park, and he said, “You have a good example!” I’m not a salary worker, but it’s interesting to think about how my life might have been.

This time, we mainly filmed in Kichijoji, and although I had an image of it being a fashionable town, I now understand why it is so popular because it has so many things to offer.

The boat in Inokashira Park was hot and painful. But it was fun to shoot along with the hidden theme of “strings” (laughs). Cleaning the bathroom was an experience that you don’t get to shoot very often. I also remember that there was a staff member who was an expert on strings. Does that person still have the string?