梅原 裕一郎

1. Moccasin shoes (May/June 2020 issue)

When I was a student, I used to wear sneakers all the time. I wore indoor slippers in junior high school and toilet slippers in high school, so I never had the opportunity to wear leather shoes until I became an adult. The first time I wore leather shoes was for the Coming-of-Age Ceremony, and after that I moved to Tokyo and worked part-time at karaoke, but due to the store’s rule, I worked in the Coming-of Age Ceremony leather shoes for a while. Lately, I’ve been mostly wearing sneakers and no longer wearing leather shoes. Since dubbing is surprisingly moving, sneakers that are easy to walk in are the most comfortable.

The work of hand sewing was steady and difficult. I chose it myself, but the leather and thread were both black, so it was hard to see (laughs). Thanks to the teacher’s preparation and help, I managed to make the shoes in a short time.

Come to think of it, when I made a violin in this series before, I mentioned that it was like, “Whisper of the Heart.” I’m wearing shoes, aren’t I? Coincidentally, I remembered both because I like both movies.

This is quite useful as a recitation and dressing room wear. It’s soft and flat, so it’s easy to carry around. I crush the heel and use it like a slipper. In the summer, I used to go to the convenience store as an excuse. Also, I remember that the sewing work was very difficult because my eyes were tired.

• Seal engraving (July/August 2020 issue)

I don’t see the surname “Umehara” very often in Tokyo, but it seems to be quite common in Izu, Shizuoka. I’ve used “Ume” a lot in this series as well, so I thought it would be a convenient last name for a time like this (laughs).

I wrote letters with a brush for the first time in a while. My mother learned calligraphy, so there was a time when I tried to imitate her, but I still have to learn it properly. When I was a student, I remembered that it was very difficult to write my name when I was writing calligraphy because there were no symmetrical characters, and it was especially difficult to balance the character “Yu”.

Even if it’s not a brush, I think my handwriting is crude. Sometimes I write it in the script, but it’s already a mess, and it’s a character that can’t be read by anyone but myself. Due to the nature of my work, there are many opportunities for people to see my handwriting, such as signs and messages, but… So, I think I’ve become quite good at writing with a thick magic pen (laughs).

I remember that carving work was so fun that I was able to get used to it. If you carve too much, you won’t be able to write letters, so it was difficult. I haven’t pressed the stamp I made since then. The vermillion ink is a special ink called ink mud, and it is from where I buy it. Well, there’s also the fact that there’s nothing to push (laughs).

• Chopsticks (September 2020 issue)

Whenever I go to a department store, I ended up buying chopsticks. I feel that the atmosphere of a meal changes depending on which chopsticks you use, so if you put a lot of effort into making a meal, you want to eat with good chopsticks. The chopsticks I regularly use were given to me by my hometown tax donation. The design has a shell in the handle, and the thickness and lightness make it feel just right. I prefer angled chopsticks to round chopsticks, so square chopsticks are nice and easy to hold. I used a planer for the first time in a while, but it seems that I shaved too much because I was absorbed in it. It’s thinner than my ideal shape, and there’s even unevenness on the left and right.

I tried “Azuki Tsumami” with the finished chopsticks, but it was quite difficult. Originally, I was holding the chopsticks the wrong way. But when I was in my second year of high school, when I was taken on a school trip while eating, the way my friend was holding chopsticks in the photo next to me was so beautiful. Comparing yourself and thinking, “This is embarrassing.” From there, I started to fix it to the correct way to hold it. That’s why I still hold it in a slightly smart way, and I’m not very good at using chopsticks.

The chopsticks I made at that time are still in use today. I like it because it is very easy to use. This is the same as when making stamps, and it was difficult to cut too much, and it would get thinner and thinner. I just had the chance to do an adzuki pickle on the radio after this, and it went really well. Maybe it was good to be able to practise here (laughs).