On September 16, we had an important meeting in Aoyama, and the venue was the café at “THE AOYAMA GRAND HOTEL.” The site was formerly home to Bell Commons, a commercial complex that symbolized Aoyama’s culture and fashion, designed by the Kisho Kurokawa Architectural Office and located at the intersection of Aoyama-dori and Gaien Nishi-dori.

What’s more, it’s only about two minutes away from where Shiozawa opened his design firm at the age of 27.

Well, although the Bell Commons building is gone, we went to see if the building that housed the design firm back then was still standing—and to our surprise, even after 45 years, it was still there.

I couldn’t help but take a commemorative photo.

“Never forget your beginnings” is a saying by Zeami, and it is generally used to mean “cherish the fresh enthusiasm and humility you had when you first started.”

However, what Zeami actually meant was slightly different.

• Never forget your early, unpolished skills or the embarrassment you felt: As long as you don’t forget what it was like when you were still unskilled, you can maintain a drive to improve.
• Every stage has its own “inexperience”: Even as you grow older and gain experience, there will always be a “beginner’s mindset” (inexperience) associated with new skills or stages, so you must never become complacent.

In other words, it doesn’t mean “return to the innocence of your past,” but rather “remain aware of your own inexperience at every stage and continue to learn.”

It seems Shiozawa was convinced that, whether 45 years ago or now, he has always been aware of his own shortcomings and has continued to learn.

Then, while taking in the modern Tokyo skyline, I walked through the rain to Harajuku and visited “Kamikura,” a kappo restaurant in Ebisu, for the first time in a long while, where I greeted the head chef. It had already been about seven years since my last visit there.

There was Chef Terachi, who continued to create dishes while upholding the spirit of “never forget your beginnings.”

In particular, the soy milk yudofu—served with the chef’s homemade sauce—was a distinctive and delicious dish.

The two of us drank every last drop of the soup from the pot and enjoyed some delicious sake.

We did not stop with the June offering at the Three Mountains of Kumano; the captain and I promised to undertake a new initiative in Kumano.

Mr. Terachi, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude once again.