Nippon no Arashi - Aiba (Part 3 of 3)
And here's the last bit of Aiba-chan's trip!
After meeting so many people, what Aiba Masaki can do
The morning of the second day for Aiba Masaki. After leaving the hotel in Nara, he traveled to a place called “Tanpopo House Art Center HANA,” which had a bright, modern exterior. It’s been receiving attention as a place where people with disabilities express themselves freely thought arts or craftsmanship, and those works are on public display for others to come and see.
After greeting the energetic people who were there, he headed upstairs to the second floor conference room. There, the ones who came to explain the facility were the staff members Shibasaki Yumiko-san (36 years-old) and Shima Mae-san (31 years-old).
Aiba: Right now, about how many people are here?
Shima: Right now we have about 40 people who are active.
Aiba: That’s quite a lot. Do they usually come everyday?
Shima: We have some people that come everyday, and some that come once a week. The age range is quite wide too.
Aiba: The main activity you do here is creating art?
Shima: The activities really vary, we even have one of our members who works in the café downstairs making coffee.
Aiba: Oh you even have activities like that.
Shima: The ones that paint or draw somehow become the ones that are featured, but not everyone here draws or paints. We also have a planning committee that some people are on. They plan our events, like for instance if we went to see the cherry blossoms, they would pick a theme and an MC for it. And we also have people who spend all day dancing (lol).
Aiba: (lol)
Shima: I think you’ll be meeting some of them afterwards, but they are really quite charming. They’re really fun.
Aiba: Everyone is enjoying their work environment, aren’t they?
Shima: There are some that really take their work and projects quite seriously (lol). We really have all kinds. We have a woman who calls herself “Hanshin” after the Hanshin Tigers. She calls herself Hanshin in the first person (lol). It changes from day to day, today she is “201,” which is her room number.
Aiba: (lol)
Shima: We have a gentleman that loves Kamen Rider here. When I see people like him I just get so happy.
Aiba: Did you get excited like that from the first day you started working here?
Shima: Yes, pretty much. But, at the beginning I wasn’t able to talk naturally with them the way I do now. But now there are times when I’m jealous of them (lol). Like, how can they think of such funny things to say?
Aiba: Eh~
Shima: So they’re like my rivals too (lol). But, there are lots of times when they get frustrated too. It’s not only good times.
Aiba: What are some of the difficulties?
Shima: What’s difficult is that I’m working with people after all, and there are about 40 now, so I don’t always see eye-to-eye with all of them…there’s my compatibility with all of them too, and there are certainly times where I just get so frustrated. I talk back to them during those times. But, a little while back, I got sick and had to take some days off from work. When I returned to Tanpopo, at least 10 people came over to ask, “Shima-san, are you ok?” and “Are you feeling better?” I really got a bit teary at that.
Aiba: Ah~
Shima: I saw that they really do look out for me. That’s why I thought they can bring their work out to the public just fine.
Aiba: Do you mean that you are selling their works to the general public?
Shima: Yes.
Aiba: Are all of the things laid out on the table here projects that were made here?
Shima: Not all of them. Some of these I’ve gathered from around the country.
Aiba: Like a boutique/select shop?
Shima: Yes. Tanpopo House is quite a large facility and we do a lot of different things here. But there are many smaller facilities across the country, so rather than just having Tanpopo House’s projects sell and have only us become more well-known, I thought it would be better to join up with other facilities as well.
Shibasaki: To explain the background of Tanpopo House, as an organization we’ve existed for about 35 years, and are a group that is trying, through trial and error, to figure out how best to make a network and marketing system within social services that hasn’t been done before. This facility itself was built on a lot that had nothing on it, through the fundraising efforts of various people including the disabled people themselves, their families, and teachers at the handicapped school.
Aiba: Eh~.
Shibasaki: Aiba-san, have you ever heard for instance, how much the current monthly wages are for disabled people that work at a social services facility in Japan?
Aiba: For making things like this, right? You mean besides the profits from them?
Shibasaki: That’s exactly right. If we return the profits to them, the average wage in Japan is about 12,000 yen per month.
Aiba: Mmm…
Shibasaki: This is data released from the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare. So if we say they come here about 20 days a month, that means that people with disabilities are really only able to earn a few hundred yen per day. That’s the reality they face currently in Japan. One facility alone doesn’t have the space or resources to overcome that, so right now Tanpopo House is working as an NPO to create something that society doesn’t have. Recently, we’ve had a company use the works of our better artists to create collaboration projects together with department stores and various brand names in fashion.
Aiba: Making products together with brand names can often have unexpected influence.
Shibasaki: That’s really true.
Shima: Also, it makes us happy to see how happy the family members are for their loved ones’ success.
Aiba: Are you also recruiting for new members here?
Shima: We’re currently full right now.
Shibasaki: I’ve heard that some students who will be graduating from the handicapped school next year are having trouble finding places to go even in Nara. That’s because right now, the number of people diagnosed with autism, developmental disorders, or other troubles with communication is increasing. So even though the number of children in Japan is decreasing, those with disabilities are increasing, and after they graduate from the handicapped schools, they have no place to go in society. It’s currently a huge problem.
Aiba: On the flip side, what are some reasons someone would leave here?
Shibasaki: Well, they don’t really. There are some transitional facilities that help train people with disabilities so that they can go out and work, but our facility here is mainly one for nursing care, focusing on people that have relatively severe/serious disabilities, so it’s difficult for many of our residents to go out and be productive in society.
Aiba: Hmm…
Shibasaki: We would like to have people learn a craft and/or encourage them to express themselves here, but then we also have people here who just want to calmly increase what they can do from day to day, or others who want to improve themselves in some way so that they can get some independence from their families; we have all kinds here.
Shima: I would like to ask you, why is it that you chose social services as your keyword/theme for this trip?
Aiba: Hmm…well, part of it is because I was raised by my grandpa and grandma, but also in elementary school, they put the students in charge of certain jobs, right? Like being in charge of the broadcasting or something. And so I was put in charge of taking care of one of my classmates who was physically disabled, which I did by myself.
Shima: By yourself!
Aiba: Yes. So I did things like bring school notices home with him/her (TN: the gender was never specified) to their mom, or go home with them after school, so people with disabilities never seemed like a far away/unknown presence to me. I played games with him/her at their home like any kid would. But, what was really sad to me was once, after I turned 20, I went back to my hometown and I happened to cross paths with them, I called their name, “Nacchan! Nacchan!” but they didn’t remember me at all. I was so sad about that (lol). But I thought, that just must be how it goes. I haven’t seen them again in almost 10 years now.
Shima: 10 years, I see… But I’m so glad you picked such a great keyword/theme.
Shibasaki: Ah, it looks like people are starting to trail in. So, Aiba-san, we have quite a few hardcore Arashi fans here. I haven’t told them that you were coming. Can I go introduce you?
Aiba: Yes. Of course.
Shima: I’m really looking forward to seeing who reacts and how. It might be some people we don’t expect.
And with that it was finally time to meet the members of the facility. They went to the morning meeting.
Shima: Good morning everyone!
Everyone: Good morning~!
Shima: I have some big news! Arashi’s Aiba Masaki-san is here to do an interview today! So if you could… (There’s already lots of excited cheering. So many excited voices she couldn’t be heard anymore…)
Shima: Well, I guess let’s just have him say a few words (lol).
Aiba: I’m Aiba. Hello! I came today to see what kinds of things you all do here, so please treat me well~!
Shima: Ah, Ricchan is crying.
Aiba: Ah~, she’s crying.
Shibasaki: Riichan~. She’s so moved that she’s crying.
At seeing how purely and honestly everyone showed their joy at meeting Arashi’s Aiba Masaki, Aiba was instantly swallowed up in their whirlpool of excitement and warm happiness. After that, he went around the studio to see everyone’s various projects.
Now, it was just about time for him to head back to Tokyo. It was just like the end of a storm. After saying goodbye to the people at Tanpopo House, he headed to Kyoto Station. It was the end of the two day trip that had been quite chaotic, meeting so many different people.
“I think doing what you can as well as you can, in a way that suits you, is what makes social services work. This was a trip that really made me think. And I think the order in which we met people on the trip worked well to help me absorb more. Everyone said the same thing, in that the work and people were “fun/interesting.” I think it’s partly because the people show their feelings honestly. The elderly, and the disabled people from today. It is difficult though because today’s society does suppress a lot of things, and sometimes does so in order to just keep functioning. I think the time will definitely come when I’ll be able to use what I’ve gained from this trip, in my own way. And I think when that happens, I’ll be able to go even deeper because of this experience. I think the things I’ve absorbed from my experiences come out in all kinds of situations. After all, I was never the type of person to study sitting at my desk, even when I was younger. Going out and doing things like this is how I learn the best. It was a really great experience.”
Lots of people were met and discoveries were made came from this idea that Aiba had to see the landscape of social services firsthand. With the excitement from Tanpopo House not yet cooled off, Aiba walked to the train back to Tokyo, and in his retreating figure we saw a dependability that had grown, both as an Arashi member and as a human being.
And that's all for Aiba-chan! Hope you all enjoyed~!
Next week it'll be time for MatsuJun's trip out to the outlying islands in Shimane Prefecture :D
Until then, take care~!
Masterpost is here
After meeting so many people, what Aiba Masaki can do
The morning of the second day for Aiba Masaki. After leaving the hotel in Nara, he traveled to a place called “Tanpopo House Art Center HANA,” which had a bright, modern exterior. It’s been receiving attention as a place where people with disabilities express themselves freely thought arts or craftsmanship, and those works are on public display for others to come and see.
After greeting the energetic people who were there, he headed upstairs to the second floor conference room. There, the ones who came to explain the facility were the staff members Shibasaki Yumiko-san (36 years-old) and Shima Mae-san (31 years-old).
Aiba: Right now, about how many people are here?
Shima: Right now we have about 40 people who are active.
Aiba: That’s quite a lot. Do they usually come everyday?
Shima: We have some people that come everyday, and some that come once a week. The age range is quite wide too.
Aiba: The main activity you do here is creating art?
Shima: The activities really vary, we even have one of our members who works in the café downstairs making coffee.
Aiba: Oh you even have activities like that.
Shima: The ones that paint or draw somehow become the ones that are featured, but not everyone here draws or paints. We also have a planning committee that some people are on. They plan our events, like for instance if we went to see the cherry blossoms, they would pick a theme and an MC for it. And we also have people who spend all day dancing (lol).
Aiba: (lol)
Shima: I think you’ll be meeting some of them afterwards, but they are really quite charming. They’re really fun.
Aiba: Everyone is enjoying their work environment, aren’t they?
Shima: There are some that really take their work and projects quite seriously (lol). We really have all kinds. We have a woman who calls herself “Hanshin” after the Hanshin Tigers. She calls herself Hanshin in the first person (lol). It changes from day to day, today she is “201,” which is her room number.
Aiba: (lol)
Shima: We have a gentleman that loves Kamen Rider here. When I see people like him I just get so happy.
Aiba: Did you get excited like that from the first day you started working here?
Shima: Yes, pretty much. But, at the beginning I wasn’t able to talk naturally with them the way I do now. But now there are times when I’m jealous of them (lol). Like, how can they think of such funny things to say?
Aiba: Eh~
Shima: So they’re like my rivals too (lol). But, there are lots of times when they get frustrated too. It’s not only good times.
Aiba: What are some of the difficulties?
Shima: What’s difficult is that I’m working with people after all, and there are about 40 now, so I don’t always see eye-to-eye with all of them…there’s my compatibility with all of them too, and there are certainly times where I just get so frustrated. I talk back to them during those times. But, a little while back, I got sick and had to take some days off from work. When I returned to Tanpopo, at least 10 people came over to ask, “Shima-san, are you ok?” and “Are you feeling better?” I really got a bit teary at that.
Aiba: Ah~
Shima: I saw that they really do look out for me. That’s why I thought they can bring their work out to the public just fine.
Aiba: Do you mean that you are selling their works to the general public?
Shima: Yes.
Aiba: Are all of the things laid out on the table here projects that were made here?
Shima: Not all of them. Some of these I’ve gathered from around the country.
Aiba: Like a boutique/select shop?
Shima: Yes. Tanpopo House is quite a large facility and we do a lot of different things here. But there are many smaller facilities across the country, so rather than just having Tanpopo House’s projects sell and have only us become more well-known, I thought it would be better to join up with other facilities as well.
Shibasaki: To explain the background of Tanpopo House, as an organization we’ve existed for about 35 years, and are a group that is trying, through trial and error, to figure out how best to make a network and marketing system within social services that hasn’t been done before. This facility itself was built on a lot that had nothing on it, through the fundraising efforts of various people including the disabled people themselves, their families, and teachers at the handicapped school.
Aiba: Eh~.
Shibasaki: Aiba-san, have you ever heard for instance, how much the current monthly wages are for disabled people that work at a social services facility in Japan?
Aiba: For making things like this, right? You mean besides the profits from them?
Shibasaki: That’s exactly right. If we return the profits to them, the average wage in Japan is about 12,000 yen per month.
Aiba: Mmm…
Shibasaki: This is data released from the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare. So if we say they come here about 20 days a month, that means that people with disabilities are really only able to earn a few hundred yen per day. That’s the reality they face currently in Japan. One facility alone doesn’t have the space or resources to overcome that, so right now Tanpopo House is working as an NPO to create something that society doesn’t have. Recently, we’ve had a company use the works of our better artists to create collaboration projects together with department stores and various brand names in fashion.
Aiba: Making products together with brand names can often have unexpected influence.
Shibasaki: That’s really true.
Shima: Also, it makes us happy to see how happy the family members are for their loved ones’ success.
Aiba: Are you also recruiting for new members here?
Shima: We’re currently full right now.
Shibasaki: I’ve heard that some students who will be graduating from the handicapped school next year are having trouble finding places to go even in Nara. That’s because right now, the number of people diagnosed with autism, developmental disorders, or other troubles with communication is increasing. So even though the number of children in Japan is decreasing, those with disabilities are increasing, and after they graduate from the handicapped schools, they have no place to go in society. It’s currently a huge problem.
Aiba: On the flip side, what are some reasons someone would leave here?
Shibasaki: Well, they don’t really. There are some transitional facilities that help train people with disabilities so that they can go out and work, but our facility here is mainly one for nursing care, focusing on people that have relatively severe/serious disabilities, so it’s difficult for many of our residents to go out and be productive in society.
Aiba: Hmm…
Shibasaki: We would like to have people learn a craft and/or encourage them to express themselves here, but then we also have people here who just want to calmly increase what they can do from day to day, or others who want to improve themselves in some way so that they can get some independence from their families; we have all kinds here.
Shima: I would like to ask you, why is it that you chose social services as your keyword/theme for this trip?
Aiba: Hmm…well, part of it is because I was raised by my grandpa and grandma, but also in elementary school, they put the students in charge of certain jobs, right? Like being in charge of the broadcasting or something. And so I was put in charge of taking care of one of my classmates who was physically disabled, which I did by myself.
Shima: By yourself!
Aiba: Yes. So I did things like bring school notices home with him/her (TN: the gender was never specified) to their mom, or go home with them after school, so people with disabilities never seemed like a far away/unknown presence to me. I played games with him/her at their home like any kid would. But, what was really sad to me was once, after I turned 20, I went back to my hometown and I happened to cross paths with them, I called their name, “Nacchan! Nacchan!” but they didn’t remember me at all. I was so sad about that (lol). But I thought, that just must be how it goes. I haven’t seen them again in almost 10 years now.
Shima: 10 years, I see… But I’m so glad you picked such a great keyword/theme.
Shibasaki: Ah, it looks like people are starting to trail in. So, Aiba-san, we have quite a few hardcore Arashi fans here. I haven’t told them that you were coming. Can I go introduce you?
Aiba: Yes. Of course.
Shima: I’m really looking forward to seeing who reacts and how. It might be some people we don’t expect.
And with that it was finally time to meet the members of the facility. They went to the morning meeting.
Shima: Good morning everyone!
Everyone: Good morning~!
Shima: I have some big news! Arashi’s Aiba Masaki-san is here to do an interview today! So if you could… (There’s already lots of excited cheering. So many excited voices she couldn’t be heard anymore…)
Shima: Well, I guess let’s just have him say a few words (lol).
Aiba: I’m Aiba. Hello! I came today to see what kinds of things you all do here, so please treat me well~!
Shima: Ah, Ricchan is crying.
Aiba: Ah~, she’s crying.
Shibasaki: Riichan~. She’s so moved that she’s crying.
At seeing how purely and honestly everyone showed their joy at meeting Arashi’s Aiba Masaki, Aiba was instantly swallowed up in their whirlpool of excitement and warm happiness. After that, he went around the studio to see everyone’s various projects.
Now, it was just about time for him to head back to Tokyo. It was just like the end of a storm. After saying goodbye to the people at Tanpopo House, he headed to Kyoto Station. It was the end of the two day trip that had been quite chaotic, meeting so many different people.
“I think doing what you can as well as you can, in a way that suits you, is what makes social services work. This was a trip that really made me think. And I think the order in which we met people on the trip worked well to help me absorb more. Everyone said the same thing, in that the work and people were “fun/interesting.” I think it’s partly because the people show their feelings honestly. The elderly, and the disabled people from today. It is difficult though because today’s society does suppress a lot of things, and sometimes does so in order to just keep functioning. I think the time will definitely come when I’ll be able to use what I’ve gained from this trip, in my own way. And I think when that happens, I’ll be able to go even deeper because of this experience. I think the things I’ve absorbed from my experiences come out in all kinds of situations. After all, I was never the type of person to study sitting at my desk, even when I was younger. Going out and doing things like this is how I learn the best. It was a really great experience.”
Lots of people were met and discoveries were made came from this idea that Aiba had to see the landscape of social services firsthand. With the excitement from Tanpopo House not yet cooled off, Aiba walked to the train back to Tokyo, and in his retreating figure we saw a dependability that had grown, both as an Arashi member and as a human being.
And that's all for Aiba-chan! Hope you all enjoyed~!
Next week it'll be time for MatsuJun's trip out to the outlying islands in Shimane Prefecture :D
Until then, take care~!
Masterpost is here