Listening to Local Voices

10/18 (Sun) Listening to the stories of local people. Someone said in one sentence, 'It's a "haikara" bookstore.' I looked up the meaning of 'Haikara'. It refers to people who adopt Western dress or lifestyles, or who are fashionable and sophisticated. It comes from 'high collar' — the high, stiff collar. I see. Indeed, I have been to Europe before, and that Western style exists within me. Being called a 'Haikara-san' made me happy, but at the same time I wondered whether being 'haikara' makes the place feel unapproachable. I have mixed feelings. Old secondhand bookstores used to be the kind where you picked books out of piles — covered in dust, like digging up a find. For me, as a challenge shop, I haven't been able to put 100% of my own worldview into the interior design (of course I did what I could without spending a lot). I realized my values differ from others'. It's a natural difference, not a matter of right or wrong. When I imagine a 'community space where people can connect regardless of age, gender, or generation,' I began to question whether the current form is truly correct. If I don't create a place that is loved and needed by the local community, it has no meaning. I don't intend to do it as a lone wolf. I feel I need to listen more to the voices of the region and get to know Kesennuma. What was Kesennuma like before we were born? I want to delve into its history and culture and learn more. There is history behind creating something new; that history is what gives it a soul. I want to aim to be a 'Haikara-san' beloved by everyone in Kesennuma.