Neighbors Saginuma OBOG Interview|Yacchan's version "What I wanted to tell myself back then

Neighbors Stories" series of interviews with residents who talk about their encounters, changes, and growth at Social Apartment. This time we interviewed Yachan and Shigeto, who have lived at Neighbors Saginuma for about two years.

They spent a lot of time together as opening members of Neighbors Saginuma, and they are such good friends that they were dressed in similar patterns on the day of the interview. We asked these two seniors to look back on their time at the share house.

What would you like to tell yourselves when you were moving in? When was the most emotional time for you? What was the impact of social apartments on their lives?

We will be presenting a two-part series of stories about their experiences that they can tell only now. This time, we'll talk about Yachan. What made you decide to move in?

Thank you for your time today, Yacchan-san and Shigeto-san! First of all, please briefly introduce yourself.

Yacchan:
I lived in Neighbors Saginuma for 2 years. Everyone calls me Yacchan, and I am currently working as a home health care nurse.
I am from Kagoshima, and my hobbies are playing volleyball and going to hot springs and saunas! Today, I actually went to Yukemurinosho in Miyamaedaira before the interview!

Shigeto:
My name is Shigeto and I am from Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture. I lived in Neighbors Saginuma for about 2 years as well. I work for an IT company.
My hobbies are outdoor activities such as snowboarding and camping, I also like riding motorcycles and playing drums. I also plan parties and large trips on an irregular basis.

How would you describe each other's personalities in a few words?

Shigeto:
If I were to describe Yacchan in one word, I would say he is "cheerful. He is cheerful and always makes everyone laugh with his humor.

Yacchan:
Shigeto is a "passionate planner. When I lived in Neighbors Saginuma, he took the initiative in organizing events and trips for small and large groups. You led everyone as a leader of events.

Shigeto:
Yacchan would come up with ideas of what he wanted to do, and I would work out the plans.

Yacchan:
That's right. I remember how I was the "0 to 1" guy and Shigeto was the "1 to 10" guy.

What made you decide to live in a social apartment?

Yacchan:
I was looking for a place to live when I changed jobs, and I applied for a preview when I found a newly opened apartment near my new place of work.

At the viewing, I met an interesting gal (laughs). (Laughs) I wasn't planning on moving in that day, but when I heard that she had decided to move in, I thought, "If I can live with such an interesting girl, I might as well move in too.

Yachan-san and a friend he met at a preview

Shigeto:
I didn't know we met at that time (laughs). I didn't know that.

What kind of friend did you meet at the preview?

Yacchan:
She is a positive person from the bottom of her heart, can talk to anyone without fear, and brightens up everyone around her. She is decisive and quick to change her mind, and her grace is also an attractive trait of hers. We are so close that we still see each other regularly!

Regulars at the kitchen counter

As an opening member, was there anything you tried to do to fit in with the community?

Yacchan:
At any rate, I talked to everyone. I talked to indiscriminately, and sometimes I even talked to contractors who came to inspect the property by mistake (laughs).

I hear that many people are nervous before moving in, but I had already made one friend at the viewing, so I wasn't nervous at all.

When I went to the lounge on the first day of moving in, that friend was there, and already there were several people talking around her. Thanks to that girl, I made a lot of acquaintances at once. Making acquaintances at the preview might be another trick to ease the tension on the first day.

Yacchan: What kind of character were you often described as within the community?

Yacchan:
I don't know what everyone thinks of me, but I guess I was a kind of aunt?

Shige:
Yacchan is very caring, so she often took care of people who were sick.
Also, Yacchan's openness and good humor naturally attracted many people around her. I guess you could say he was in charge of enlivening the atmosphere (laughs).

Yacchan:
Yes, I was in charge of drinking and enlivening the atmosphere (laughs).

Yacchan: Is there a place you used to spend a lot of time when you lived there?

Yacchan:
I used to drink at the kitchen counter after work. I went to work every day, so I would come home around 8:00-9:00 p.m., eat dinner at the counter, have a beer, and then return to my room. When I came home, Shigeto was usually there.

Shigeto:
Come to think of it, I used to cook gyoza for people who came home late at night (laughs). I often served them to Yacchan, too. Thanks to you, I became a better gyoza cook.

Yacchan:
I used to drink beer with the gyoza as a snack. Then some of us would get together and we would talk until late at night. It is probably that kind of casual, everyday life that I remember the most.

Shigeto:
Yacchan always ate the dumplings like they were delicious.

Yacchan:
I vaguely remember that someone was giving me a lecture about love on a small white board at this kitchen counter (laughs).

Shigeto:
That might have happened for sure! (Laughs)

Yacchan:
When I talk with everyone, I tend to drink a lot of alcohol and there are nights when my memory is vague, but there are also legendary nights when we laughed so hard that it will stay in my memory forever (laughs).

(Laughs) I want to tell this to myself when I first moved in. The most important thing is to be "Fat!

How would you sum up life at Neighbors Saginuma in one word?

Yacchan:
I would say it was a time of youth for adults.
We had some kind of dinner party every weekend and went on a trip once a month. When there was a large group, Shigeto often organized it.

Maybe after the Corona disaster, everyone's desire to connect with others was released all at once. I spent most of my weekdays working, and on my days off I returned to my childhood and played with all my might.

There were times when I had so much fun that it became physically difficult to work (laughs).

Do you have any unfinished business?

Yacchan:
Not at all! I can say this with confidence. Personally, I enjoyed it as much as I could, so there is nothing I would like to go back and do again.

Shigeto:
I may certainly have no unfinished business either.

Yacchan:
But if I had to say something, I would like to tell the person I was when I moved in, "Branding is important! I would like to tell that to the person I was when I moved in.

Shigeto:
What do you mean?

Looking back at old photos

Yacchan:
I think it depends on how you set up your character, and what you get out of life there.

I think I spent too much time just being myself, so people around me had the impression that I was like a mother with a liver.

For example, there were times when I would go to the lounge dressed in my middle school jersey, but other girls would wear cute pajamas. I was like, "No, I'm not listening, and someone tell me I need to get some cute pajamas?!" I thought, but I wasn't going to wear them from there.

Shigeto:
I still have the jersey from junior high school (laughs).

Yacchan:
You must have a lot of stuff.
So I thought that the future might change depending on the branding.

Shigeto:
I had never thought about that. But I guess Yacchan was loved by everyone and made many friends because he was just the way he was, without being conscious of it.

Yacchan's farewell party

Yacchan:
That's right. It was branding to make a lot of friends. When I think about it, I met a lot of friends that I will probably stay with for the rest of my life.

So, if there are people who are thinking about moving in, I want them to remember that branding is important!

I think "branding is important" is something that can be said for any new environment, regardless of whether it's a social apartment or not. Thank you for your advice, Yachan!

Editor's Postscript
On the day of the interview, as soon as Yachan-san and Shigeto-san gathered together, they started a fast-paced conversation with updates and memories. I remember that the interviewers laughed many times at their light-hearted talk. I am sure that they must have had a lot of laughs during their stay at the share house, and the scenes from those days naturally come to mind.

I am sure that the memorable scenes of daily life and the secrets of how to make the most of your limited time in a social apartment, as told by a senior who has experienced a social apartment, are similar to what you have experienced.

During the interview, Yasuyo repeatedly mentioned the importance of branding. I can imagine that even when she was a resident, she was a popular person who was loved by everyone, "Yacchan, Yacchan," as her pleasant and unpretentious personality was conveyed in every word she said. Perhaps the most attractive thing about Yatchan is his "natural branding," which is something that no one else can do.

Next time: Shigeto-san's version. He told us about the event that shook his emotions the most during his tenancy. It will be published soon, so please look forward to it!

(Reporting and writing: Hayashi / Photos: Uchida)