02: We need to believe in the younger generation who are attracted to analog and want to create original works, and create a place where they can meet.
Ieyasu: Shimazu-san, who takes photos with Yamashita-san and designs the website for domestic and international audiences, is also from the younger generation. And Arakawa-san, who is in her second year at the bank. What do you think about seals for these two young women?
Arakawa: Actually, I like analog things. I'd rather read books and newspapers on paper than on a Kindle, and I prefer a notebook and pen to taking notes on my phone. I'm provided with a seal for work, but I wanted one of my own, so I've actually been looking for one for a while now. I don't want something that can be easily bought anywhere, I want to choose the wood, learn the meaning of the characters, and make each one by choosing them one by one.
Harada: A seal lasts a lifetime.
Shimazu: I got one as a graduation gift from elementary school. There were two of them in a small cloth box with a Japanese pattern, and although I may not have understood the deeper meaning at the time, they were so cute and I intuitively felt they were very precious, so I still keep them in my treasure box. In fact, I think many people, including myself, don't know much about seals. What kind of characters they have, what their meanings are, what types of wood they are made of, etc. In reality, you can choose and make one that is unique to you.
Arakawa: I had seen the video for Harada Shokodo beforehand, but a normal seal shop wouldn't make a video like this! If I saw it on social media or on Instagram stories, I would definitely go to the website and ask, "What is this?" Most seal pages just say the same thing, and that's all.
Ieyasu: We have videos and SNS. President, we need to strengthen the flow of traffic so that it is easier to buy from there and you can choose one by one. For example, at an eyeglass store, you can choose the frame and lens and the price will be displayed, and it is easy to buy and you can choose. Harada Shokodo needs that too. Usually, it is common to buy a seal at the nearest store or on the web.
Harada: Yes, originally it was common to buy them at stores in each town, but now online services have expanded. It's partly our fault, but in many cases they are sold as a set. We haven't been able to fully convey the value of being able to choose. When people come to our company in the old Rokugo Town, they don't know what we're doing at first, so they think they'll buy a set, but when we tell them that they can choose the materials, the letters, the cases, and so on, they always end up buying something very particular. Because you can even choose the fabric for the seal case! With that in mind, we need to do more to convey that we can choose and make it properly.
Arakawa: There are a lot of people who want to create something unique.
Ieyasu: The younger generation is more particular about these things, and it seems like they are willing to put in the effort to achieve them, rather than focusing on price or convenience.
Harada: There has been a period of time when seals did not sell, so perhaps people selling them have assumed that "young people don't make seals anyway" or "expensive ones won't sell," and so they may not have been able to fully apply their belief that their products are of good quality and their desire to provide good products to the creation of their stores.
Ieyasu: The point of contact may be through social media, but I want to cherish the analog aspects of the encounter with the president and the process of making the seal.
Things are getting exciting. There's more to come.
