mastercondehousecojp– Author –
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Japanese Culture and Traditions
Curiosity Killed the Cat (and Made Us Eat Blowfish): Introducing Hokkaido Smoked Coffee
Why did our ancestors risk death to eat blowfish? I argue that the answer is not taste, but our insatiable human curiosity. I demonstrate this uncontrollable urge by sharing a behavioral science experiment where students voluntarily chose to receive an electric shock—repeatedly—just to satisfy their curiosity. This inherent human nature leads to our new product: Hokkaido Smoked Coffee, where beans are smoked using the wood chips from our furniture. Don't pretend you aren't curious; you can't help yourself. Risk a small shock of flavor! -
Japanese Culture and Traditions
The Disease of Youth: Why the Japanese Uniform Is a Symbol of Rebellion and Belonging
You love the aesthetic of the Japanese seifuku from Sailor Moon. But what is the reality? Youth is a disease from which, I hope, I have recovered. We explore the Uniform Paradox: Japanese teenagers rebel against school rules but never the uniform itself—a profound ambivalence that defines our culture. -
Japanese Culture and Traditions
The 100-Year Bet: Why We Plant Oak Trees in Hokkaido (and the Martin Luther Paradox)
Why does planting a tree feel so profoundly positive? You cannot plant a tree without a radical, almost arrogant degree of hope for a future you will not see. For us, this means taking a 100-Year Bet: planting oak trees today that the children who join us will likely never see turned into furniture. This is the profound irony of investing in a raw material only for an entirely unseen future generation. -
Marketing Tips
The Queueing Paradox: Why Milano Salone Thrives by Excluding the Masses (The Disney Dreamland Test)
We may queue neatly, but we are internally seething. We analyze the privatization of pleasure using the TDL model (abolishing the free Fast Pass). The secret to Milano Salone's success is simple: its location offers irresistible, non-business entertainment. Entertainment is not supplementary to the trade show; it is the precondition for its success. -
Must-Visit in Japan
Hidden gems in Hokkaido : To see Drift Ice in Okhotsk coast of HokkaidoÂ
There are so many hidden gems in Hokkaido. You can see beautiful scenery e.g.; lakes, mountains, forest, sea and so on. I would like to share some gems in Hokkaido. 【Drift Ice (Ryuhyo)】 Drift ice along the Okhotsk coast of Hokkaido is ... -
Japanese Culture and Traditions
The Howard Hughes Dilemma: Why We Commute Two Hours to Work in Stylish Offices
What is the meaning of work? I begin by contemplating the Howard Hughes Dilemma—the tragic loneliness of a titan who isolated himself from his work. This contrasts sharply with the Stylish Paradox of Tokyo's furniture makers: beautiful, showcase offices paired with full remote work. I ask why workers commute two hours a day to the office, concluding that the underlying drive is a profound mystery of human connection. Our upcoming office renovation is a trial to prove that the opposite of Howard Hughes is a good chair and a friendly colleague. -
Must-Visit in Japan
Hidden gems in Hokkaido : Sounkyo Ice Fall Festival
There are so many hidden gems in Hokkaido. You can see beautiful scenery e.g.; lakes, mountains, forest, sea and so on. I would like to share some gems in Hokkaido. 【The Place, SOUNKYO Onsen】 SOUNKYO is a picturesque gorge located in t... -
Must-Visit in Japan
The Power of a Name: How ‘Jewelry Ice’ Turned a Nobodys’ Coast into a Global Destination
The cult of ice: Over 100 people gathered in punishing cold before dawn to see the Jewelry Ice. We explore the power of a name: worthless river ice was renamed 'Jewelry Ice' and became a global phenomenon. Money is a form of appreciation for perceived value. We must find the 'Jewelry Wood' moment for our furniture. -
Marketing Tips
The Levitt Principle: How Removing Barriers and Redefining Purpose Creates Billion-Dollar Hits
I analyze the success of the Convenience Gym, which found a million members by removing every possible barrier to exercise. Then, I examine the hit Men's Parasol, which succeeded by simply redefining the item's purpose. Both confirm Theodore Levitt's Principle: "Sell the hole, not the drill." I apply this to our craft by proposing to engrave family names on dining chairs—shifting the purpose from "comfort" to "making the place where family members return to." (The only downside: it risks making parents terribly sad after the kids fly the nest.) -
Must-Visit in Japan
Hidden gems in Hokkaido : Three Must Eat major cuisines in Hokkaido
There are so many hidden gems in Hokkaido. You can see beautiful scenery e.g.; lakes, mountains, forest, sea and so on. I would like to share some gems in Hokkaido. Today, let's talk about "Three Must Eat major cuisines in Hokkaido." 【I...
