{"id":81199,"date":"2023-12-04T10:40:05","date_gmt":"2023-12-04T01:40:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/?p=81199"},"modified":"2023-12-04T10:40:09","modified_gmt":"2023-12-04T01:40:09","slug":"takeshi-azuma","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/takeshi-azuma\/","title":{"rendered":"Takeshi Azuma"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Always be equal and don&#8217;t have too many expectations of where you are going. Quietly accept the best parts of what you encounter.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Relocating from one city to the next, there are always favourite places which are hard to replace. Recently moving from Kyoto, I was sad to leave behind the Southern Indian cafeteria Yamashokuon and the eclectic community who gathered there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For this edition of my&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/?s=Gibson\">Outdoors and Design<\/a>&nbsp;series, I quietly journeyed back to the summit of Kyoto\u2019s Daimomjiyama in search of hiker, restaurateur and field recorder Takeshi Azuma, to listen to the story behind his singular restaurant and lifestyle.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/99zDUCFa9zY?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>What do I hear?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Traffic, voices, sirens, my rental car\u2019s squeaky suspension and struggling air conditioner as I drive across Kyoto towards Daimonjiyama.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I can also hear the voice in my head saying \u201cit&#8217;s too hot to hike&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/goo.gl\/maps\/8qEoc28UsHs7yaBB6\">Daimonjiyama<\/a>&nbsp;&nbsp;(Mount Daimonji) today\u201d. Ignoring that voice and my squeaky car, I pull into the carpark. I was going to climb Daimonjiyama today, for this was where I first met Takeshi Azuma more than 10 years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Daimonjiyama defines the mountain range to the east of Kyoto and is famed for being one of the five mountains surrounding Kyoto on which bonfires are lit during Gozan no Okuribi; the culmination of the Obon festival during August.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Azuma will be the first to admit his love for this mountain. Just to emphasise how much, when I asked for his favourite outdoor destinations, he named:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/goo.gl\/maps\/mZQDgdXwW4a7SZCZ9\">The Southern (Japanese) Alps<\/a>, Daimonjiyama and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/goo.gl\/maps\/fzQV3GwqVwpDuby56\">Ladakh<\/a>&nbsp;as impressive places of tranquillity. Furthermore, when I asked him where the best place for people to contact him was, he listed&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/azm2012\/\">Instagram<\/a> and Daimonjiyama.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today I was climbing Daimonjiyama in the distant hope Azuma would be there. He is one of the most elusive people I\u2019ve interviewed so far and I still had more to learn about his intentional lifestyle at the intersection of Mountains, Food and Music (Nature, Food, Sound). Of course I didn\u2019t meet him in person this time, but his words and ideas were with me as I quietly followed the contours of Daimonjiyama\u2019s landscape and soundscape.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/sQmO4Sy58lE?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>What do I hear?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Furin, shop owners appealing to customers, tourists in coffee shops, locals with dogs talking about local things, trucks, birds and laughter as I drink an espresso before starting my hike.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Like many of us, it was our parents who first introduced us to and nurtured our appreciation for nature. For me, it was the pikes and peaks of the English&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/goo.gl\/maps\/2iSn84vbnt7nHUgo8\">Lake District<\/a>. Azuma recalls hiking&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/goo.gl\/maps\/grcyFGpKiSwDiLTQA\">Hakusan<\/a>,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/goo.gl\/maps\/xXVFK38gWsDaJ7dP8\">Mount Ontake<\/a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/goo.gl\/maps\/xqNWCztiQLpDmsKE9\">Yatsugatake mountains<\/a>, but mostly low mountains nearer home on weekends. Growing up with a detailed knowledge of the natural environment Azuma\u2019s vague ambition was set on being a mountaineer \u2014I, a cyclist in the Tour de France.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><br>I believe that people are still most easily influenced by what other people are doing.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><br>Again as with many of us, our early decisions are influenced by the people around us. Azuma started playing music and enjoying life with friends, entering university to study the arts. It was here where his interest in music and sounds grew, studying programming and acoustic circuit design, while analysing the mysterious structure of how music is produced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/3kSqypmzbuE?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/010-TakeshiAzuma-3000-2-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-81202\" srcset=\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/010-TakeshiAzuma-3000-2-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/010-TakeshiAzuma-3000-2-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/010-TakeshiAzuma-3000-2-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/010-TakeshiAzuma-3000-2-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/010-TakeshiAzuma-3000-2-2048x1152.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>What do I hear?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Running water, an aeroplane, footsteps, cicadas, and voices as I collected water from the natural spring.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In a search for a connection between his love of Nature and Music he started exploring the art of Field Recording. Generally speaking, field recording is the activity of professionally recording in the open air, as opposed to studio recording.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><br>When it came to going into nature in search of sound, I heard different layers to the world I knew and realised I needed to relearn the ecosystem.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><br>Azuma started asking questions: Why is the wind blowing? Why are there creatures here and why is there a river? Not understanding this was the difference between intentionally recording and reactively recording natural phenomena. \u201cIf you don&#8217;t understand this, everything is driven by what is happening in front of you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He realised that he couldn\u2019t record the sounds of living things if he didn&#8217;t go to the mountains at the right time, the flow of a river couldn\u2019t be read if he couldn\u2019t see the terrain. In recording, like in life, you can\u2019t catch a phenomenon in a constant state of reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/f-Zg1_xEx2M?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/010-TakeshiAzuma-3000-5-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-81210\" srcset=\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/010-TakeshiAzuma-3000-5-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/010-TakeshiAzuma-3000-5-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/010-TakeshiAzuma-3000-5-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/010-TakeshiAzuma-3000-5-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/010-TakeshiAzuma-3000-5-2048x1152.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>What do I hear?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Conversation, a whistle, a bell, footsteps on a metal drain, crows, shouts and people collecting charcoal in ziplock bags at the centre of Daimonjiyama\u2019s Kyoto Gozan Okuribi.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hypothesising that this intentional approach to field recording could be applied to recording music. Instead of sitting in a studio waiting for musicians to produce&nbsp;<em>good<\/em>&nbsp;music, he fantasised about designing a situation where&nbsp;<em>honest<\/em>&nbsp;music could occur naturally. \u201cLife and sound in symbiosis with all living organisms.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><br>I think that what I am interested in is recording as a starting point to understand what environment the sound comes from and what it leads to.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><br>From here he became interested in everything that could potentially produce the type of music he imagined possible. Designing the type of space, the time of day\/year, the location and even the food. Hearing that a fast digestion is constitutive to cognitive focus and that a moderately complex aroma increases one&#8217;s imagination, he began researching different food-body-nature relationships in the search for&nbsp;<em>good honest<\/em>&nbsp;music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><br>If humans are part of nature and if many of us move in the same way under the same certain conditions, We could then become part of the nature we long for, just by living within that system.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><br>The connections between mountains food and music were moving closer together, however he was just one encounter away from realising his assumptions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/sbTIOT51XtE?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/010-TakeshiAzuma-3000-7-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-83010\" srcset=\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/010-TakeshiAzuma-3000-7-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/010-TakeshiAzuma-3000-7-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/010-TakeshiAzuma-3000-7-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/010-TakeshiAzuma-3000-7-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/010-TakeshiAzuma-3000-7.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>What do I hear?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birds, cicadas, footsteps, breath, radio Ojiichan, distant cars, an aeroplane, a woodpecker, flies\u2026 a beam of sunlight illuminating leaves.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Anyone in the Japanese hiking community, particularly the Ultralight (UL) hiking community, has heard of Akira Natsume and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.yamatomichi.com\/\">Yamatomichi<\/a>, his UL hiking gear brand.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Secretly immersed in researching and cooking Nepalese food at home while continuing his regular audio engineering work. Azuma in an opportunistic moment contacted Natsume-san suggesting that his upcoming talk event about Hiking in Nepal would be incomplete without first filling the stomachs of the audience with Nepalese food. Natsume-san agreed and Azuma packed his car with spices and drove to Tokyo where he filled the gallery with Nepalese aromas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><br>UL hiking is not only about the tools, but also about the complexities of humanity and influences from other genres.&nbsp;<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><br>It wasn\u2019t long before they opened Yamashokuon under the gaze of Daimonjiyama in Kyoto. A Southern Indian cafeteria &amp; UL hiking gear shop. The name \u201cYamashokuon\u201d needs explanation, but it\u2019s actually quite simple. Derived from three kanji characters:&nbsp;\u5c71\u98df\u97f3&nbsp;(Yama, Shoku, On) \u201cYama\u201d meaning mountain, mountain culture, and nature or natural. \u201cShoku\u201d is short for \u201cshukudo\u201d meaning cafeteria, a straightforward style of restaurant or simply food, a meal. Finally \u201cOn\u201d, short for \u201congaku\u201d meaning music, sound, listening and perhaps the conversation from a close-knit community. And it was a close-knit community bringing hikers, foodies and musicians together in one location. A place to meet, share information and plan new adventures; tables covered with maps, dishes of southern Indian cuisine and cups of local sake. Often Azuma\u2019s field recordings accompanying in the background.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/QIe6ian6gmg?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/010-TakeshiAzuma-3000-8-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-83014\" srcset=\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/010-TakeshiAzuma-3000-8-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/010-TakeshiAzuma-3000-8-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/010-TakeshiAzuma-3000-8-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/010-TakeshiAzuma-3000-8-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/010-TakeshiAzuma-3000-8.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>What do I hear?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Breath, summit regulars in friendly conversation, cicadas, distant cityscape, flies, wind\u2026 butterflies\u2026 ants at my feet\u2026 change.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I made it to the summit and there I sat looking down on Kyoto. The word <em>summit<\/em> sounds high. By all accounts Daimonjiyama isn\u2019t a high mountain at 466m, but it\u2019s tall enough. Tall enough to change one\u2019s perspective on a place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><br>Recording natural phenomena allows a smooth understanding of the changes in things.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><br>The summit has changed over the years, I think there was only a single bench that time I first met Azuma. We sat there together, drawn into conversation by the close proximity and endorphins from a shared experience. There are now enough seats that two people might never meet; it feels like a different place. I don\u2019t begrudge the change, change is natural so it is natural that I gaze down to the space where Yamashokuon used to be. For it is with some sadness now closed.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, the physical space Yamashokuon may be closed, but the conceptual space is more open than ever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/010-TakeshiAzuma-3000-11-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-81244\" srcset=\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/010-TakeshiAzuma-3000-11-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/010-TakeshiAzuma-3000-11-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/010-TakeshiAzuma-3000-11-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/010-TakeshiAzuma-3000-11-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/010-TakeshiAzuma-3000-11.jpg 1800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Any outcome is the perfect result of the system that created it, be it cooking a recipe, recording music or environment changes. Being aware of, working with and perhaps designing a system, or should I say lifestyle is the first step in creating any desired results. Thinking again, Design is the wrong word. Design implies control and it\u2019s not about control, quite the opposite. It\u2019s about nurturing awareness, symbiosis and acceptance of both systems and outcomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Azuma and I talked about change, how change is usually noticed after the fact. The end of summer, the closing of a shop. Spending extended time in the natural environment shows that change is constant. Four seasons in a year is an illusion; there is one season changing ever so slightly every single moment. All the natural world understands and embraces this, except us humans it seems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><br>If we think the change is beautiful, then we can live in synchronicity with that moment of change.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><br>Azuma approaches the future in the same way he approaches field recording. With an awareness and an acceptance of the systems in place, be they man-made or otherwise, while nurturing an environment that will naturally produce positive outcomes and constant changes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We can easily change our perspective of the city by hiking a small mountain. We can also change our perspective on the closure of Yamashokuon, from sadness of what has changed, to excitement in discovering what it is changing into.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/010-TakeshiAzuma-3000-10-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-81240\" srcset=\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/010-TakeshiAzuma-3000-10-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/010-TakeshiAzuma-3000-10-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/010-TakeshiAzuma-3000-10-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/010-TakeshiAzuma-3000-10-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/010-TakeshiAzuma-3000-10.jpg 1800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Do notions of success cross Azusa\u2019s mind?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI don&#8217;t really think of success that much, but perhaps it is the feeling of being able to enter into and become one with what I want to know more about.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Is that your purpose in life?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI have a purpose for what I do in my life, which is to do exactly what my material body \u2014including the brain\u2014 is suited to do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"last\">\u2026and so it goes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Learn more about Takeshi Azuma and his fascinating projects with&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/takeshiazuma.com\/4cd6da50f7e14b6899554580730bca7f\">Yamatomichi<\/a>,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/takeshiazuma.com\/ce60f3d3f60e4c889e2821df8ed32e1d\">Brian Eno<\/a>, and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/takeshiazuma.com\/0c69991250b74e8ea7d6ef257101dfd6\">Ikema Yuko<\/a>.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/takeshiazuma.com\/\">Website<\/a><br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/azm2012\/\">Instagram<\/a><br><a href=\"https:\/\/goo.gl\/maps\/8qEoc28UsHs7yaBB6\">Daimonjiyama<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you liked this story you might like to read &amp; subscribe to James\u2019s&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/arukari.substack.com\/\">newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>James Gibson, an outdoor enthusiast and designer &#8211; bring his two passions \u2018OUTDOORS &#038; DESIGN\u2019 together to shed sunshine on Japanese: projects, art, creative endeavours and brands that are enlightening our natural world.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":81251,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":false,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[119,117],"tags":[6856,6747,3477,5338,6749],"place":[223],"writer":[],"class_list":["post-81199","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-local-guides-en","category-culture-en","tag-field-recording","tag-hiker","tag-james-gibson-2","tag-outdoors-design-en","tag-takeshi-azuma","place-kyoto-en"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - 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