––Did you use a techo before you started using the Hobonichi Techo?

OkiMy company has a techo that the employees hand out to business partners. I used this techo too, but was looking for a new one for a change. That’s when I remembered about the Hobonichi Techo, and how it’s been out there in the market for a while.

––Oh, you had us in mind!

OkiThat was the year when Sebastian Masuda designed for a cover, so I decided to buy one to see how it goes. I bought one for my wife too.

––You gave your wife the same cover?

OkiI handed it to her saying “Give this a try if you like,” and that’s how we started to use it. However, I didn’t know how to use it at the beginning and didn’t know what to do. When I searched for clues on the Internet, it seemed that everyone used it in crazy ways. (Laughs)

––It’s hard when you think about it seriously. It’ll be easier if everyone used it as freely as they like.

OkiI was worried if I’d be able to continue using it everyday. But I knew if I try to use it to the max, I wouldn’t be able to continue it, so I started by writing down my basic schedules - just like I used to do with my previous techo.
As I randomly wrote down schedules, I started to notice the blank spaces, so I wrote down short notes of my daughter’s growth. I didn’t care if it turned into a diary or a schedule keeper and just wrote down everything.

––For example, what do you write about?

OkiThere’s a page at the start of each month, isn’t there? I use that space to write down the things I saw, heard of, read, and thought was a great comment that month. I sometimes read back on it thinking about those comments.

––So you found your original way of using your techo half-way through. I see you’ve written quite a lot in your techo, but what’s written in it?

OkiI write down words that I want to remember. For example, this women said “Ginza is Tokyo’s chandelier” in a TV show. I'll never use this comment,　right?

––Have you talked about this elsewhere?

OkiNo, I haven’t. Today’s the first day I've talked about this, after a year.

––Not everything comes in handy. What else do you write?

OkiFor example, if you take April of this year... It says “The strongest is those who lived the longest.” At the end, when those who lived the longest say “everyone else says that at that time, A was the strongest, but it’s actually B,” this theory becomes the norm. That’s why the stories of those who lived the longest is the strongest. I was convinced when I heard this.
As I wrote down things that don’t matter so much in my techo, I started to realize this might be what everyone else writes in their techo.

––I feel that stories of winning and losing are written often.

OkiAfter I started to participate in a sports show on TV, I grew to like comments on winning and losing, and how athletes think. I did like baseball and professional wrestling from the start, so I watched those, but on top of that I started to take notes.

––Do you write in your techo at night?

OkiI write schedules and anything that’s decided beforehand, but I write diaries that night reflecting on what happened that day. I write down results of my favorite baseball team, and write down the pitcher’s name too. By doing so, I start to see a pattern.

––You have hobbies that have lead to your job, for example baseball, about the end of the Edo period and about castles. Do you summarize notes about the thing you like?　

OkiNo, I don’t write about it regularly. But if I went somewhere for a job that’s history-related and I found out something new, I write about it in my techo. Oh, that reminds me, I had this sudden realization about work when I read Itoi’s words. I instantly thought it was my own existence theory, and I wrote it down.

––Bibiru Oki’s Existence Theory! You’ve taken the time to read the daily quotes, too.

OkiI always read it. These words become hints. Also, I write down titles of the dramas and movies I watched.

––Wow, you’ve seen a lot!

OkiNo, this isn’t anything. From a few years ago, I decided to watch 100 pieces a year, but to look back at it now, I’ve only seen 45 in 2017.

––So, just under half your goal.

OkiI used to be able to see 100 before my daughter was born. Through entries of my previous techos, I’m able to see what I do less now evidently. It motivates me to try harder the next year. Even though I was busy, I watched 83 the next year.

––Wow, you’ve improved a lot! Is what you’ve written here limited to what you saw in movie theatres?

OkiTheatres, DVDs, and online. I only count those that I’ve seen fully and that don’t have commercial breaks. So those that are aired on TV and have commercial breaks aren’t included.

––So those that you can concentrate on while watching. What else do you write about?

OkiI also write about books I read. I tend to forget the titles. But, when I reflect on the books I read by looking at the list of books I read, I realized I only read those with gory incidents. (Laughs) For example, books with a serial killer that I have to read through to know who’s the culprit.

––The things you like become evident. I thought it was interesting to be able to see someone’s list of books they read. With someone’s favourite book of the moment, they’d probably think of trends and what would be accepted by others, but by seeing a list, it shapes your personality.

OkiI only write down the titles of the books that I finished reading, but I make sure that I don’t choose to read a book because I want to write it down in my techo - that will be missing the point. I’d feel that I want to be better than myself last year if I do so.