First anniversary!

Today, (June 18th )marks not only my last birthday in my 50s, but also the first anniversary of my company.

Eleven years ago, I started teaching classes at home. On my 50th birthday, I officially registered my business, established an association seven years later, and incorporated it the following year.

Running a company has brought greater responsibilities compared to operating as a sole proprietor. Balancing work and private life—preparing lunches for my son during exam season while managing a business I was still getting used to—was certainly challenging. But thanks to the support of those around me, especially my husband, who likely has an even busier schedule yet takes care of all the housework on weekends (and with weekday chores outsourced), we somehow made it through this first year safely.

There are so many roles a solo founder must take on—PR, product development, advertising, teaching, legal affairs, procurement, and more. But as I am approaching 60 and surviving cancer, I know I can't push myself too hard. When I feel tired, I lie down right away, and I make sure to get at least seven hours of sleep each night and take it easy on weekends. (If I had started this in my younger years, I probably would’ve been far more aggressive.)

I often act on impulse without overthinking things, and I sometimes regret it later. But seeing more than 20 graduates of my instructor training course now growing into full-fledged teachers helps reassure me that I made the right decision. After all, my goal in starting this business was to help women earn income by doing what they love.

This year, I’m finally taking the leap into international activities (yes, another spontaneous decision), and I plan to exhibit at the Japan Pavilion of the EXPO in Barcelona at the end of the year. I hope to spend the next year sharing wagashi with people around the world—and maybe even make more time for myself outside of work.

Lastly, since many guests have trouble finding the entrance to our studio, we’ve put up a brand-new sign and have a new map —thanks to the design team led by T. Shudo, a former designer at my previous Job at Sony.