寿司屋では私は見習いのレベルだったので、掃除や皿洗い、お客様へおしぼりやお茶を出す程度の仕事しか私にはありませんでした。ある日、大雪が降り電車もバスも全てが止まっていました。私が1時間ほど徒歩で店に向かい到着すると親方が「おっ！来たのか。この天気だから今日は休みますってお前から電話が来ると思ってたんだ。まさか来るとは思わなかったよ。」と言うのです。その日から親方は私に板前としての基本を一つ一つ私に教えてくれました。
信頼関係を築くのは容易いことではないですが、目標を持ち努力し挑戦を続けていれば「誰かが見てくれている」というのは真であり、今は私が生徒たちをしっかり見る存在でいたいと想っています。
During spring break, many students were absent from practice due to family trips and other reasons. However, I strongly hope that those who continue to attend the dojo every day will have meaningful training sessions. In my late teens, to maintain the operation of my karate club, I worked part-time at a convenience store in the early mornings before university classes began and late at night after classes and practice. I also worked as an apprentice at a sushi restaurant. At the convenience store, I was responsible for opening and closing the shop, managing inventory, and placing orders. Since it was in a less-than-safe area, I also had to focus on security. After winning an international tournament and returning home, the store manager invited me to his home and celebrated with a lavish meal.
At the sushi restaurant, as an apprentice, my duties were limited to cleaning, washing dishes, and serving customers hand towels and tea. One day, a heavy snowfall brought all trains and buses to a standstill. I walked for about an hour to the restaurant, and when I arrived, the owner said, “Oh! You’re here. I thought you’d call and say you’d take the day off because of the weather. I didn’t expect you to actually come.” From that day on, my master taught me the fundamentals of being a chef, one step at a time.
Building trust isn’t easy, but it’s true that if you have goals, work hard, and keep challenging yourself, “someone will be watching.” Now, I want to be someone who keeps a close eye on my students.