"Swaying and Shaking - This is where I am now"

All of the POPUP SHOPs for 2025 have now finished, and we are breathing a sigh of relief.

Looking back on the past year, it was a period of trial and error, searching, and uncertainty.

I left for Bali in October last year and returned to Japan in March this year.
I didn't decide to return to Japan,
"I need to take care of some tax return paperwork, so let's go back first!"
To be honest, I came back with a light heart.

↑The overlapping blues seen from the sky. It was beautiful!

If I'm going back to Japan, I'd like to do a pop-up.
That's right, let's make a pop-up tour to areas where customers have made purchases from our online shop. Let's go and meet our customers!

I came up with this idea in Bali,
We put the candidate prefectures into a box and drew lots.

Lottery scene from the AMONG tour. I drew Okayama Prefecture.

As a result, we decided to hold pop-ups in Okayama, Osaka, and Kyoto.

Ah, that's easy to say!
It's really hard to do!!

While I was in Bali, I looked for as many locations as possible to open a store.

I thought to myself, "Who the hell came up with this idea?"

After returning to Japan, my husband Shopee and I traveled around various places based on the results of the lottery.

↑Okayama! It was so far away that I nearly fainted (and actually Shopee got a fever from exhaustion)!

Around that time, I was able to connect with a wonderful tailor who would sew my clothes for me.

AMONG's fabric is half-half and half-half with different patterns, so cutting it is complicated.
There is also very little that can be made.
However, since we are handling 46 meters of fabric, we need some appropriate equipment.

Until now, it was really hard to find a place to sew every time.
"The order is missing one, two zeros."
Sometimes I would hear this, but it was also common to not receive a reply at all.

"I'm so happy! Now I can make clothes!"

If that happens, then
What shape should it be?
What fabric? What color?
And so, we move on to the process of working out the specifics.

Arrange for materials, create quality labels, and check samples.
I make the corrections, ask them to sew it for me, and then tag it once I receive it...

↑Staring at a shirt sample.

Before you know it, you're in the middle of a whirlpool!

I was often asked, "When are you going to Bali next?"
The answer has always been "When??"

I could only say vague things, and I felt uneasy and swayed.

In August, after the pop-up and deliveries had finished, I went to Bali again.

However, it is true that we are in the middle of a whirlpool!
I have already booked a department store pop-up for the fall, so I will only be able to stay for about a month.

"Let's go for now!"

↑ Linen rayon pants are great!

Bali in August, especially Ubud, is the perfect summer getaway!
The fresh breeze was very pleasant.
Spending time in Bali with a different feeling than I had six months ago, I was reunited with familiar scenery.

And once again, it was time to think about the future.

I went to Bali and it was good to start something completely different,
I opened my eyes and there it was, AMONG.

Up until now, AMONG has been doing whatever comes to mind, with enthusiasm and energy.
It's been 11 years based on just enthusiasm and momentum! Amazing in many ways!!

However, from now on, we can't move forward just by momentum and enthusiasm.

My husband repeatedly told me he wanted me to share his vision.
In order to move forward together with others, we need to show them the direction, even if it's scary!

I think so too.

But even though I've been thinking about it for a long time, I've never been good at it and I can't do it.
Easier said than done!

Hmm... what should I do?

I came to a halt.

↑It's okay if you get stuck on a big part.
When you decide to do something, act on it one by one.

The idea of creating a vision has been put on hold for the time being, and autumn has arrived.
The whirlwind department store tour has begun.

I currently live in the suburbs of Chiba, so it takes 2.5 hours to get to downtown Tokyo.
It's too far to do in a day.

In addition to preparing for the pop-up, we pack for a week, sometimes three weeks,
We arranged accommodation and parking and set up a stall.

I like traveling and I think I'm good at it.
But there's so much to think about when doing a pop-up... I roll my eyes!

↑The back seat has been removed and it's already packed! I also put a change of clothes, a pillow (helps me sleep better!), and basic seasonings (it's a pain to buy salt, soy sauce, and oil when I'm out). A puzzle!

Autumn was focused on what was in front of her.
It was also in the fall that I was able to hear voices that I had not noticed before.

I love AMONG,
I want to make it an even better brand,
Shopee is there to take on anything.

"I missed him when he went to Bali, and I think it's amazing that so many customers came to see AMONG. I want to do more work."
The presence of members who were able to put into words even things that were difficult to say.

When I heard that voice,
I experienced a variety of emotions for the first time.

Without realizing it,
I might have left important people behind.
It was a heartbreaking realization.

And one more thing.

AMONG is more than I expected.
The fact that I had become important to someone.

thank you.
At the same time, to be honest, I felt like running away and at a loss as to what to do.

Perhaps,
There may be some customers who have been supporting AMONG for a long time who feel the same way.
When I thought about that, I felt a weight on my chest.

↑A moment from this year. I didn't take many photos, but you can almost hear the laughter in these photos. Thank you!

The smiles they showed when they came to the pop-up and the messages they'd say "I'll come again" really touched me more than usual.

The day after all of this year's pop-ups were over, this year's Team AMONG had a year-end party.
(Ai-san couldn't come at the last minute, so I took a photo!)

Even the aftertaste was warm.

And so the end of the year arrived.

Including myself,
It would be boring if I couldn't laugh and enjoy myself with the people I care about.

Whether things go well or not, I want to live an interesting life.
I want to make everything playful.

I can't say for sure yet,
I think that's where my motivation lies,
I feel like AMONG is there for that purpose too.

I also want to go to Bali (and other countries) and experience different cultures and people.
I would also like to set up a base in Japan (where I could have an open studio from time to time and people could gather!).