Hi everyone, how are you doing?

Recently, there have been sudden announcements of promo cards and upcoming magazine releases,
so I’ve been quite busy handling reservations and customer inquiries.

Not everything new is always better, but Yu-Gi-Oh cards are getting as much attention as Dragon Ball lately,
so things have gotten even busier (lol).

Even so, as I mentioned before, I try to enjoy life every day.
What does “enjoyment” mean to you?

For me, it’s “freedom.”
Time where I don’t have to think about anything, depend on anyone, or worry about others.
That, to me, is the greatest luxury.
It sounds simple, but it’s actually quite difficult.

Of course, life isn’t completely free, but going for walks in the park with my child has become part of my daily routine.
So today, I’d like to share a bit of that everyday life.

I live in Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture.
It’s the 5th largest designated city in Japan, with a population of about 1.67 million.
Fukuoka City alone makes up about 32.8% of the prefecture’s total population.

People often think it’s a big city, but it’s quite different from central Tokyo or New York (lol).
That said, it’s very convenient and offers a great balance between city life and nature.

For example:

• About 45 minutes to the ocean
• About 45 minutes to the mountains
• 25 minutes to the Shinkansen
• 35 minutes to the airport (15 minutes early in the morning)

There are also shrines and large parks nearby.

As I’ve mentioned before, it’s also a great place to run a business related to trading cards or retro games,
especially because sourcing costs can be lower.

If you’re thinking about doing business in Japan,
I highly recommend considering Fukuoka—not just Tokyo or Osaka.

■ Gokoku Shrine

Just a few minutes’ walk from my home, there’s Gokoku Shrine.
It has a large, peaceful space, and during official events or New Year’s, many people come to visit.

■ Ohori Park

If you walk through the shrine, you’ll arrive at Ohori Park.

Before walking around the park, I often stop by the café next to the Fukuoka Art Museum for coffee ☕️
There are also outdoor art pieces, so I sometimes take photos.

This time, I visited with my 1.5-year-old daughter and took some photos from the museum for this blog.
The museum itself is free, although some events require an admission fee.

The view from the second floor is amazing—you can overlook the entire park.

After that, we walked along the lakeside path.

From my impression, about 60% of the people are tourists, many from Asia.
Locals like me probably make up around 20%.
On weekends, even more visitors come from other parts of Japan, and parking around the park gets very crowded.

Parking can also be expensive, so I recommend walking or using public transportation.

One fun activity is the swan boat a pedal boat shaped like a swan. It’s great for making travel memories.

There’s also a Starbucks and several cafés where you can relax,
with a calm and very Japanese atmosphere.

There’s also a U.S. consulate nearby, so there are many police officers around very safe (lol).

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That’s a simple introduction to my daily environment.

Even for customers I’ve been doing business with for years,
there aren’t many chances to see this side of my life,
so I’d like to share more of it going forward.

I believe that your environment is very important for your work.
Whether it’s a big city or the countryside,
if you’re stressed or not satisfied with where you are,
you won’t be able to perform at your best.

It’s rare to see the personal life of someone running a sales site (lol).

I used to share my daily life on YouTube (currently paused for about 4 years).
I don’t like a life that’s only about work I want to enjoy every day.

To me, selling cards isn’t just a job,
it’s a way to connect with people.

That’s why I don’t see my customers as strangers,
but more like friends or teammates.
I always want to support you as much as I can.

This became a bit long, but
I hope even those who have never visited Japan can feel a little closer to it.

Currently, I have very little business with people in South Asia, Russia, Eastern Europe, and Africa
(some regions are difficult to ship to),
but I would love to connect with more people from all over the world.

And I’ll say it again
please come visit Fukuoka 😊

shinobu😘