photo poster project | Staff Interview | Sharing the Appeal of This Place and Initiative with More People by R / Tatsuya Yamada | ISSUE #134

I work as a freelancer in Chita City, Aichi Prefecture, in an area called Okada, which retains its old townscape. My work includes photography, web design, and video editing.

I also host photo exhibitions in the Tokai region (Nagoya, Osaka, Tokyo) using social media. I resonate deeply with cizucu's initiatives and participate as a staff member in Nagoya.

I participated from the first held in Nagoya. Initially, I was quite anxious because I couldn't get a clear sense of the atmosphere beforehand, and I wasn't familiar with the cizucu platform or the kind of people who would gather there.

However, when the event started, I found everyone to be warm and welcoming. Their serious approach to photography made the gallery talks highly engaging and full of passion, which I found fascinating.

It's natural, but the perspectives of 'exhibitors' and 'staff' are completely different in the .

As an exhibitor, you focus purely on your work. As staff, you focus on 'the person who created the work' and 'the people present in this space.'
We pay close attention to whether participants are enjoying themselves, feeling comfortable, or looking uneasy, ensuring they can relax and have a good time. This effort stems from a desire to share the appeal of this place and initiative with more people.

This mindset was inspired by cizucu's Hamada-san's words: 'This place should not create isolation. It should be a safe space.'

As a staff member, one of my goals is to ensure that every staff member can handle any position equally.
Of course, it's great when individual personalities shine through in their roles. However, by creating an environment where anyone can excel in any position, I believe we can better convey the appeal of this place and make it more accessible to a wider audience.

For me, the unique balance of 'long-time connections' and 'new encounters' makes this place special. It's a space where I can meet people I wouldn't connect with on social media, and I always look forward to participating.
'Nice to see you again' and 'Nice to meet you' coexist in a way that feels just right.

I've become particularly close with the people who participated as staff during the same period as me. Some of them even had connections to my professional work, making these encounters incredibly valuable.

Meeting people who share the same hobby, separate from work or family, is one of the greatest appeals of the .