niime 百科

Encyclopedia of niime

One month has passed since opening the new store, ‘tamaki niime shima’.

Just a few minutes from Nishiwaki City and Olinas Hall via car, a new white building appears along National Route 175. It is a renovated coffee shop that was a long time favorite.

They mainly display various fabrics in the store where Banshu-ori weavers compete for their skills and individualities. In addition, the goods and food items that tamaki niime recommends are displayed casually yet stylishly.

All the ‘gifts, accessories and foods’ are on display, produced by the people of Nishiwaki and Taka in their rich land. I asked Tamaki and Sakai about many things of ‘shima’ that they have plans to become a base in the region and a meeting place for people.


—— In the opening of ‘tamaki niime shima’, since I was involved in selecting books, I could see the process of preparing a store.

Tamaki

Yes, you could see it through.

—— I did see from the process of the building being painted to the opening of the store. It was fascinating.

Sakai

I was the one who first started saying that the building should be painted white. I just talked about it with Tamaki. She is the one who could explain it logically, but I am a super intuitive person. For example, if you ask me why I chose this place, I would say because I felt it’s good. We are like that.

—— I see.

Sakai

Why did I choose to paint the building white? I just thought, because I like it. White is the best, I would say.

Tamaki

(interrupting) There should be some reason you wanted to choose white. We have to analyze it.

Sakai

We choose white not to copy someone else, but white is the best colour to go with various products we have now.

—— I see. I understand.

Tamaki

It goes with all the space in the building.

Sakai

Yes. Without mixing up, each one could appeal to each existence. That is why I think we chose white, but we just felt that choosing white was the best.

Tamaki

Indeed. It was intuitive, though. (laugh)

—— You might have added some reasons afterwards, however, I see the view each time you put new items and more products on the shelves are added, I can see a whole picture and feel like completing a store…

Tamaki

Did you enjoy it?

—— First, I got the impression that it was beautiful when I went in and saw the fabrics section on the right-back, having curtains of shawls on the windows with sunshine, neatly displayed fabrics that are divided by different colours are shining on the white shelves. The mirrors as a pair on the poles are producing effects, too. I thought, “wow! They are great!”.

Sakai

That’s how the boss, Ms Niime Tamaki, did it.

Tamaki

What are you talking about? (laugh)

Sakai

Well, your direction is outstanding. Seriously, it is comfortable and persuasive.

—— I am sure customers feel the same way.

Sakai

Not trying to attract people’s attention; our colour, white, is the one that pursues comfort.

—— Indeed.

Sakai

Yes, that’s what it is.

Tamaki

Knowing it with your feeling should be the best way.

Sakai

That’s it! There’s no other way except knowing it through feeling. She paints everything white.

Tamaki

Hahaha. Colours are essential.

—— In a way, you may have gotten an outstanding impression when the building was painted white since it originally had the image of a coffee shop. Then you remodel it, keeping the at-home feeling that the coffee shop used to have.

Tamaki

Yeah, we did.

—— The new shop, ‘shima’, has a more casual atmosphere, but does not lose the quality of product attractiveness…they are relaxed and beautiful, being particular about the products, which is also the way of ‘tamaki niime’ is presented.

Sakai

The original colours and shape were perfect, and it also kept that nostalgic feeling of an old coffee shop.

—— I see. It is nostalgic.

Sakai

Tamaki and I like rustic, but that’s not what we want for this building. For example, if our theme is ‘new Roadside Station’, we want to make it a more neutral one.

—— So you started off painting it white.

Tamaki

A neutral feeling that is in our mind? Right?

Sakai

We wanted a neutral state from our mindset. That’s one of the reasons we painted it white. White certainly gets dirty on floors if people walk on it.

—— Yes.

Sakai

It will change over the years.

Tamaki

I spilled paints on the floor… (sorry)

—— It was not an art painting, was it?

Tamaki

Actually, that’s the one I spilled paint at midnight. I really did!

Sakai

So, white is okay in any event.

—— It could be acceptable when it comes to expectations.

Sakai

That’s right. Because white itself is a canvas.

Tamaki

It’s all right to do with anything. It is art, indeed!

Sakai

It is good to display your products, or even spilled paints can be art. Everything is…

Tamaki

Even footprints.

Sakai

Just like jeans change beautifully while time goes by, I really think white is great.

Tamaki

We make it a highlight.

Sakai

That’s right. We make ‘traces’ to leave our history.

—— Every time I delivered the books, I could gradually see a whole picture while increasing more items on the shelves, such as books, food, accessories, and miscellaneous things. But that is not ‘complete’ when the store opens.

Tamaki & Sakai

Yeah.

—— As you go changing in the future, you accept many things for opening stores, and you see gradually your bookshelves made up…you feel amazed at the capability of white.

Sakai

That’s true. White has excellent power. Really!

—— You really make the white work. I really understand now.

Tamaki

Because I really want to make things jumble up like an old mom-and-pop candy shop.

—— Yeah…, white can be…

Tamaki

It can be possible to add more and more with white, right? (laugh)

Sakai

Yeah. (laugh)

—— It is terrific that it gives you an impression like small cozy rooms of fabrics, miscellaneous things, or book sections.

Tamaki

Each has its world.

—— It gives you a feeling that you can talk with them comfortably.

Tamaki

We could face items comfortably. I like the feeling of small cozy rooms.

Sakai

Yeah.

—— That was one of the aims?

Tamaki

It just ended up that way as a consequence, I guess.

Sakai

That’s right. It connects with the first conversation that we chose it intuitively. Our way is not logical to bring it to a decision. We just come to pick what we believe to be the best case by case.

—— You are flexible.

Sakai

We intuitively know what to do in situations. We don’t make plans first…and not really to decide to do this and that.

—— I see.

Sakai

We prefer to make changes in that moment.

Sakai

How did you decide on the exterior design with the ‘tamaki niime’ logo projected and drawn on the building wall?

Sakai

That was Tamaki’s idea, right?

Tamaki

I just gave them an idea that I wanted to have artwork on the wall outside. I shared some guidelines and thoughts, and Mr Kubo did the design that completed the concept. That’s for sure.

Sakai

Tamaki and I had been deciding most things, and the staff worked with our directions so far in the past. However, as Tamaki mentioned in the case of ‘Shima’, we gave them ideas, and Mr Kubo did the design, so everyone created together.

Tamaki

Yeah, it is unsettled to see the progress because there are many elements to happen, but I think all the works for processes are more important than works aiming for a perfect goal for opening. That’s why everyone got involved in doing it.

—— To the assignments to be given, they responded…

Tamaki

Everyone worked on it.

—— They responded flexibly.

Sakai

That’s right. That’s why our staff got involved with creative works this time.

—— I see.

Sakai

We have really created together this time and will probably continue doing it.

Tamaki

I already throw them a way of organizing systems we have to put into order!

Sakai

Yeah.

Tamaki

I hope they would have a comfortable way to handle and even get some profit.

—— You give them hints to get started and…

Tamaki

All they have to do is doing it! Right, everyone? (laugh)

—— I see.

Tamaki

I think the ‘zero-one’ concept, I mean a start from scratch, is essential. During both times opening the Machida store and launching our brand by Sakai and me, the energy levels we used were completely different from those in our regular times.

—— I see.

Tamaki

‘tamaki niime’ has been having events many times. I like to have events because we have a chance to use our ‘zero-one’ power. Our human quality of thinking, acting, failing-trying-again-power gets higher in the opening events and improves our experiences.

—— ‘the unusual’ has more power than ‘the usual’.

Tamaki

That’s right. However, we haven’t had significant events because of the Pandemic.

—— Such as fun events like festivals.

Tamaki

So, that means, we need to do such experiences of ‘zero-one’ to improve our quality.

Sakai

‘Zero-one’ experiences need a lot of energy for concentration.

Tamaki

Indeed. Because we have deadlines. We have to do and think to multitask, where we use a lot more energy than usual, but they give us a sense of accomplishment and motivation. That’s why we want our staff to have those experiences to improve them.

Sakai

But, overall, I think they enjoyed it a lot.

Tamaki

Even though they worked it in a cold sweat… (laugh).

Sakai

They worked, but they completed the work from ‘zero-one’ with the use of various minds, including Tamaki and other staff.

Tamaki

Sakai and I have known each other well and gone through such experiences many times, so ‘zero-one’ working is ordinary for us. For our staff, however, who never experienced starting-up-a-business, it was the very first hard challenge. When our schedule got tight, they looked painful…which was much different from 3 months ago when they looked not switched on.

—— Right close to the opening day, we completed the shelves.

Tamaki

They were energized at the final push.

—— Their final push was amazing.

Tamaki

I had a feeling that we were truly connected. Until that time, they were careful with each other and depended on someone to do their jobs.

—— They concluded that there were no other choices except they had to do it, which was…

Tamaki

They switched on.

Sakai

Exactly.

—— They were desperate.

Tamaki

Yeah. That energy is the most essential!

Sakai

When you belong to a big organization, you don’t have much choice but to do it.

—— You are more likely to depend on someone.

Sakai

That’s right. But, when you get involved with the situations, you have to do it with true meaning. So you would have a feeling of tension. That makes you act very differently, right?

Tamaki

Since the five days of an opening event at ‘shima’ started, everyone was tense.

—— Each one had the feeling of “I have to do it.”

Sakai

Yes.

Tamaki

They did.

—— In the future, you will have more products, so the opening is not ‘complete’. When you see the store as a starting point, do you already have an image of a complete picture of ‘shima’ for you, Ms Tamaki?

Tamaki

Well? No.

Sakai

Me, either.

Tamaki

…Well, I had some image of how to show the store’s attractiveness in myself, probably. I didn’t say it, though. (laugh)

—— That was like teamwork with your staff.

Tamaki

I had an image that I like to have but didn’t ask them to do it…what was it?

—— Even though there is a different image that Ms Tamaki has, it would be good. Is that what you feel? Correct?

Tamaki

What did I feel? I sometimes fix some parts with different images and need some corrections, or I sometimes end up asking someone to do something that I am not very good at for my job. Like, I ask Mio saying, “Will you do this? I am not very good at decorating shawls.” (laugh)

—— Hmm.

Tamaki

Then, it goes well. I am thankful for that! There are vague images I want to have. If each piece displays unmatched, I feel uncomfortable with them, but I am not inflexible that everything has to be set in particular ways.

—— I see.

Tamaki

So it’s imperative to keep beauty overall, or you feel comfortable being there.

—— As long as you keep such points, it would be good.

Tamaki

If there are some problems in some parts, I fix them, but I sometimes don’t make any changes because of feeling all right with them. If I set up but the customers have a hard time reaching products afterwards, I ask the staff to place them in better ways. Then I found them replaced every time I saw them. I think daily that they look much better after they changed them.

—— I think Ms Tamaki is concerned more about customers in running stores, focusing on how they feel.

Tamaki

You are right. (laugh)

—— You are the most demanding customer of all.

Tamaki

Yes, I am. If I suggest better ways, they fix them.

Sakai

It always happens. Each one believes own values and standards in our creativity.

〈 continued 〉

In ‘tamaki niime shima’, a base for developing new potential in the Banshu-ori district, I feel their brand has a consistent philosophy with a free and open mind.

For the following interview, part 2, I will ask Tamaki and Sakai about more meanings that ‘shima’ brings to the district and brand. Please look forward to it.

Original Japanese text by Seiji Koshikawa.
English translation by Adam & Michiko Whipple.