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I participated in the Tokyo Game Show (TGS) 2024 on its Business Day.

For the visit on the business day, to make it short, I enjoyed. I visited as a vendor not just to discuss my own solution offerings but also participated to enjoy products and to explore services of exhibitors. It was nice to enjoy conversation on gaming and had chance to exchange business cards in a good atmosphere.

What amazed me most was that there were several student teams from overseas, exhibiting their original games. Some offered their games in trilingual: Korean, English and Japanese. Besides that, they said they had translated by themselves, and I found – for instance – their Japanese a very good quality! Of course, the contents of those games also incorporated full of unconventional ideas and sophisticated details. A game by one of those teams, of which I played their demo, was very intriguing with attractive characters and ingenious actions. Most indie games were / would be mainly available on PC (Steam?), while some were / would be offered on popular platforms.

Merchandise areas also attracted many visitors, though I only went through for window-shopping as I personally didn’t have space for goods. There were some nice merchandises (cups, bags…) of games I knew. It was also interesting to see an ergonomic, professional (?) setup for gaming proposed by well-known furniture brands – I’ve longed for their first shop in Hiroshima…😌

In the evening, I took part in a business card exchange opportunity and dinner, which some peer translators volunteered to arrange. It gave me chances to finally meet some peers, who I knew online but had never met in-person, and to get to know new peers. We had great time there. I would like to say thanks to those who organized such fantastic opportunities. 👏

Only had I regretted that I could visit TGS on just one of the four days, as I had previous engagements on the rest days. I’d like to visit at least two full days of the business day if I would be able to make it again next year.

Photo: in front of TGS billboard at Makuhari Messe 1-8 Halls

I get the feeling that I go on to a business trip every month recently (while actually not). Some of my colleagues believe that I’m just going on workcation every month (a business trip is with full of interesting experiences though). My destination of this September was China. I visited Beijing to meet my colleague together with another translator peer.

I had visited China back in 2009 last, so this second visit was for the first time in 15 years, and with full of amazing experiences! I had heard of the digitalized society of this country but it was beyond my understanding. It was interesting to spend time in a foreign country without any physical money – no bills, no coins. Any purchases, rides, entries are possible just with a QR code on app installed in your mobile phone. You are even required to book a ticket to enter a park (those of large parks as a sightseeing spot). Just occasionally, visitors from overseas can’t complete a transaction with local individuals, but it wouldn’t disturb you much (In Japan on the other hand, you might have a chance to use a taxi booking on your app in Tokyo but such a service is not available in Hiroshima yet).

Apparently you can do nothing if your phone runs out of battery but no worries. There’s tons of facilities where you can rent a mobile battery: in restaurants, in bars, in sightseeing spots 😂 just get a mobile battery at one of those places before it’s too late. We see very similar services in Tokyo but the coverage is way different. (and again, meanwhile in Hiroshima… 😭)
Such a far-advanced, digitalized society obviously have pros and cons but it was interesting to see not only young people but also elderly people make good use of a smartphone w/o problem.

Thanks to my friend, I was able to enjoy so many great experiences and learn a lot. I really hope to visit Beijing again sometime soon!😊

The most impressive expression I learned during my stay:
我喜欢吃小龙虾🦞
wǒ xǐhuan chī xiǎolóngxiā
“I like (to eat) crawfish.”
It tasted really good!🧏‍♂️

Photo: the Great Wall of China

It has been with full of fruitful businesses for the last 2-3 months incl. translation, interpreting, event interpreting coordinating projects (and several business trips). It’s not a proverb but Japanese has a saying like „being busy is good thing.” I’ll be slowly looking at the second quarter result during in August 🙂

It’s already the end of July: the first month of the second half of the year 2024 is coming to an end. Japan is now in the mood for summer vacation. (Well, I work through the O-bon holidays – in the mid of August – though. 💦). How’s the progress on your resolution of the year, looking back over the first half of the year? 😃

I do not quite remember when I made a resolution – last year or two years ago – but I’ve achieved the ratio 7:3 for translation/interpreting in terms of monthly occupancy of orders. (It used to be only translation, slowly go to 9:1 and it turns to 8:2 and now 7:3)

That said, retaining the ratio at this
pace would be the hardest part for me, so I’ll do my best to explore new opportunities as well as follow up existing clients, on not only these two services but also more wider solutions I can provide, while developing myself for better performance and quality 😊

Photo: 📸 taken on my way back from
Tokyo to Hiroshima 🛫

Do you exercise / work out regularly? Translation is my main business, so I spend most of time sitting in front of PC, and I don’t go out of home except for once-a-week grocery shopping, disposing of garbage, or going on business trips. It’s apparently a lack of exercise. I used to go jogging 4-6 times a week but I can’t do it in winter, so I have switched to workout at home during the season. I’m not good at doing physical activities in the first place, but turning it into a habit helps you manage time to exercise / work out, which results in a good, efficient time management at work. You will also feel more fit and gain energy for work.

My mindset has developed since last autumn and feel like doing more effective workout. Now I take a personal training, when I stay in Tokyo for a business trip. BY-FIT in Shibuya is the one. Mr. Katsuya Yamamoto, its representative coach, gives a logical yet easy to understand explanation during a session. Just feeling and observing movements don’t help me grasp how I should move, so with a clear, logical explanation, I can finally try exercising / working out. I have seen a variety of his Instagram video posts with clear guidance & text explanation and found them so convincing and understandable, which gave me an impression I would be able to achieve good results there! As expected, he gave me detailed yet clear advices: how I could correct to a proper form of squat, effective home leg workout menu. I visited him yesterday too and received a good chest training with dumbbell(s). The more the types of exercises you can do increase, the more fun the workout will be. Great that I haven’t got bored of working out at home thanks to him 💪

That I’ve started taking over interpreting assignments and I want to build up stamina for work with energy encouraged me too. That said, my main business remains to be translation, which is a desk-job, so I’d keep doing workout / exercises to get in shape so that I can enjoy working well 🏋️‍♂️

Photo: after training with Mr Yamamoto @BY-FIT🤳

My article and interview were published in T&I industry magazines. For the last few months, I was busy with answering an interview and writing an article about doing businesses with overseas clients as a freelance translator while living in Japan.

I have contributed articles to the same publisher several times, anonymously or publicly, but it’s the first time to get an interview article published with my photo 🙌

Following the interview about doing businesses with overseas in another magazine, I also contributed a related but more detailed article to IKAROS 通訳翻訳ジャーナル (interpreting & translation journal, an industry magazine), discussing in 4 pages how I have managed and keep businesses going, including payments, contracts, presence, platform etc. 🙂

Thanks IKAROS📗 for a nice experience!

Photo: the T&I industry magazines. 

From west to east and then to west. As in-person events have well resumed, I’ve already got hundreds of 🗣 in-person interpreting requests/availability checks including the project arrangements since the beginning of the year (really!), which is unusual for me looking back the last few years. Now I’m in Tokyo for a 2-week business trip. It was an honor for me to join my client at their exhibit as an interpreter, from whom I usually receive translation projects. Those few days were pretty tough but I gained lots of great practical experiences as well as real technical knowledge & insights on site, which I wouldn’t be able to learn / get aware only from translation projects. It was also a good chance to directly communicate with their engineer members for deeply technical questions. 🧑‍💻

I’ve found how effective and practical it is to do both translation and interpreting for the same clients/industries so that there’s eventually a synergy in understanding them much better and more clearly. I’m
very sure that the experience of those few days will help me brush up my translation of their documents next (and actually did already for their small one last night!).

They were so supportive e.g. providing me many related materials 📑 for preparation and giving briefing that I was able to perform okay but there’s also many items I should reflect on and make good use of it next time. So though the project is over for now, I’d review my work and practice for next occasions 💪

At the end of January, I visited the Fushimi Inari shrine ⛩ in Kyoto to thank for the last year and pray for further successful businesses during the year 2024. This is one of my favorite annual activities. It is important for prayers to also work hard to make it come true, so I’ll proactively challenge new things as well. Lots of exciting opportunities await me here and there and I will attract good luck myself 🙂

Photo: the Fushimi Inari shrine, Kyoto

May happiness and success with you throughout the year ✨

I visit Hofu Tenmangu Shrine in Yamaguchi on one of the first three days every year. I often visited the site to wish success on study when I had stayed at my grandma’s house in its vicinity area. Now I visit the shrine to wish for wellbeing and traffic safety of my family.

In addition, for the year 2024, those who were affected by the earthquakes on the Jan 1 in Ishikawa pref and areas around are in my prayers, and I am hoping for a day of quick recovery. Also, as for rescue teams who go to help disaster victims, please stay safe.

I thought I wouldn’t make a retrospective summary of the year but changed my mind and would like to conclude my 2023 with a Happy New Year light display recorded just now 📹

I’ve been making one Kanji character resolution with colleagues & friends for more than 10 years. My Kanji for 2023 is “貫” (or penetrate) for carrying out my word.

In the recent post, I mentioned my plan of the year 2023 to take over interpreting projects myself and am happy that I’ve made it. This encourages me to make the next leap in the year 2024.

I was pretty overwhelmed with things whether business and private and failed to write about my resignation from the JAT Board upon completion of the term. I served as the JAT Treasurer between 2019/7 and 2021/6 as well as the JAT President and Treasurer between 2021/7 and 2023/6. It had been super hard to put my hands on operation and administration of the association while working as a freelancer but I am relieved that I was able to accomplish the terms without leaving it halfway. I am grateful for supports and understanding from everyone around me.

Only my regret was that I couldn’t manage much time to spend on studying for some certifications. I’ll have to revisit my time management and proactively find time for study in the year 2024.

I wish everyone a Happy New Year ✨
Talk to you soon with a new post in a few days 😂

Photo: lighting display at Hiroshima station 🚉

Do you prefer to paper planners or electronic planners? I’ve been using a paper planner. I once tried managing schedule digitally with several online planner solutions but none of them was what I imagined. For good luck, I always use a planner with gold color cover. 📔 I hope I’ll have lots of plans to write on my 2024 planner 🙏😊