"Tottori

-Risa Larson made of sand-

Commemorative interview "Ask the creator!"

Talker: Mortar Magic Co., Ltd. Masaki Ikehara

Listle: Tonkachi Mogi

At the beginning

"Tottori Rakuda" is a product that could never be done without the technology to solidify the sand of Mortar Magic, a venture company that Tottori Prefecture is proud of. What is the company that makes such an interesting product with such an interesting technology? This interview has begun with the curiosity. The story was Mr. Ikehara, the representative of Mortar Magic, and the listener was Mogi, a newcomer representative of Tonkachi. If you read it, I see, so you can say this! You should be convinced! Please enjoy yourself.

First of all, what kind of family was it?

What kind of family? (Laughs) Three brothers. The top is my sister, my sister is the younger sister, and I am in the middle. My sister is 54, I am 52, my sister is 48 years old. And father and mother. My mother died ten years ago, but my father is now 78 years old. Although it is a family structure like that. Almost all my family is doing business and company. My father was the president of the construction company, and his grandfather also ran a company. I grew up thinking that each generation would launch another company for each generation, so I grew up in a slightly mysterious clan, so I grew up thinking that I would inevitably do something.

I see. So, instead of succeeding the family business, do you think you do something yourself?

I agree. That kind of thought was always there.

The story will fly, but when I was a junior high school student, I woke up to volleyball and happened to enter the powerful school that would be the first place in the prefecture, and as a result of continuing the valley in that flow, high school, university, and, and He continued the valley with the businessmen. After that, there is a pretty big turning point.

You were attending a physical education university, but was your parents wanting to do business or that educational policy?

It was not. When I was in high school, my director and teacher were a physical education teacher, and I longed for that person. So I want to be a physical education teacher. So I went to a physical education university.

I see. Did you like to move your body since you were little?

I liked it. I liked that much better than studying.

Do you have anything you remember when you were young?

When I was young, that's right. When I was really young, I felt like I was a shy. It seems like it burst at once by sporting. I heard that you were a quiet child.

What was the relationship between your sister and your sister?

I'm good friends. I still get along. It's difficult to answer in any relationship (laughs), but still I often call and eat rice.

When I saw other interviews, I guess you said that you had been conscious of taking over your family business from an early age, but when did that kind of feeling grew?

How long should I keep it? (Laughs) It's probably when you are careful. I guess since the upper grades of elementary school.

Although the times have progressed a little, he graduated from a physical education university and went to school at night while learning work during the daytime. How long was that period?

I was a national qualification, so I was an architect or a construction manager. I was trying to take the minimum qualifications necessary for civil engineering or architecture, so it has been about three years. I was doing it through.

At that time, it was quite difficult?

At that time, I was quite driven (laughs), but I enjoyed it. Because I had a friend at the school. Somehow, I feel blessed with people. For encounters. It is a fun memory with all such things.

What did you decide to go to the architecture since you were playing volleyball in the business team?

It is the Great Hanshin -Awaji Earthquake. At that time, I was in Kobe Steel. So I was there when I was 23. About a year after graduating from college, there was a Great Hanshin Earthquake. So, the valley itself was abolished. After that, I was able to remain at the headquarters, but I changed my direction if I couldn't do volleyball.

Once the volleyball was separated, we decided to proceed to the next stage. Then my father happened to do business, so I came back to the rest. I came back in such a circumstances.

Is the valley that I've been in junior high school quit there?

Even after returning to Tottori, I belonged to the club team, and I was ranked first in the prefecture, so I wonder if that's OK. I quit volleyball at the age of 27.

I went to school and I think it was very difficult ...

Should I say it's hard? (smile)

Wasn't it hard! ? I wonder if I can balance the field and qualifications for three years just because I quit the valley after the earthquake and decided to take over the company.

At that time, it was a very severe situation because of the recession, so it was time to collapse the bubble, become the Democratic Party from the LDP, and the public work was drastically reduced, or it was a milestone.

Yes Yes

Anyway, I have to do it! Because I was driven to the place. On the contrary, if you go there, it will only come in V -shaped. I felt everything fun. Looking at the bottom. I thought so.

I just climb.

Everything looks fun!

After that, what were the employees doing while they were obsessed with mortar and were trained for three years?

That's because I had another business, because of the intake and exhaust facilities and a water supply construction department. There was a stable job, so the company was going around without me. I think there is an image that I am doing freely, but even while I was training for three years, the employees worked properly.

Did you not contact me at all during that period?

I agree. I was interacting with the director of the department, but I told the staff not to tell me what I am doing now.

Why did you jump into the craftsman immediately after seeing the mortar?

I agree. I thought I had to do something because I was covered with debt itself. Did you see something a little light? I was just interested. This is this while being driven to do something! That's because it was mortar modeling. only this one! The brain decided. That's why I was immediately involved in action. But you've come across a variety of things before you meet mortar modeling. I wonder if it should be a business. But I didn't feel like I wanted to do it. I couldn't move. But for some reason, I wanted to do it. I have no choice but to do it. Such a traffic light was sent, because it's simple.

It's a fate -like encounter.

I agree. As a result, that happened. That's what you can say now. If it didn't work right now, the story of mortar would not be a good story.

That's right. It feels like a mistake.

Yes Yes Yes. It will be a story that you have to regret.

Please tell us about the people you met during the training era of the mortar industry.

First of all, Disneyland was the most popular mortar model. Almost all rocks and such things are made of mortar modeling. Alternatively, gorgeous buildings such as Las Vegas and casinos are usually made of mortar modeling. So what was that story?

(Laughs) What was that kind of mortar industry like that?

There are only craftsmanship people. It's not gorgeous, but it's interesting. There is also a hierarchical relationship. You have to work with mortar before your seniors come. Of course, the lower ends are all cleaned up. I get rid of it. Sometimes I was thrown a mortar. So it was like training. After all, I was playing sports, and I didn't think anything.

very.

Because I am training.

Was there an interesting person?

There are interesting people. You drown in alcohol, drown in gambling, and use everything on payday.

He has learned only technology.

I agree. So I thought I could win. Business in the mortar business! I wasn't around me at the time.

After that, I think I was in mortar technology. Did you learn about sand from scratch?

That was not from 1. The material called cement used for mortar modeling is very expensive because it is imported from overseas. I guess I would be able to make it with Made in Japan. In such a case, mortar cement uses cement, water and sand. I thought it was meaningful to study sand, so I was studying sand. At that time, a tourist association in Tottori said, "Ikehara -kun, you're looking for sand." If you go to various institutions and ask me to tell me about the sand, that will be known around you. When I heard that there was no sand souvenir to the tourist association, I was surprised. So, from that point on the research of sand. That's the background.

How much is sand research?

In 2010, I started a product made from Tottori Sand Dunes Moai. It takes eight years to do that. Counted since you are training mortar modeling. That's about it. The adhesive was completed over that period.

JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency)It was said that co -research was done, but what was your research?

I was studying to build a building on Moon and Mars. It costs about 100 million yen to bring 1 kg to Mars from the earth. Then, I was studying how to build a building without taking things from the earth as much as possible using the materials on Mars. I applied for a research that would be amazing if I could make a building using Revolis (the sand on the moon or Mars). There was a big misunderstanding that my technology could do that. (smile)

The research is the flow of applying and selected.

That's right. Of course, many companies are dropped. There is a miracle that it has passed through places where it is hard to pass. I applied in 2016.

So he was studying whether he could make the proposal.

I agree. I studied for one year.

He seems to live in Okinawa now.

that's right. You have started Okinawa's business. Use pumice. We started a business using pumice in Okinawa with the best hand.

Is that so.

Now I am also studying coral with the aquarium. Last month, I finally set up an office in Naha. So I'm doing various things. Have you ever been to Okinawa?

I've never been there.

Is that so. By all means, I will guide you. There is the best aquarium in Japan, and the living coral is established there, but the coral grows. It stretches out, but I had to make it and throw it away, but I decided to harden it with our technology for SDGs. The use of coral seems to be the first time since the aquarium began, and if it is said to be the first time, let's do it suddenly! I feel like that.

Is that so. Thank you for your busy place.

No, not at all. I'm not busy.

(Laughs) I want to harden next! Is there a material you think?

Now I'm focusing on coral, but I'm worried about the soil called Zeolite. I think the era of Zeolite will come.

The era of Zeolite ...!

It adsorbs exhaust gas, or ammonia. I use that to study the next product development. First of all, I think that the use of coral is like Zeolite.

By the way, did you know Lisa Larson?

Actually, I didn't know the name, but when I saw the work, I thought, "Oh!" So I was really happy, when I talked.

really?

very. So, I have made the prototype.

eh! (I am shocked by the fact that President Ikehara was making!)

I'm sorry that I made it in between and it was late. I am very honored. If something can be done together with coral.

Sounds good! I'm happy. It would be cute if you make a work related to Lisa's sea with coral. Thank you for your continued support!

After the interview

After all, interesting things are born from interesting people. Happy things come from happy thinking. I knew it, but it was a story that I realized again. I hope our collaboration is such an effort. Please look forward to the collaboration between Mortar Magic and Tonkachi in the future!