At 49 years old, I embarked on an unexpected path:
working as an Airbnb experience guide, offering tours of Naoshima, the island of art.
It all started with a small conversation, but before I knew it, my experiences with YouTube, Uber Eats, and my work on Naoshima all connected, and I was surprised at how naturally I moved towards this challenge.
- The days of continuing to challenge myself on YouTube and the feeling that I couldn't stop
- Uber Eats: The Rational Choice for YouTube
- The moment my conversation with GPT changed my life
- The reason I can guide you around Naoshima: My experience as a former staff member at Benesse House Museum
- The advantage of knowing the "prehistory" of Naoshima art - a special connection with Professor Shiro Hayami
- Another Art Memory: What I Learned from "Interacting with the Artist"
- So I thought, "This might be a tour that only I can do."
- How Airbnb Experiences were completed so quickly
- Finally, to you who read this article:
The days of continuing to challenge myself on YouTube and the feeling that I couldn't stop
For several years now, I've been sharing videos of the scenery and natural sounds of the Setouchi region on YouTube.
Although it's a modest channel in terms of scale, I've continued it with the desire to "change my own life" and "let someone in the world experience the Setouchi region."
However, filming was dependent on the weather, and the number of views was unstable.
Even so, I couldn't give up on my dream of succeeding on YouTube.
The way of working for Uber Eats was what supported that dream .
Uber Eats: The Rational Choice for YouTube
The reason we started Uber Eats in 2022 was very simple.
In order to continue working on YouTube, I needed a job that allowed me to work in any weather.
- It doesn't matter if the day you plan to shoot is sunny or rainy.
- You can freely adjust your work hours
- Less mental and physical stress
- Able to cover minimum living expenses
- Don't be consumed by relationships
There's no other way to work that works better with YouTube.
I would shoot in between Ubers, edit, and then go out for deliveries, and little by little I built up my channel.
In the end, I haven't had much success on YouTube, but I haven't given up.
That's why somewhere in my heart, I felt a growing sense of urgency that I had to move on to the next stage.
The moment my conversation with GPT changed my life
I never imagined that the next step would be an Airbnb experience.
It all started with a casual comment I made to GPT.
"Is there any other work I can do similar to Uber Eats?"
One of the answers I received was,"I want to be an Airbnb Experience host.
At first, I doubted, "Me on tour? Can I really do it?" But
as I talked with GPT, I could see everything I had built up up to that point coming together.
- Work experience at Benesse House Museum and Art House Project
- Observation skills as a photographer
- Experience living abroad
- Communication in English
- Behind-the-scenes stories that only former staff can tell
All of this came together in the form of a "tour."
The reason I can guide you around Naoshima: My experience as a former staff member at Benesse House Museum
The main reason I wanted to offer an Airbnb experience in Naoshima isbecause Naoshima is a place that is deeply rooted in my life.
From 2017 to 2018, I worked at Benesse House Museum and the Art House Project
At the time, Benesse House Museum offered tours of the museum every day from 5:00 p.m., and these tours were available in both Japanese and English.
I was in charge of the Japanese-language museum tours.
Although I only taught them about three times a month,
I learned a great deal about the intentions behind the artworks, the architecture, the artists' ideas, and the flow of visitors, and I experienced the responsibility of conveying that information to others in words.
This experience has now become a major foundation for creating Airbnb experiences.
Furthermore, I was able to witness some "behind the scenes" moments that I would not normally get to see while working at a museum.
- of Jean-Michel Basquiat's work "Gua-Gua" being moved while bathed in natural light.
- An exclusive event held at Naoshima Hall, open only to island residents and related parties
- An unforgettable day showing a celebrity family around Minamidera (House Project)
These experiences are real and on a different level from the information found in guidebooks.
The advantage of knowing the "prehistory" of Naoshima art - a special connection with Professor Shiro Hayami
It was no coincidence that I came to know so much about the "prehistory" of Naoshima art. In fact, Shiro Hayami , a leading sculptor from Kagawa Prefecture , was a key figure involved in the founding of the Interior Design Department at my alma mater, Kagawa Prefectural Zentsuji Nishi High School .
As a graduate of the Interior Design Department, I had the unexpected opportunity to meet Professor Hayami again after many years.
This happened around February 2018 , when I was working at the Benesse House Museum on Naoshima . I had the opportunity to visit Professor Hayami's solo exhibition, which was being held at a gallery in Sakaide City, and speak directly with him about the artwork that was installed on Naoshima in 1989
- Why was the work placed on Naoshima?
- The atmosphere of the island at that time
- Behind the Scenes of the "Time When Nothing Had Started" in Naoshima Art
- The background and intention behind the creation of the work
Those were "raw history" stories that you would never find in textbooks
And when the three dots of my alma mater, Professor Hayami, and Naoshima all came together, I felt strongly that this was a story I had to tell.
This connection has given my Airbnb experience great credibility, making me one of the very few people who can tell the prehistory of art on Naoshima
Another Art Memory: What I Learned from "Interacting with the Artist"
There is another connection that is essential when I talk about art on Naoshima.
That is,I had the opportunity to interact with the artist of a conceptual art piece that was exhibited on Naoshima in 1994 .
We met overseas.
As we talked about our respective backgrounds, we discovered by chance that we both had a connection to Naoshima , and we instantly became closer. I still vividly remember that day when we had a deep conversation about art and culture.
Our connection continued even after I returned to Japan.
We kept in touch through emails and messages, and from time to time, I had the opportunity to hear about his work on Naoshima at the time and the thoughts and feelings he had while working on his pieces.
Particularly memorable is the story surrounding the work the artist exhibited at the Naoshima exhibition in 1994.
Later, I happened to get my hands onthe official record book of OUT OF BOUNDS , and by comparing what I had heard from the author with the contents of the book, I learned a great deal about the background of the work.
- The concept of the 1990s
- Themes tackled by the work
- The relationship between art and value
These were aspects of the work that couldn't be grasped simply by reading the materials;realism that could only be obtained by knowing the author personally .
The work still remains in a corner of the island today, but most visitors are unaware that it is an artwork.
However, I am one of the few people who know directly who created the work, why, in what era, and with what intention.
This experience has become an invaluable asset when guiding people around Naoshima.
So I thought, "This might be a tour that only I can do."
As I spoke with GPT, I felt all these experiences coming together with a single meaning.
- Discovering the "secret of light" of Naoshima as a filmmaker
- Sharing the scenery of Setouchi with the world through YouTube
- Tour experience at Benesse House Museum
- Being exposed to the "prehistory" of Naoshima art
- Meeting and hearing from pioneering writers
- English and cultural awareness cultivated through living abroad
- And all the time I've lived in the Seto Inland Sea
All of this forms the basis for a tour that only I can create.
Once I was convinced of this, my doubts disappeared.
How Airbnb Experiences were completed so quickly
It only took a few days to create the structure, prepare the photos, refine the text, and submit it to Airbnb.
And we passed Airbnb's inspection on the first try.
I learned that when people find the path they truly need to take, they can move with astonishing speed.
Finally, to you who read this article:
I have only just taken the first step in this challenge.
I'm continuing with YouTube.
I'll also continue writing my blog.
I'll continue to refine my Airbnb experiences.
Now that I'm approaching 50, I finally feel like "this is my path."
If you are moved even a little by this article, I hope to see you in Naoshima.
I hope that I can add a little special light to your memories of your trip.
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