Our guest for the eighth installment is architect Makoto Tanijiri. In the first part, we explored the background of his thinking, how he embodies people's happiness and enjoyment through "architecture," from doghouses to private residences and large buildings. In this second part, we delve into Mr. Tanijiri's past and future lives.

The Moment of Greatest Joy Reveals Our Greatest Anxiety

ItoYou know, ever since we started talking today, you've been saying exactly what I had prepared in writing beforehand.

TanijiriNo way! Really? I'd love to see it!

ItoI usually give it to you after our conversation, but here you go (laughs). You mentioned earlier that you're always thinking 'Why, why?' That's actually karma from a past life. I'm seeing an image of you from a past life, perhaps as nobility, or someone who had to be conscious of family and home, living within a confined world, unable to escape a class society. Although you were blessed, you faced strong restrictions in what you could do, which seems to have given you a rebellious spirit against the times. Therefore, in this life, I believe you have an urge to "change things" not directed at anyone in particular, but at society as a whole.


ItoYour mind is full of intellectual curiosity and interest.

TanijiriAh, I have an almost excessive amount of curiosity (laughs). But wow, you really can see it! (Looking at the document) It's spot on. Perfect!

ItoIt's amazing that you're so self-aware.

TanijiriNo, it's a source of great anxiety. The better things get, the more I wonder, 'Why is it good right now?' When things are going well, everyone gets excited, right? But for me, I feel immense joy and anxiety simultaneously. If I don't understand why things are good, then when they turn bad, people who don't know why they were good won't know how to return to that state.

The More People Say It's Impossible, the More Interested I Become

TanijiriI guess I dislike stagnation. I want to move forward. If I can do this, can I do that? I keep thinking about the next step.

ItoYour thoughts move 'to the next step,' but your personality and lifestyle are very grounded. The fact that you're so self-aware is proof of your stability. You have the energy to see things through once decided and to accomplish them.

TanijiriI'm just stubborn and hate losing (laughs). The more people say something is impossible, the more interested I become. I want to make my own judgment.

ItoIt's a spirit of defiance in every aspect. But that's precisely what allows you to convey values that break free from conventional thinking to the world. You've inherited the fortune from your past life of being protected and provided for in terms of food, clothing, and shelter. Because you know that richness, you question the historical context and people's lives. Now, you want to break down those barriers and transmit new joy and pleasure to the world by enriching people's lives and contributing in ways that spark your ideas. So, you are like a savior to society.

TanijiriThank you. I believe architects shouldn't just solve requested problems. If there are many children in a town, shouldn't we build a school? Shouldn't we build a park? I think architects should proactively get involved and think about these things even when not asked.



ItoOf course, humans have their ups and downs. But you have the strength to use them as a springboard.

TanijiriWhen you do sports, you realize that the moment you lose is when you become strongest, so I relate it to that. Even when I fail, I think, 'This is the time I'm growing the most.' When problems arise, I always think, 'The problems we face can't be greater than what we can handle; only solvable problems will arise.' So when a problem gets bigger, I think, 'We're really growing up!'

Accumulating the Achievements Necessary to Fly: The Next Two Years

TanijiriStill, it's amazing. It's spot on, isn't it? It's almost scary.

ItoActually, I was surprised too, thinking you might have read what I wrote beforehand. You mentioned earlier that you like doing things you haven't done before, and this year and next are particularly a period where you're being given new opportunities unlike any before.

TanijiriWell, thankfully, work is coming in one after another.

ItoPlease accept all of it. For example, when you jump over a high vaulting box, you need to adjust the springboard, right? Think of these next two years in that sense. It's a period for accumulating the achievements necessary to leap forward in the year after next. A different you will emerge rapidly.



ItoYou're 36 now, aren't you? You'll make a leap in 2012-2013, and your success will grow even more in your 40s. This connects to your work on many houses; the premise is to further enrich people's "lifestyles" and create large towns or ideal cities. However, you have a desire to increase each person's "unique strengths," which is why I believe you'll excel in commissions for individual homes, showcasing their distinctiveness. The culmination of those ideas will lead to commissions for public facilities.

TanijiriYou can see all that?

ItoNo, I can't see it myself. I'm just relaying what I'm told (laughs).




Makoto TANIJIRI
Architect / Representative of Suppose Design Office
Born in Hiroshima Prefecture in 1974. Established Suppose Design Office in 2000. His work spans a wide range, including residential, commercial spaces, event staging, landscapes, products, and art installations. Based in both Hiroshima and Tokyo, he currently has numerous projects underway both domestically and internationally. He is an honorary lecturer at Anabuki Design College.

Reika ITO
Representative of Divine / Spiritual Healer
After working in product planning, advertising, and corporate planning at a company dealing in apparel accessories, she began her career as a lightworker, performing channeling with the celestial realm and reading the subconscious. Depending on the consultation, she also offers healing, hypnotherapy, and destiny readings that combine multiple astrological systems. She holds private sessions and full moon & new moon workshops in Jiyugaoka. Her books include "Synchronicity," "Destiny Alteration Techniques," and "Lucky Business Feng Shui Manual." www.divine-msg.com