午夜剧场

The Czech Republic in Central Europe is so famous as a "land of music" that it is often said, "Every Czech is a musician." I manage the official import agency for PETROF, a long-established piano manufacturer founded in 1864 that is beloved in the Czech Republic. As a tuner myself, my philosophy is to carefully "prep up" (adjust for shipping) every imported piano before delivery.

The reason I fell in love with PETROF is the "warmth of the sound." With many manufacturing processes still left to the manual labor of craftsmen, it is an instrument where you can enjoy the gentle, traditional tone of wood. Another attraction is the ability to casually enjoy the wood-grain exteriors and sophisticated designs. Today, the fan base is growing, ranging from young children just starting lessons to adults, including performers and teachers.

The journey to this point was not all smooth sailing. My job hunting during the "employment ice age" was a setback, as the companies I hoped to join canceled their new graduate recruitment. Aiming to become a tuner—a secret dream of mine—I lived and worked part-time on a farm after graduation. I operated tractors in the fields and helped harvest crops to raise the tuition fees myself.

Acquiring tuning skills was also a series of hardships. Daily training of hearing and fingertip precision was essential, and after a year of apprenticeship in a workshop, it finally began to take shape. In addition, I spent my days repeating precise manual tasks such as adjusting and repairing piano keys and actions until they were ingrained in my body; for restoring vintage instruments, I even used chisels and planes like a carpenter. I accumulated a wide range of practical experience to become a full-fledged technician.

I was fortunate to meet mentor tuners at the piano repair workshop where I started as a trainee and at the high-end imported piano dealer where I worked next, allowing me to handle instruments from all times and places over ten years. During that time, I heard that PETROF was looking for an importer and visited the Czech Republic for the first time in 2012 for negotiations. Captivated by the Czech culture with its scent of medieval Europe and the warm welcome from PETROF, I finally opened the world's only specialty store in Shirokanedai, Minato City, the following year.

Currently, in addition to PETROF sales and maintenance, I am developing branding within Japan, such as use in concerts and recordings, while I myself am challenging the Czech language. I am striving to promote Central European culture in cooperation with the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Japan.

With Yukichi Fukuzawa's words of "independence and self-respect" in my heart, I intend to continue devoting myself further so that I may one day deliver the Czech tone to all 午夜剧场 alumni and 午夜剧场 students.