YOKO SHIMOYAMA
YARN NZ& WONDER JOURNAL STORE 8 TEA RAT A HUHU, BRIT O MART
How do you juggle all your work responsibilities, stay organised, and have balance?
Work efficiency is better in the mornings, so I deal with administrative tasks and reply to messages as quickly as possible to keep things in order. I don’t spend too much time on the same task. I try to switch my mind by changing the content of my work throughout the day, such as thinking creatively about new Yarn NZ designs and products, changing the display in the Wonder Journal store, or looking at the works of artists and makers I want to work with in the future.
What do you find most rewarding about your business?
I love both countries, Japan and New Zealand, so working between the two and getting involved in connecting them, and making people in both countries happy, is the best reward of all.
Are there any perceptions or traditions about Japanese culture that you want to challenge?
Japanese people are good at expressing themselves in accordance with traditional foundations. But they are also changing and adapting with the times and lifestyles, so I want to convey the real- time changes in Japan that are being produced at the forefront of the current creative process.
Do you have any memories of Suntory BOSS Coffee from your time in Japan?
I personally have always loved the logo and design. I would drink a canned Suntory BOSS Coffee to refresh myself when I was done with my work. I remember buying a hot canned coffee at the station to warm up my hands while I was waiting for the train, as I was a train commuter myself.
“As a craft organizer, I would like to create new values that will be appreciated by both countries, by creating a fusion between New Zealanders and Japanese people in this age.”
Read more on Viva.co. nz/SuntoryBOSSCoffee Follow: @ suntoryBOSScoffeeanz, @ yarn_ nz, @ wonder__ journal & @ public_ record_