"Expanding Okinawa's creativity" is our vision. | GYOKU inc. [GOTO-CHI CREATIVE! Okinawa Edition]

GYOKU's vision is to "expand Okinawa's creativity."

What inspired Ms. Hisada to become a creator?

Hisada:I first met a senior in high school, and he was truly like an older brother to me. After working at Hakuhodo, he returned to Okinawa and ran a select shop. He was knowledgeable about politics, culture, and street culture, and taught me all sorts of things, from design and music to movies.If it were books, I'd say something like, "Read everything from Bungei Shunju to underground publications" (laughs).But he doesn't just talk the talk; he actually puts it into practice. He has many admirable and flawed qualities, and I still learn a lot from him.

My family runs a small construction company, and even as a child, I could sense how hard my parents were working. Because of that background, I thought that the advertising industry, where a senior colleague I admired worked, might be a place where I could earn money while having fun.

I wasn't able to go to an art university or vocational school, but with advice from my seniors, I went to the media arts department of a vocational training school. It was a place where few graduates went into the design industry, and finding a job in the industry was difficult,I took a very proactive approach to job hunting, going door-to-door to advertising agencies and production companies, and sending mail or making phone calls to those I couldn't meet in person.I was fortunate enough to get an interview opportunity at a comprehensive advertising company in Okinawa, and that's where my career began, as I started working as an assistant designer.

Could you tell me what kind of company GYOKU is?

Hisada:Our vision is to "expand Okinawa's creativity," and we are a creative company primarily focused on the digital domain. While there are offices and subsidiaries of major agencies in Okinawa, I believe there are very few creative companies founded by Okinawans that primarily handle projects in Tokyo.

Furthermore, starting this year, we have adopted the management philosophy of "co-creation and co-prosperity," and we want to create a place where we can grow together with our customers and our staff, and become prosperous together. The name GYOKU embodies the meanings and aspirations of "extreme" (極), which means the ultimate in creativity, and "throne and crown" of the Ryukyu Kingdom, as well as "jewel" (玉), which means sparkling gemstone. The logo embodies the meaning that the overlapping of "individuals" will create synergy and provide "◎" to the world. It also embodies the desire to "create a good form ◎ for everyone involved," "provide ◎ to the world through the overlap of people and companies," and "◎ for all parties involved: clients, GYOKU, employees, and their families." The meaning of this logo is also superimposed on our management philosophy of "co-creation and co-prosperity."

At GYOKU, we handle work from major domestic advertising agencies, but we also work directly with "Okinawan companies" such as Suppaiman, Blue Seal, and Okinawa Bank, handling branding, packaging design, and creating company names and statements. We also receive work directly from production companies in Tokyo and clients outside of Okinawa, so in that sense, I think we are a company that can handle work of varying levels of detail.

GYOKU's creative work is rooted in Okinawan and Ryukyuan traditions.

Could you tell me about some of GYOKU's most representative works? Let's start with "Black Desire."

Hisada:"Black Desire" is a snack made by soaking salt crackers in chocolate. In Okinawa, there is a long-established company called Fashion Candy that specializes in souvenir sweets and chocolates, but at the time, the overall sales of Okinawan tourism had fallen due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the manufacturer had to take new measures. In addition, awareness among local young people had decreased, so we decided to develop a snack with the manufacturer that would be loved once again as an "everyday product" rather than a tourist product.

When the manufacturer was thinking about what kind of chocolate would sell even in the summer, they came up with the idea of ​​"chocolate soaked in salt," and after trying out different things to soak it in, they arrived at "Okinawan salt crackers." The sweetness of the chocolate and the saltiness and texture of the salt crackers matched perfectly. Also, salt crackers are a historical snack that was created in the post-war era when wheat was more readily available than rice.With the number of shops decreasing and salt cracker shops disappearing one after another, we thought that using salt crackers as an ingredient might help save the salt cracker shops.Moreover, if we were to reuse the broken rice crackers as they are, it would reduce food waste. "Black Desire" was born from a combination of factors and connections: something loved by the people of Okinawa, the history of Okinawa after the war, food waste, the current situation of salt rice cracker shops.

What were the results?

Hisada: Thanks to Fashion Candy's hard work in sales, it became the best-selling candy at Don Quijote in Okinawa shortly after its release. We focused on "creating sales results at Don Quijote" considering the product's characteristics, and thankfully it became a hot topic, which led to various inquiries. At one point, it was even sold in kiosks in the Kanto region. It was a project where we strategically considered everything from product planning to distribution channels and sales together with the client.

GYOKU-san also works at an elementary school in Okinawa, right?

Hisada:This is a rebuilding project for Ginowan Municipal Futenma Elementary School, which will celebrate its 120th anniversary next year. Mr. Ishikawa of Kamimori Design contacted us, and together with artist Ikuno Omura, who is from Futenma, and all the students and teachers—a total of over 600 people—we created a large 11-meter-high "banyan tree mural" in the atrium. At Futenma Elementary School, there are many large banyan trees that have survived the ravages of war, standing side by side.This is the symbolic tree of the elementary school, which has watched over the community while closely observing the history of modern Okinawa.That's why I think it should be preserved in some form.

Initially, I was scheduled to create the mural, but then I suddenly thought, "Wouldn't it be more meaningful if someone from Futenma did it?" Ishikawa-san also suggested, "It would be great if it became a once-in-a-lifetime memory for the children at the school," and despite the significant limitations due to the pandemic, it became a large-scale project involving the students and the entire school. I think it has become something precious that will continue even as generations change.

"GIVE ME CHOCOLATE!" is also a project with Okinawan history as its background, isn't it?

Hisada:The phrase "Give me chocolate" is a story about how, after the war, Okinawan children who had nothing to eat would call out to American soldiers, "Give me chocolate," and share the sweets they received with their families. It may sound like a sad story, but it is also part of Okinawan history, about how our grandparents, uncles, and aunts desperately tried to survive in war-torn Okinawa. So, in reality,I thought it was a story about people who, despite facing difficult adversity, never gave up and lived their lives with resilience and determination.

This project was launched with the aforementioned Fashion Candy and the Okinawan apparel manufacturer "nana san maru" to create a brand that asks the question: "Are we truly living our lives to the fullest, like the pioneers who shaped our era?" We wanted to create a product that would resonate with people by reflecting on the meaning of these words while also "renewing their meaning," which led to the name "GIVE ME CHOCOLATE!".

In all of GYOKU's work in Okinawa, there's always a sense of consideration for Okinawa's history, future, and the people involved, which gives me the feeling that they have a high level of perspective.

Hisada:If it's an Okinawan company, the person in charge naturally loves Okinawa, right? The materials used in the products are often from Okinawa, so I think the "Okinawa" perspective naturally comes into play in their creative work.I personally have a deep affection for Okinawa and the Ryukyu Islands, but when it comes to my work, I always have the desire to "make my clients and their customers happy" and "create something better with the people I work with."I believe that working together with clients who prioritize their customers, sharing ideas, and creating something together ultimately results in creative work that takes into account the Okinawan landscape and the people involved.

Unless structural changes occur, it will not become "Okinawa's economy."

Are there any challenges in doing business in Okinawa?

Hisada:The three pillars of the Okinawan economy are said to be tourism, military bases, and public works. It is a prefecture that relies heavily on tourism, with over 1000 million tourists visiting annually, roughly the same number as Hawaii. However, due to a combination of factors, the amount of money that actually flows into Okinawa is considerably less than that of Hawaii.

This is also known as a leaky economy.One reason cited is that profits generated in Okinawa are flowing out to companies from outside the prefecture that have established a presence there, meaning that the profits are not returning to the local community.Even with government subsidies, Okinawan companies are often unable to secure contracts and end up working as subcontractors for general contractors. Economically, there are significant challenges such as the influx of capital from outside the prefecture into Okinawa, and the acquisition of long-established Okinawan companies like Orion Beer by capital from outside the prefecture or even abroad.

Unlike other prefectures, Okinawa has been affected by the war, resulting in a large number of businesses that started after the war or after its return to Japan (meaning there are few companies that have been around for 100 years). As a result, we often hear stories of businesses being bought out by companies outside the prefecture at the time of succession from the first or second generation.

I hear that Okinawa has a lower rate of population outflow compared to other prefectures.

Hisada:Like other prefectures, Okinawa experiences a high outflow of young people and workers, but it also sees a similarly large influx of migrants, with an estimated 2 to 3 people moving in every year. In addition to the shortage of young workers, Okinawa is also facing challenges due to its aging population and shortened healthy life expectancy, resulting in a chronic shortage of people who can work. Conversely, there seems to be a significant increase in the number of working seniors aged 60 and over, as well as foreign workers.

What are your thoughts on these issues, Mr. Hisada?

Hisada:Simply put, I think it boils down to "increasing labor productivity and competitiveness."Although the things that people and companies in Okinawa can do are gradually increasing, everyone feels that unless some kind of "structural change" occurs, it won't benefit their own economy.In the case of architecture, it's a structural issue where a major general contractor takes on the first-tier contract, and an Okinawan construction company takes on the second or third-tier contract.

In terms of tourism, Okinawa receives a large number of both Japanese tourists and international visitors every year. While services for Japanese tourists are certainly important, the area could thrive even more if there were infrastructure to accommodate international visitors, but perhaps that infrastructure is currently weak. Hawaii, for example, has a tourist tax and local discounts that differentiate between Hawaiians and non-Hawaii residents, so that locals (domestic demand) can also enjoy the experience. Perhaps something similar (a tourist tax and local discounts) could be implemented in Okinawa. Another possibility is to develop ways to monetize "experience-based" services. It would be great if Okinawan creators could also be involved in that.

"Let's create a creators' club in Okinawa, where there are no ADCs or CCs!" Jun Maki and his passionate team launched "ocy".

I hear that Okinawa has its own unique creators' club, which is different from the ADC (Art Directors Club) and CC (Copywriters Club) found in other prefectures.

Hisada:"ocy (Okinawa Creators Yui)" is a creators' club in Okinawa with the aim of promoting interaction among creators and improving their creative work. Until then, Okinawa had advertising awards from the Okinawa Advertising Association, but those were more for recognizing client companies than individual creators, and there were no creators' clubs like ADC or CC. The absolute number of copywriters and designers was also much smaller compared to the Tokyo metropolitan area.

This originated with the "Copywriter Training Course" Okinawa classroom, which was established to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Senden Kaigi (Advertising Conference).Copywriter Jun Maki suggested, "If there isn't a creators' club in Okinawa, let's create one.""ocy" was founded by about 20 passionate members with the goal of creating a place where people from all walks of life, regardless of their profession, could come together to make Okinawa more interesting through creativity. Our main activities include an annual advertising awards ceremony, creator networking events, and study sessions for students, and we're slowly expanding our network. It's been 18 years since we started.

Has the creation of ocy brought about any changes in Okinawa's creative scene?

Hisada:It's a simple matter, but it all boils down to the fact that I've made a lot more acquaintances in the creative field and the advertising industry. We introduce each other to creators we're connected with, and we talk to people who are making interesting things. I've also been able to connect with design school students and young creators, and I sometimes ask creators I've met through OCY to do work for me. These little connections have led to coincidences, and through that synergy, things have been developing in increasingly interesting ways.

In Mr. Hisada's case, it also led to the launch of GYOKU, right?

Hisada:In my case, the biggest turning point was meeting Mr. Nakamoto, the representative of GUILD OKINAWA, and getting involved with him on a project called "Ryukyu." At that time, I moved from the advertising agency I was working for to the company where Mr. Nakamoto was working, and people around me were saying, "Why are you moving from the top agency in the prefecture to that agency?" (laughs).

"Ryukyu" is a product brand that uses Okinawan ingredients to convey Okinawan food and culture, and is also a project that supports employment for people with disabilities.Here, unlike typical client work, I was able to be involved in every aspect of the process as if it were my own, from brand launch and product planning to raw material procurement, negotiations with various parties, market development, sales activities, and financial management.This experience was very significant for me personally. After that, I ended up creating GUILD OKINAWA with Mr. Nakamoto.

Meeting Naoki Ito of PARTY through GUILD OKINAWA and ocy was also a big factor.Through our continued interactions, I was able to meet Hiroki Nakamura of PARTY via Mr. Ito, which led to the launch of GYOKU.This is also thanks to my involvement with OCY. But all the founding members of OCY had an extraordinary passion even back then. That's why I think everyone, including myself, is still able to thrive today.

I hear you've also made more connections with vocational school students.

Hisada: In Okinawa, the number of people entering the creative industry is decreasing year by year.Currently, Okinawan companies and agencies aren't reaching out to vocational school students, and these students are unaware of Okinawan companies and creators, and are being poached by out-of-prefecture capital while they're still in school. But even so, I think it's important for those of us on the ground to steadily convey the message that "you can do creative work in Okinawa too."

For example, at schools, we've arranged classes where creators who have won the OCY Award give feedback on students' work, and we also offer suggestions for school curricula and policies based on the current situation. We're doing this with the hope that it will broaden students' options and help them build connections with companies in Okinawa.

Okinawan creators each have their own philosophy.

Please tell me about any Okinawan creators you're interested in.

Hisada: There are so many people I can't introduce them all (laughs), but first, there's Moriyasu Murayama, also known as Modern, the designer of Masonry (https://www.instagram.com/modanrls/He's someone who's involved in street culture, working on everything from local brands and promotional videos to corporate projects. A recent notable example of his work is the logo design for "Ryukyu Indigo Research Institute," and both the thinking behind the logo and the craftsmanship required to create it are superb. He's someone who can create things while grasping their essence.

Speaking of people with a truly authentic character, Luft Makishi Nami is another example. Just listening to her speak, I was drawn to her sensibility. It was a miracle that we were able to ask her to do the work, but she handled everything from the interior design of the Futenma Elementary School project to the design of the GYOKU office and its furnishings, and even the lighting coordination.

Yasuhiro Tomari is a chef from Miyako Island who has worked at renowned Parisian restaurants such as "Joël Robuchon," but has now returned to Miyako Island to prepare for the opening of his own restaurant. He aims to revive the fading food culture of Okinawa and establish a new style called "Ryukyu Gastronomy." I'd like to have a deeper conversation with him about why he switched from French cuisine to gastronomy, and why he decided to return to Okinawa to open a restaurant.

I met Nana San Maru on "GIVE ME CHOCOLATE!". The representative, Reiji Shimabukuro, is a craftsman with an extraordinary imagination, making dresses out of denim and using US military cartridge cases for jeans rivets. I also respect his attitude of carefully responding to the requests of his clients. He was originally a professional martial artist, but retired due to an injury. He is a very human person, including his views on life and death.

Lastly, we have FULLER, a video production team whose members are all from Okinawa. "FULLER" means "idiot" in the Okinawan dialect (laughs). The team's leader, Besuo, manages influencers, plans and operates SNS videos, and produces videos, but they create advertisements from unconventional ideas that traditional advertising creators wouldn't use. They are interesting people who don't fit into the mold in a good way, and their "unconventional" approach is fascinating.

Everyone that Mr. Hisada is interested in has their own way of life and philosophy, don't they?

Hisada: Of course, the things he creates are cool, but what I really like about him is his "presence."Even though they work in different fields, each of them has their own philosophy, and you can see their way of life reflected in the backbone of what they create. That's what I find so appealing.

I can make the work that comes my way interesting.

Please tell me about the current state of creativity in Okinawa.

Hisada:In Okinawa, it seems like there are a lot of advertising agencies and printing companies compared to the size of the island's economy. Conversely, there are few design-related production companies. The reason for this is that in Okinawa, advertising agencies often handle almost everything from the initial contract to the final delivery. Printing companies also own the rights to mass media such as TV, radio, and newspapers, so printing companies and advertising agencies are in competition with each other.Subcontracting production companies are unable to afford to employ staff due to low production rates, and as a result, I think there are more and more highly skilled freelance designers.

However, recently, there's been an increase in small production companies and freelance creators handling branding-related work, web design, and video production directly with clients both within and outside the prefecture, and I see potential in that.

What do you think the future holds for creative industries in Okinawa?

Hisada:Solving clients' problems is a given, but ideally, we want to do more than just create things; we want to be able to commit to the company's management and business operations while also being creatively innovative. When that happens, clients will value us highly, and I think the value of creators will increase.

When you're a subcontractor, you inevitably end up creating things without being able to commit to the project. It really comes down to needing to change the infrastructure itself.

Hisada:That's right. If you're working with small and medium-sized enterprises within the prefecture, it would be great to be able to directly engage with the business owners and decision-makers. I don't think you need to approach companies that can afford their own advertising costs.Instead, the idea is for creators to have a business-minded approach and commit to their creative work with small to medium-sized clients.It would be great if that kind of movement spread.

I believe there are many ways we can help with business management beyond the hands-on design phase. Even in product development, the hands-on design phase is often the final stage, so I think it would be good to create a different logic from advertising and work alongside clients, thinking and worrying together as we go.

Another thing I'd like to tell students and young people is that "you can make the work that comes your way interesting."Whether you're working through an agency or as a freelancer directly with clients, you can create interesting work in different environments and in different ways. I hope people realize that sooner rather than later. Especially in Okinawa, where decision-makers are closer.

I am proud of my Okinawan roots and history.

What kind of place is Okinawa to you, Ms. Hisada?

Hisada:When I was in my teens and twenties, I longed for the outside world rather than my hometown. But as I learned more about different things, I realized that the people I respected respected Japan and Okinawa, where I lived. For example, the artist Taro Okamoto respected Okinawa, and the works of Van Gogh and Gauguin were inspired by Japanese ukiyo-e prints and Okinawan culture.

I went to New York when I was in my twenties.When I spoke with some locals, they asked me to tell them about my hometown, but I couldn't answer anything at the time.The people there are multinational; for example, my mother is half Mexican, my father is half immigrant, and I'm a quarter Mexican. But each of them cherishes their roots and culture. In that respect, the Japanese are a single ethnic group, and we can trace our ancestry, which I think is something precious. In the middle of Midtown, there's Kinokuniya bookstore, which has Natsume Soseki's "Kokoro" and Shimazaki Toson's works, and everyone in New York knows them, but I've never read them. I felt ashamed that people from overseas knew more about Japan than I did. At that moment, I thought that while the outside world is great, I should be more proud of my roots and the land where I was born.

Through my previous work, I learned about Okinawan ingredients and food culture through "Ryukyu," and through my work at the Urasoe Art Museum, I learned about Okinawan lacquer culture and other traditional crafts. Okinawa has a country and history called "Ryukyu," which is neither Japanese nor Chinese. Without weapons, they dealt with great powers, and through trade and commerce, they created their own culture with wisdom gathered from all kinds of countries. Later, a quarter of the population died in World War II, but even amidst all that, our grandparents kept the lineage going and built the Okinawa of today.In Okinawa, there's a culture of ancestor worship, and when I hear about how people lived in the past, it makes me feel like I, living in this time and in this land, must also do my best.

I understand that GYOKU is looking beyond just within the prefecture, but also towards Taiwan, Hong Kong, and other parts of Asia.

Hisada:Digital technology is a field where "boundaries" can be crossed, isn't it?Okinawa, too, prospered during the Ryukyu Kingdom era by crossing borders and conducting trade and commerce on its own.The culture of lacquerware, which was introduced from Southeast Asia, and the culture of pottery, which was introduced from Korea, gave rise to a unique Ryukyuan culture. They would take tribute to China, and then sell or purchase goods from Southeast Asia before returning. They crossed borders in this way even in the past. With digital technology, it should be even easier to do cross-border work.

By the way, Okinawa has quite a bit of interaction with Taiwan. Yonaguni and Taiwan are also on good terms. Taiwan has an island called Xiao Liuqiu, and the two countries are so close that Okinawa is sometimes called Great Ryukyu and Taiwan is called Xiao Liuqiu. I would like to connect with Asia even more.

Are there any future plans for GYOKU?

Hisada:I want to expand "Okinawa Creative" by increasing both work within and outside the prefecture. What I'd like to do now is a studio business. Okinawa doesn't have large studios like Tokyo, but I often hear requests from people who want to do location shoots in Okinawa. I'd also like to start a school business, and I'd like to offer creative production services that utilize AI.

Currently, I'm running a service called "Passai" that makes it easy to create websites for small and medium-sized businesses. Many clients can't afford to spend millions of yen to create a website, but this service allows them to create one for around 10 yen per year.

While no-code tools are becoming increasingly common for website creation, many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) still lack the resources to build their own websites. Many companies still advertise job openings at Hello Work (public employment service) but lack a website, and I believe this infrastructure represents a significant economic loss. Even with the Small Business Support Subsidy, website creation costs are limited, and from a creator's perspective, this is a surprisingly significant social issue.

At GYOKU, we conduct various interviews with our clients, including Passai, and when we identify common challenges, we turn them into services and work alongside them. We hope to create more and more such services.

In interviews with other media outlets, you've also said, "I want to create opportunities for Okinawan companies to employ more Okinawan people so that they can take on work outside of Okinawa and overseas."

Hisada:In terms of employment, we would like to make as many of GYOKU's staff as possible full-time employees. If they want to work in Tokyo, it's not impossible to have them stationed at a major agency. They can challenge themselves with work in Tokyo while working at GYOKU, which I think will be a good experience for them. I hope that GYOKU can become a company where we can work together with our staff to think about what they want to become, and where we can grow together as they achieve their self-realization.

Finally, I'd like to ask: It seems that all the creators you admire have a philosophy of life. Do you yourself have a philosophy of your own?

Hisada:Indeed, all the creators I'm interested in are people who have their own core values ​​and unique style, and who move people through their creations.As I've become more deeply involved with such people, I've started to think about things like "Who am I?" and "What was I born for?"

Well, I haven't come up with a final answer yet, but if I had to choose one right now, it would be "I want to always be happy." On top of that, I want to remember to be grateful, not give up even on difficult paths, and not be trapped by attachments. And I hope to continue cherishing the feeling that "you, me, and everyone are all OK."

That's all!

This concludes our interview with GYOKU. What did you think?

What impressed me most this time was that many of the Okinawan projects that GYOKU was involved in were intertwined with Okinawan history and context. For example, "Black Desire" involved the history of salt crackers in Okinawa, saving salt cracker shops, and reducing food waste. I also felt a sense of wanting to positively re-examine post-war episodes in "GIVE ME CHOCOLATE!".

However, from Mr. Hisada's perspective, it was an answer that could be reached by thinking together with the client and thoroughly considering the needs of their customers, and I felt that he approaches all his client work with the same mindset. I look forward to continuing to keep a close eye on how Okinawa's creative scene will evolve from here.

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If you enjoyed it, we would be delighted if you could share your thoughts on social media or elsewhere.

This is the sixth installment of "GOTO-CHI CREATIVE!", and we've traveled all the way from Hokkaido in the north to Okinawa in the south. There are still so many places in all 47 prefectures of Japan that we haven't been to yet. We're already looking forward to finding out where we'll go next. Maybe we'll even go overseas someday.

Thank you for reading to the end. Have a wonderful day! This has been the iDID Media editorial team!

*This interview is a collaborative project with the December issue of Web Designing, which will be released on October 18th. A summary version will be available in Web Designing, while the full version will be available on iDID Media.