11/03/2020
AFTERWORD AND MAXIMUM THANKS
I’ve become an expert at feeling gratitude, so this is going to be a bit long. I’d like to start by saying that I first came across the term “minimalist” in an article by Naoki Numahata, with whom I now run the Minimal & ism website. The first day I met him, we had an impassioned discussion about minimalism, and it seems like our plans for the website were hatched in that instant. I never believed I was the type of person who had something to offer to others, but I fell in love with writing the blog, which led to the writing of this book. I’m very happy to have made precious friends through minimalism.
I’d also like to thank my employer, Wani Books. They were gracious and supportive when I said—me, an editor—that I wanted to write a book. Everyone must have wondered if I had gone crazy or had only a few months to live, or something. I felt the same way at the time. Had Wani been a bigger company, I probably wouldn’t have had the nerve to say anything about my wish.
I extend my heartfelt gratitude to Mr. Yokouchi, the president of our company; Ms. Aoyagi, who heads editorial and so generously supported my unusual project; and my boss Ms. Ichiboji, editor of the photo collection editorial department. I’d like to thank everyone in editorial for pitching in while I was lost in thought about this book for the whole year.
“What’s so fun about living in an apartment like this?” Mr. Sakurai, head of our sales department, once asked. I’m really glad that we were able to have such active conversations. Let’s go out and sell the book now!
To Mr. Otsuka, the person I kept going back to asking for quote after quote after quote, and everyone in administration: Thank you so much. I hope this book will be something that’ll keep everyone in public relations busy. And to the people in the digital business department, I look forward to releasing this in digital format, too. To the people in finance, I’ll try not to be late with my invoices for this book. Many thanks also to the people in general administration. And to everyone else in our other departments, thank you for your warm words of encouragement. I was happy to hear you say that you were looking forward to publication.
As an editor who usually works behind the scenes, I’m well aware that a book is delivered to our readers after a lot of hard work by many people. Those at Toppan Printing who printed this book, everyone at National Bookbinding who put this work together, those of you at ALEX Corporation who handled the desktop publishing, the people at Tokyo Shuppan Service Center who were responsible for the proofreading, and the people at Taiyo Shoji for always transporting our heavy loads of books—thank you all very much. And last but not least, many thanks to the people who serve as our agents and those of you at the wonderful bookstores. I hope you’ll continue to offer this book to our readers.
I’d also like to thank Steve Jobs and Apple. It’s because of the iPhone and MacBook Air, two truly minimalist products that Mr. Jobs introduced to the world, that I’ve been able to say goodbye to so many of my material possessions, while also being able to write at any location. It’s thanks to Microsoft Word that I was able to write this. I was able to organize my outline thanks to the Tree2 app. Dropbox made it possible to store the material securely. Thanks to the development of various technologies, it’s been possible to do this without the need for extra equipment.
I’d also like to mention my gratitude to Jonathan’s in Meguro for letting me write most of this work at their restaurant and to the Jonathan’s in Fudomae, for letting me write the rest of it at their restaurant. I’m sorry for staying at your establishments for so many hours on end. Half of the reason why I chose to move to Fudomae was because of your restaurant. Thank you also to the Tokyo Metropolitan Library, a library with a wonderful garden where I went every day while writing. I was often inspired by the ducks and turtles that swim leisurely in your pond.
To the many minimalists I’ve had a chance to meet: There were many occasions when I wondered if the changes I’ve mentioned in this book were things that had happened to me alone. I was happy to meet with every single one of you, so kind, generous, and radiant. I got the impression that by reducing your material possessions, all of you had experienced positive changes in your life and were moving forward. To the minimalists with whom I met for the writing of this book: While the contents here are my personal views, I was immensely stimulated by every one of you. I think of all of you as my friends, and I look forward to seeing you again. Hiji, my participation in the “Minimalist Kyoto
Off-Kai” event that you hosted proved to be the first major step that I took. That meeting helped me to change.
To all the minimalists with whom I haven’t had a chance to meet but who have helped with the publicity: I believe that the spread of minimalism will help more people become happy and free. Thank you.
The designer Keito Kuwayama. It’s thanks to Mr. Kuwayama’s God-like swiftness that we managed to work things out in spite of our tight schedule. You work so quickly that I couldn’t help taking a step back in wonder—I’m still amazed. Thank you so much for creating a terrific design so incredibly fast.
Shunsuke Murakami, the editor for this book. I never thought there’d be an editor for an editor. I’m really glad I didn’t have to do everything by myself. If I had, I probably would have fled somewhere by now. There were often times while I was writing this that I wondered if everything was just a figment of my imagination and nothing would be conveyed to anyone. Those were the times when I remembered Mr. Murakami offering words of support and telling me that what I wrote was interesting. I was also elated by the amount of attention that you gave the work as an editor. I’m sorry I was late with the manuscript. Thank you so much.
Thanks also to all my friends and family who helped advertise this book. Please tell me what you think of it; there’s no need to hold back. There’s one thing that I must apologize for: I’ve let go of everything that you’ve given me. I really am sorry about that. I took pictures of everything, remembering the joy I felt when you gave them to me, and I said goodbye to them with feelings of gratitude. I was able to feel tremendous happiness when I first received them from you and again when I let them go. Thank you so much.
And to all my readers. Thank you for reading this book. I’ve shared with you all the thoughts I had as I reduced my material possessions. I hope there might be something, even just a short phrase, that stays with you. I’m sure there are many mistakes in here, which I am fully responsible for, and would appreciate it if you would kindly point them out.
Last, to my late father and my dear, healthy mother: If there’s anything in the book that gives people a sense of freedom, I think it’s the result of your belief not to force your children to do anything and to let them be independent. You allowed me to think for myself. Thank you both from the bottom of my heart.
I would now like to wrap this up with a favorite quote of mine. It’s from a poem that was written by the poet Rūmī.
But I will now close my mouth, hoping that you will open yours.
Source: Goodbye, Things by Fumio Sasaki
