Hello, everyone.

This is Enta.

This is a construction site from about 20 years ago.

Since I was already using a digital camera (I was one of the first in this area to do so), this is a panoramic view I created by stitching together those photos.

I remember that job site very clearly because it was such a struggle.

 

And I'm still on good terms with the general contractor for that project, lol.

This was back when I was working at a major company—a time when I was working my butt off.

This site was also a disaster site designated by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, but initially, the design was based solely on legal requirements.

Here is a photo taken before construction began.

It's strung all the way to the last one, though (I couldn't find it, lol)

This is the slope as originally planned, consisting solely of retaining walls.

My memory is a bit fuzzy, but I think it collapsed because of the rain.

That's when things got tough.

While we were working on the redesign, we dismantled the rebar frames and stuff, and then we ended up digging by hand, lol.

 

Back then, there wasn’t any equipment that could position heavy machinery on the slope using cables, so it was really tough.

We closed the road at night using a 50-metric-ton crane to lift a mini backhoe and break up the material from above, followed by manual grading.

Once the surface was completed, we conducted a cross-section survey, drew up the plans, and submitted them to the consulting firm.

I remember being totally shocked when those really complicated drawings came back, lol.

That was definitely one of the toughest jobs I've ever had! lol

 

When you look at it this way, it really is great to have historical data.

At that time, the contract amount for a job that had originally been around 20 million had ultimately risen to about 40 million.

Looking at the final monthly financial statements from back then, we weren't making much profit, were we? lol

 

Looking at the data, I can’t help but reflect on all the different experiences I’ve had.

Around that time, my decisions always ended up being..."A Difficult Decision"

 

I went to that site—which, at the time, was about a four-hour drive from Nagoya—and,

None of the upperclassmen want to go, lol.

So, that's me.

Though when it comes to whether I made a bad decision here, I actually remember saying I’d go based on this weird assumption that it was a workplace where the company wouldn’t interfere… lol

It's so far away that no one comes lol

It’s a choice that works out well for me, but looks difficult from the outside. (After all, someone has to go.)

 

But around that time, I figured, "If no one else is going, I'll go!"

If no one else is going to do it, I'll just do it myself!

That's what I was thinking.

Thanks to that, I met the general contractor and the subcontractors, and even now that I’m on my own, I’m still in touch with them.

The person in charge on site back then is now the president of that general contractor, lol.

This subcontractor would later grow to become an A-class general contractor in this region, lol (for a company that mainly acts as a general contractor).

And even now, I’m still on good terms with that CEO, and I get along well with the employees there, too.

 

Where and with whom will you meet?

 

Whenever I meet someone who has an impact on my life, it’s almost always in a difficult situation.

The importance of the people you meet when you're in a tight spot.

That relationship will last a long time.

 

It’s truly a blessing that I’ve been able to meet such wonderful people over the years.

I'm truly grateful.

 

When you choose a project that no one else would take on—one where the odds are stacked against you—the rewards you reap later on are immense.

It really shows that money isn't what matters most, doesn't it?

And when you make difficult decisions on your own, your personal growth increases tremendously!

 

Please take a look at the historical data, everyone.

How many people are currently influencing you?

What was it like meeting people on that challenging job site?

 

By acknowledging the past, we can understand our current situation.

The only relationships you can truly understand are your own.

 

See you later.