Such is responsible for the external design producer of au, Naoki Sakai to lead the Japan of the product design. After 83 years, what offices in Shibuya will talk always that it is because I want to be integrated with the street of the trend. For more than 20 years, to Sakai, who was has continued staring streets of Shibuya, we were telling the Shibuya of charm and challenges with great fondness.

- Please tell us about the encounter of Sakai-san and Shibuya.

Shibuya of Nanpeidai, once have old diplomat had lived mansion is built, there was a design center that creators gather on the site. The owner of the mansion from the fact that I knew personally, 83 years, it is there were offices in the beginning of Shibuya and socializing. Its European-style building will be demolished in 1996, now has been exhibited as relocated has been nationally designated important cultural asset to Yamate-cho, Yokohama. Then also not away from Shibuya, currently has offices in Kamiyama-cho, about 15 minutes' walk from the station. 83 circa, still people in Shibuya is was small. Car It is easy to park. Unawares of young people began to flock is, I Will also great that more and more specialized schools in the vicinity.

- Had offices in Shibuya What reason on the job.

It also has it. I sold was a big draw at the box office established a Tattoo Company in San Francisco, "Tattoo T-shirt", founded a company called Water studio returned to 73 years. At that time, in Shibuya Seibu called "capsule", it had been asked to if there is a shop dealing with a fairly sharp clothes, also put there to those of my design. ISSEI MIYAKE both Kansai Yamamoto also TAKEO KIKUCHI, now, the remaining designers are most, I had taken care of there. It was in a department store, but in a kind of liberated areas, was the so-called existence, such as the fashion designer incubator. In time at the time that the new apparel has been the rise, how IT ventures, such as those born one after another image speaking now. Throughout the ages, but it is interesting to both Shibuya is in the stage.

- On the job, do you ever get tips from Shibuya.

I guess, but the people with the coolness that is not managed I referred to by the word "thugs", I thugs in this sense has been living in Shibuya. Of course, this is by a good sense (laughs). Young people of the street system gather in Shibuya, but it is fashionable, if not money. It is the real brackets goodness I thing you are living in the street. For example, some talent is not a street of human beings, because they know that there are cool man in the street, for the street of fashion, has been terribly research. As a result, and through the media, but everyone seems to be his imitation, matter of fact origin I exist in Street. But it is an interesting structure. I also fashion and music, beginning movie, the car, the movement of the street, it is always on the lookout. If there are differences due to the area even in the Shibuya, completely different car that is put in, for example Tokyu Hands and Parco of parking. It catches easy city sensitive trend of such street. It would not be an exaggeration to say that the city itself is in the media.

- Town of scenery of Shibuya What design to how.

Shibuya is a city without an appearance. There is an interior but no exterior. For example, can you draw a picture of the appearance of Parco or Tokyu Hands? Perhaps I can not draw. It is a city that is very inconvenient in appearance, while it is elaborate on introspection. The signboard is full of fury and you can not see the sky too much. When walking in the city of Shibuya, sometimes you may even feel that you're walking in a building. There is an atmosphere somewhat similar to New York and Hong Kong, but it is strange compared to Europe etc, so all foreign friends are surprised. We were surprised at the sight that GINZA LINE was rushing into the building, there were about 10 vending machines lined up, and the capital high and Route 246 were running parallel, and that is information from media such as Miyazaki anime and AIBO It seems that complex views of Japan are being formed together (laughs). As it is Shibuya that appears most in foreign media as an image of Tokyo, it will be safe to think that many foreigners think that Shibuya = Tokyo.

Also participated in the "au design mobile phone project" from 2005

- Sakai-san Can you tell us the reason for claiming a "Con Scepter".

Not only in design, because they worked on the concept work, at first I thought what to the concept of worker, is said to be a simple person easily transmitted on TV, it was reduced to Con scepter. We're using from 85 around. It is not a term coined in English, but there is also a face that was put in half play, it is a little funny that you are using the title of Con scepter in large companies is now. There is also that the word con scepter is rare, was also or interviewed from the BBC. I have been involved in car development at Nissan from 83 years to 88 years, I've been out a rare personal name at that time. Also I heard now, strongly the idea of ​​the brand is the company name in Japan, the name of the outside of the human to participate in the creative I had been in secret, especially previously. Because it had moved the creative of the large companies in the title unfamiliar that Con scepter, I guess the BBC was also wondering.

- It has recently been focused on the mobile phone of the concept work.

Yeah, it is about 70% of the recent work It is a mobile phone-related. Mobile of the work is interesting. Now the young people are interested in is facing towards the mobile phone than the car. What single development costs mobile phone, how much to understand you or. Car single of development costs and is also said to not change much. In a sense, it is a tremendous gamble. Some models come out only 500 cars a month even if the large investment, there are also those that Uriageru 200 million units. But, it's content may or may not change much. That is why game is determined by the design. But, the designer, thinking only of the design, it does not care business thing is. Position as a servant of the Con scepter in the companies and creators middle, half businessman, since the half is a state that the artist, while based on the aspects of such business, has produced the designer.

- Finally, do you have a message to the Shibuya in the future.

The Milan and Paris if there are legal restrictions on landscape skyline is beautiful. Also hard also Kyoto, but Shibuya is good think in Shibuya. Because the mess was there is fun in the streets, I do not want trimmed to less clean. And, as told earlier, Street parentheses good, people of coolness that has not been farmed I want a city that is not lost. More than it is now, fashion and design, in terms of music, I hope when it comes to the town where creative people can experience the creativity. One point, if you to exhibit candid advice, that the high grade that can be used for entertaining restaurant is small. Such time has been moved to Daikanyama. But, precisely because Daikanyama also is on the side of Shibuya, appeal has been withdrawn. If think so, still Shibuya Maybe good in "as is".

■ profile
Naoki Sakai
1947 Kyoto born. 66 years, Kyoto City University of Arts Design Department after admission, Tobei. Established a Tattoo Company in San Francisco launched the "Tattoo T-shirt (T-shirt tattoo print)", hit the jackpot. 73 years, established a water studio after the return home. 87 years, Nissan "Be-1", spun off the "PAO" in 89 years, it has created a Future retro boom. In 88 years announced the Olympus "O-Product" to overturn the camera concept of the past, 95 years, are invited to the exhibition to exhibition of MoMA, then, it becomes a permanent preservation. Since 1995, working on a large number of information and communications-related products and content development, 04 years, established a water design scope. November 2005, announced the two models of the concept model "MACHINA" "HEXAGON" from KDDI. Other, Georgia "one-segment TV", stroller, involved in the development of a number of products, such as a gas range. Currently, in charge of external design producer of au, in November 2006 announced a concept model 3 models. There is a "scheming of Design" in recent work.

Water Design Scope