On Breaking Preconceptions

"The Weekly Way of Making a Sphere" has now reached its 50th milestone.

From the shop and bicycles to this city and society, I have put into words the things that have caught my heart along the way. Being told by people I've met that they read these pieces—that kind of warm response has been a great support to me. Thank you so much.

Since this is a special milestone, I would like to write about a phrase that Circles has held dear since its inception.

"Break the Preconceptions"

It is one of our company mottos.
To put it politely, it might be "question the norm."
But that feels a bit weak—questioning alone is not enough. As in Utada's song, there are moments when you must break things with your own hands, without a doubt.

It was with that raw resolve and humanity in mind that we arrived at this phrasing.

I was interviewed the other day. It was a gracious opportunity that I was happy to accept, but as soon as we started, I realized that the interviewer already had a "finished story" in mind.

"So it’s like this, right?" "In other words, you think like this, don't you?"

My words were being forced into a pre-prepared frame like puzzle pieces.

I had always thought that an interview was the process of exploring "what has not yet been seen" in the person in front of you. But what I encountered was not reality, but a "mold" that prioritized a pre-constructed narrative.

"A local bike shop is like this."
"This is what a business owner says."
"A new way of working is like this."
"Young people have these kinds of values."
"Old industries should change like this."

The world is overflowing with these invisible "molds."
But reality is always more complex and gritty; it is rarely something that fits neatly into such clean headlines.

What we truly want to break is not the old things themselves.
What truly needs to be broken is the "frame"—made by those "molds"—that obscures the reality right in front of our eyes.

On a side note, I’ve been enjoying the weekly taiga drama Toyotomi Kyodai!. The portrayal of Azai Nagamasa, which became a hot topic, really struck a chord with me. If he chose the alliance (the future) with Nobunaga, he would be betraying his father and his past allies. While he had the resolve, he could not break away from the "preconceptions" of traditional duty and familial bonds, and he chose a path toward ruin. His kindness, in the end, became the frame that bound him, and he was swallowed by the rough tides of the era.

There are things that should be broken. But there are also things that should be kept.
There are things that will rot if not changed. But there are also things that will be lost if we change them.
I believe that people, shops, companies, and society all move forward while oscillating between those two.

For Circles, "Break the Preconceptions" does not simply mean rebelling against everything.

To break is sometimes cruel. It might mean betraying something. However, if we do not break them even while accepting that cruelty, the very future we wish to protect might sink along with them.

The bicycle is a tool that is both old and new.

It moves by human power, feels the wind, and forces you to feel your own weight on the hills.
Its essence never changes.

But I believe the way a bike shop exists can change.
The way we distribute, work, sell, communicate, and build a community—those can change.

"The limits of an individual store are here."
"The relationship between manufacturers and retailers should be like this."
"The relationship with customers should be like this."
"The things a local shop can do are limited to this."
"Dealing with overseas brands is like this."

I believe Circles exists today precisely because we have questioned those frames one by one, and broken them when necessary.

But at the same time, there are things that must not be broken.

Seeing people for who they are.
Treating good tools with care.
Never forgetting respect for the maker.
Taking root in the city.
Cherishing one's companions.
Speaking in our own words.

If we were to break all of that, it would just become a "business."
If we only chase numbers, trends, and efficiency, we are no longer Circles.

Therefore, the phrase "Break the Preconceptions" is, in fact, a very delicate one. While it may look rough, I believe it is a quite cautious statement.

What are we breaking? What are we keeping?
How far do we change? Where do we begin to protect?
Not running away from those questions—that may be the true meaning of this phrase.

After continuing this series for 50 weeks, I have come to see quite accurately what I truly hold dear. But at the same time, I also feel the fear that the words themselves might become a "mold" before I know it.

Perhaps the scariest thing is not the preconceptions of others, but the preconceptions within ourselves.

We can feel uncomfortable with a story someone else has decided for us.
We can complain about the old habits of an industry.
We can properly notice the archaic nature of politics and society.
But it is surprisingly difficult to notice the "well, that's just how it is" feeling that has become ingrained within us.

When you keep a shop for a long time, your success stories increase.
The methods that worked for you increase.
The words you have cherished and the culture you have protected grow.
That is an asset. But at the same time, they, too, may eventually become a "mold."

"Break the Preconceptions" is, in the end, the resolve to keep breaking our own molds as well.

Circles does not wish to be a shop that is only about new things, nor do we want to be a shop that only appreciates the old.

To keep what is precious, we continue to change.
To continue to change, we question ourselves time and again.
I believe that only beyond that can we see the next landscape.

Today, once again, I want to find a small preconception in front of me and, if necessary, break it.

Perhaps, that is the only way anything begins.

An Announcement from "The Weekly Way of Making a Sphere"

Finally, I have an important announcement and a word of thanks for all our readers.

This "Weekly Way of Making a Sphere," which I have been delivering every week, will take a break after this 50th installment as I put down my pen for a while to recharge.

Looking back, writing about the shop, bicycles, and the ever-changing society… although my words were clumsy, by throwing them outside myself every week in this way, I feel that I was able to confirm my own standing more than anyone else.

And above all, I cannot express how much the existence of those of you reading on the other side of the screen, and the occasional voice saying "I read it," supported my writing. Truly, thank you so much.

So that I may break the "molds" ingrained within me and show you a new landscape once again. For a while, I will rest my hand from spinning words and face the new reality in a gritty way.

Let us meet again someday in a renewed "Way of Making a Sphere." Until then, farewell to you all.