Translation Results Requested Through Conyac Made Public

Yesterday, the head of the Chiba prefecture Paperhanger’s Union, Mr. Takayanagi passed away from cancer of the lung. It’s rather sudden and it’s come as a big shock.

Mr. Takayanagi was someone who loved paperhanging, which was his vocation, and worked enthusiastically to raise awareness of the art.

It came as a big shock to myself in particular, since Mr. Takayanagi gave me lots of advice for my paperhanging exam.

He really was a very meticulous person.

For a craftsman, there are great many aesthetic tasks that must be carried out, using one’s experience as a guide. However, Mr. Takayanagi was very well read in literature concerning paperhanging, so his way of explaining methods of working was precise and easy to understand.
Just last year, he entered the craft grand prix.

This event, which takes place once every two years, was organised by the Ministry for Health, Labor and welfare, gathered together craftsman from various industries from across the nation.

Usually, entrants are drawn from the younger members of the union, typically those in their thirties or forties like ourselves. However, there were no entrants from Chiba prefecture this year, so Mr. Takayanagi entered himself.

I am really very frustrated that I did not have adequate skill to enter myself. Mr. Takayanagi has already achieved great status, but pride did not deter him from rising to the challenge. This attitude is worthy of high esteem.

I know my own limitations as a paperhanger, but I hope that I can at least keep Mr. Takayanagi’s passion for paperhanging alive.