Check out Takumi’s NEW English youtube channel🎵
↓↓↓
https://www.youtube.com/@takuway
Tamaran — a lovely spot near Shin-Yamaguchi Station!
After that came the Motivation Switch seminar.
Thank you everyone for joining!
Our crew came together!
Everyone shared what they learned!
Over the years,
as we moved through different phases of life.
Longtime seniors,
and brand-new friends alike〜
Thank you for coming all the way!
From Hokkaido to Kyushu〜〜〜
w1→w2
When you set your goal beyond reality,
that’s when you can truly change yourself!
Can’t wait to see the beautiful footage!
AYANA
¥ < coach
The joy of surpassing yourself.
The joy of transcending your past.
The joy of believing in who you are.
Mr. Chosa
Shōin-sensei’s “makoto” — I love that.
Yoshida Shōin’s makoto refers to the spirit of sincerity (“誠”) that guided his entire life.
He’s well known for saying,
“If you give your utmost sincerity, there’s no one whose heart won’t be moved.”
This belief stems from his conviction that true sincerity has the power to move people — and even the world itself.
Yoshida Shōin’s Words and Spirit of “Makoto” (Sincerity)
至誠通天 (Shisei Tsūten) — “Sincerity reaches Heaven.”
Shōin taught that if you devote yourself with genuine sincerity and consistent effort, your wishes will surely be fulfilled.
The Meaning Behind “誠” (Makoto)
The character 誠 is formed from “言” (word) and “成” (to fulfill), symbolizing “to make your words real.”
It embodies integrity — the idea that “a samurai never goes back on his word.”
A Guiding Principle for Life
For Shōin, makoto was not just a word, but a way of being.
His teachings — Determination (立志), Choosing one’s company wisely (択交), and Lifelong learning (読書) — all carry this spirit of sincerity at their core.
A Message for the Modern Era
Even in today’s age of AI, Shōin’s philosophy reminds us to ask: How should we, as humans, use intelligent machines?
He would say that AI reveals its true value only in the hands of those who act with sincerity.
In that sense, his legacy continues to guide us toward a future where technology and makoto coexist in harmony.
Yoshida Shōin’s concept of makoto is rooted in “shisei” (至誠) — a teaching he drew from the words of Mencius.
It expresses the belief that when you act with genuine sincerity, you will inevitably move the hearts of others.
- Shōin taught his Shōka Sonjuku students the unity of learning and action — “chi-gō gō-itsu” (知行合一).
Ei-chan, your feelings for Yamaguchi — and for your father — truly overflowed.
At the Motivation Switch Coaching session,
the people gathered were so warm-hearted.
Friends who had only met on ZOOM finally gathered here in person.
Breathwork.
The Takumi Yamazaki Cocktail.
How was it?
Double inhale × 30 times,
followed by heart coherence—
then stimulating the pineal gland,
squeezing the energy upward from the base to the crown.
A rabbit？！
I couldn’t help bursting out laughing—
like an elementary school kid.
Only this time, it wasn’t milk… it was coffee.
Everyone here— such delightful maniacs in their own right.
The speakers who won their regional preliminaries
now face off in the final round.
Words that reach the heart.
Lives that come vividly to light.
Nagai-san, how moving〜〜〜
To all the winners—
there’s truly a reason you won!
Even the tour/bus guide was passionate about Shōin!!!！！！
Rural convenience stores always have ikari mame — soybeans with a kick.
Akiyoshidai —
this landscape is the essence of Yamaguchi’s beauty.
What a lovely hotel.
A hot spring by the mountain stream.
Beauty Coach Team!
Conversations in yukata.
At the acoustic live, when I asked him to sing my favorite song…
it was
HEAL THE WORLD
Eggs dipped in sweet soy sauce.
When I mentioned that Kyushu also uses sweet soy sauce,
he explained that here in Yamaguchi,
they serve fish that’s freshly caught —
so a touch of sweetness is desired.
Aged fish (the ones that have been “worked on”)
can give the impression of being old, he said.
That firm crunch is the mark of freshness.
And the sweet soy sauce is there to bring out that texture.
Somehow… that really made sense to me〜〜
Link to Takumi Yamazaki’s
ENGLISH Book “SHIFT”