As a construction supervisor, I coordinate schedules between carpenters and partner companies, prepare cost estimates, draw construction plans when necessary, and also visit job sites. Until joining SOBOKUYA in April 2025, I worked as a designer at an architectural firm — this is my first experience managing construction work, and I’m still learning every day.

It was largely because of encouragement from my family and relatives. After studying architecture at a junior college in Nepal, I began my career at an architectural firm there. Later, I moved to Papua New Guinea to work for another firm for three years. However, I began to feel uneasy about safety in the area, so I decided to return home. While working in Papua New Guinea, I had opportunities to work on projects related to Chinese architectural design, which led me to take an interest in Japan — another East Asian country. Although I had never been there, I knew Japan was a safe place to live, and that motivated me to move there in the fall of 2016.

I first spent a year and a half studying Japanese at a language school in Ueda City, Nagano Prefecture. After that, I enrolled in a three-year technical college in Tokyo to learn CAD drafting. While attending school, I started job hunting and was offered a position at an architectural firm in Tokyo, so I left school to work there. However, I joined the company during the COVID-19 pandemic in the fall of 2020, and since then, I worked entirely from home — I never actually went to the office. Over time, I began to feel lonely working alone and thought that as a site supervisor, I could meet and work directly with clients, carpenters, and partner companies.

Yes. I was registered on LinkedIn, and one day, I received a message from SOBOKUYA. When I looked into the company’s website, I was surprised to see that they specialized in wooden architecture — something I had never designed before. I had a meeting with CEO Imai and Loica, the Director of the Tokyo Office, where I spoke honestly about my experiences and the uncertainties I was feeling at the time. Imai listened carefully and told me, “Let’s try it together.”

It really did. His words made me realize the importance of challenging myself in an unfamiliar field, and I decided to take that step. I’m truly glad I did. I enjoy my work every day, communicating with so many different people, and I feel very satisfied. The people I work with — both within SOBOKUYA and from other companies on-site — always make an effort to create opportunities for open dialogue. I also appreciate how easy it is to consult with anyone in the company; it’s a very supportive environment.

Recently, we went on a company training trip to the Kansai region. Our colleagues from SOBOKUYA Vietnam also joined us, and together, we visited and studied various buildings. We went to sites like Expo 2025 Osaka–Kansai, Horyu-ji (the oldest wooden structure in Japan), and Todai-ji. It was my first time visiting Kansai, and I found many fascinating details in the craftsmanship of wooden structures. We were divided into small teams of about five people from different departments, and I learned a lot by asking our carpenters questions about architectural mechanisms. Observing the sophistication of traditional handcraft techniques was incredibly inspiring.

I believe communication is the most important part of any job — and also the most enjoyable. While online communication and email are common in our daily work, SOBOKUYA’s environment allows you to speak face-to-face with anyone, anytime, which I find wonderful. I hope to work with people who take initiative in connecting with others and sharing their ideas openly. And above all, it’s important to be someone who truly enjoys their work.