Exclusive gift for Subscriber KUDEN by TAKAHIRO SATO【 凛rin life 】 Vol.004
In this e-mail magazine, 【KUDEN by TAKAHIRO SATO】 will send you topics such as Japanese culture including kimono, fashion, lifestyle, and behind-the-scenes stories of creators every Friday, written by fashion designer Takahiro Sato.
I became a fashion designer at the age of 43 to create a place to work with my son who has a disability, and I am challenging myself as a creator and manager to go overseas. I will share with you my personal viewpoints and perspectives that I cannot easily share on my website.
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┃K┃U┃D┃E┃N┃【 凛rin life 】
Vol.004
/ Issued February 17th, 2023 /
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■Index
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… 1. News
… 2. Catch up
… 3. Original serialization for KUDEN Charity , Novel “KUDEN Samurai Sword Jam”
Wheelchair Samurai 01
… 4. KUDEN history"live like traveling" part 01
… 5. Q&A
… 6. Media & Serials
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■ 1. News
★from「KUDEN by TAKAHIRO SATO」★
#Clothes for people who love kimonos #Japanese Modestyle
KUDEN by TAKAHIRO SATO is a brand created to get people interested in traditional kimono with a modern kimono style that does not need special dressmaking.
From last week, the February order event for jackets and pants (totally 10% off with coupon in the mail magazine) and pre-order sales of KASANE Shirt are now on.
The February order event for jackets and pants in particular closes at 23:59 (JST) on Sunday the 19th, so don't miss it.
Thank you for subscribing to our mail magazine.
This is the fifth issue counting from Vol.0 since KUDEN changed its policy to focus on mail magazines.
To celebrate, we are happy to offer 5 winners a Samurai Mode Vneck T-shirt, perfect for the coming spring season.
The condition for application is that you must be a subscriber to our mail magazine and write a review about the comfort of the T-shirt after you receive it.
The Vneck T-shirts were created for KUDEN Charity, which creates jobs at sewing factories and welfare facilities for people with disabilities.
Graphic T-shirts are often "fashion at someone else's expense," involving various social issues such as mass production, mass disposal, and Uyghur cotton.
We do not want to print the character graphics of the creators who participated in this charity project on such "T-shirts at someone else's expense" just to lower the price.
I also felt that it would be unbalanced to have the T-shirts printed by people in the field of welfare for the handicapped or to donate money to charity.
Is it okay to use T-shirts that were cheaply bought and made under poor working conditions in favor of immediate cheapness and profit, when the charity is to help someone else?
After much deliberation, I designed and produced this T-shirt from scratch.
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<< Exclusive gift for mail magazine subscriber! >>
Samurai Mode Vneck T-shirt Monitor Promotion
Made of high-grade 100% non-Uighur cotton
This Vneck T-shirt fits KUDEN's Japanese mode style and looks great on its own or with a kimono collar.
Unlike the boxy silhouette of regular T-shirts, this slightly tight design gives a sharp impression when worn.
Despite being made of 100% cotton, it is made of a high quality fabric with UV cut and contact cooling properties.
< How to Entry >
To whom to enter
Mail magazine subscribers who will write product reviews
Gift items
Vneck T-shirt ( 5 winners )
[https://ku-den.jp/ja/collections/tops/products/samurai-mode-vneck-tshirt]
Entry deadline
18th Feb 23:59
Winner Announce
3rd March
Only winners will be notified by email
Please send us your entry form at the URL below and select the size and color you would like to win.
Winners will be selected by lottery and the winning email will be sent to the email address of the mail magazine subscriber.
Please register as a member of KUDEN and enter your address and other necessary information for shipping. We will ship the Vneck T-shirt to you winners.
A few days after the product arrives, KUDEN will send you an email requesting a review.
Please review how you feel about the product.
We look forward to hearing your wonderful reviews.
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Pre-order sales of KASANE Shirt and order events for jackets and pants are also ongoing.
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【 5%OFF!!［Pre order sale］Shirt II KASANE】
*JST
<予約期間>
Subscriber advanced pre order sale
11th Feb. 18:00 - 12th Feb. 18:00
All customer pre order sale
12th Feb. 18:00 - 28th Feb. 23:59
＜Notice＞
・Only subscribers to our newsletter can purchase during the advanced pre-order period.
・Pre-order special 5% off.
・If the number of items exceeds the planned production quantity for any size or color, the item will be sold out.
・The product will not be available for purchase until after 18:00 (JST) on 11th Feb. (Sat).
＜Guidline for delivery＞
Shipping start in April
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【February Order Event Jacket＆Pants II】
Mail magazine subscribers will receive 5% off the regular Order Event + 5% off with the mail magazine limited coupon for a total of almost 10% off
*JST
4th Feb.18:00 - 19th Feb. 23:59
＜Notice＞
・Reservation are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis in limited quantities for 16 days only.
・5% OFF for regular customers.
・10% OFF for subscribers to the mail magazine by using the coupon code in this mail.
＜Delivery Guideline＞
Scheduled to be shipped by April to early May
・Jacket Standard
（Outer: black triacetate, inner: black）
・Jacket Custom
（Outer: black triacetate, inner: your selected color）
※※Limited to approximately 10 triacetate jackets in total.
・Pants II Standard
（fabric: black triacetate）
※Limited about 10 triacetate pants
・Jacket Eco Standard
(Outer: Black, inner: black）
・Jacket Eco Custom
(Jacket Eco Custom）
・Pants II Eco Standard
（fabric: black）
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Would you like to enjoy Spring wind with Samurai Mode Jacket?Depending on the number of orders received and the status of the sewing factory, you will receive your order as early as April or as late as May. (*This is just a shipping date. For overseas customers, it will take one or two weeks for Yamato overseas parcel service and Japan Post to complete delivery.)
The KASANE Shirt will be produced in March and we plan to be ready to ship in April.
Together with the gift Vneck T-shirts, KUDEN's clothes are designed like no other brand, and because they are worn by both men and women in Japan and abroad, the sizes are unique.
Although the size chart is shown on the product page, if you are not sure about choosing the right size, please feel free to contact our concierge. (Please use e-mail, LINE, messenger, or DM on SNS!)
I had not featured the Samurai Mode Vneck T-shirt much, but it was difficult to find a T-shirt that I myself wanted, so I took great pains to create this T-shirt.
＜My T-shirt's special features＞
・Comfortable to wear everyday (100% cotton with UV and cool contact fabrics)
・Can be worn beautifully on its own (Sharp silhouette and elegant V-neck)
・Fabrics and sewing techniques that don't wear out quickly after washing
・Non-Uyghur cotton
In the future, we would like to add more variations such as those with a chest pocket and those made of merino wool for winter so that this T-shirt can be worn all year round by itself.
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【Again：Coupon code for subscribers for pre tailor-made event】
・・Total 10% OFF for mail magazine subscribers using the coupon code in the Vol. 002/ Feb. 3rd, 2023 email. Go to archive articleLink here＞＞
※Discounts will be applied when you sign up as a member using the email address of a mail magazine subscriber.
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■ 2. Catch up
Hello everyone. This is Takahiro Sato, aka Tak, the designer. I am writing this week's update in the car while driving my son to and from his special needs school.
I always carry my iPhone13 mini with a thin Microsoft two-fold keyboard (discontinued but easy to use and love it) and a foldable phone stand, and I use the time I spend waiting for my son to write. For novels and writing, I use a lightweight text editor called Ulysses, which can link data via icloud. This is convenient and I can write the rest of the story from any machine on my iPhone, iPad, and Mac. It's a good time to be able to work from anywhere with just a smartphone.
This week, the pattern maker sent us the toile for the new Samurai Mode Kimono Gown (tentative name).
By the way, I have not explained what "toile" means. Toile (Originally French) refers to test garments sewn to check the design, size, etc. when making clothes. For a simple garment, it is simply pierced with a needle and fastened, but there are cases where it is sewn with thread. There are also two types of toile, half toile and double toile. Whether half toile is sufficient or double toile is made depends on the mechanism and design of the garment. In this case, I had a patterner finish double toile because I was thinking of a mechanism to wear a kimono gown in the style of a kimono.
The keywords in creating this Kimono Gown are…
・1 piece can be used in both Western and Japanese styles
・Can be combined with other existing KUDEN clothes
・Customers who want to wear Kimono overseas can enjoy the Kimono style with just one piece
・Customers from hot countries can enjoy the Kimono style with this piece
・I want to make it a universal design that changes its expression just by changing the fabric like the original traditional kimono
・I want to make a silhouette that looks skinny with the shoulders dropped like a Jacket
We are currently checking the toile and compiling instructions for revision to the pattern maker while considering comfort, silhouette, strength, etc. in every detail.
After this toile check, we will make pattern corrections, sew the first sample, make pattern corrections, sew the second sample, complete the design, and then do the grading (size development). Working on a plan to start crowdfunding in March while we do the model shoot.
In the next time, I will introduce the new Kimono Gown with some more design drawings and pictures of the toile. I am looking forward to seeing this gown in early summer when everyone will be wearing it, so I am now looking forward to choosing a cool, light fabric so that I can wear it cool in summer or as a substitute for a summer kimono.
We are looking forward to seeing you, and we would be happy to receive your comments and suggestions about the fabrics and prints you would like to see. (Please send your comments to the mail form!).
Thanks for reading.
See you next time.
Tak
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■ 3. Original serialization for KUDEN Charity , Novel “KUDEN Samurai Sword Jam”
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Make the world just a little bit better by wearing your favorite "cool & kawaii" clothes!
KUDEN, a fashion brand founded by a father with a mentally handicapped and autistic son, and Japan's leading animators, manga artists, and illustrators collaborated for a charity project.
This novel is based on a charity that was started in 2021-2022 to create jobs at welfare centers for the handicapped and sewing factories with the help of animation and manga.
Animation Director Mr. Ryosuke Takahashi famous for Blue Comet SPT Layzner(Armored Trooper Votoms, Fang of the Sun Dougram) , Character Designer & Animator Mr. Moriyasu Taniguchi (Armored Trooper Votoms , Captain Tsubasa, Samurai Champloo ), a combination of the TV animation "Blue Comet SPT Layzner" (We also received supportive comments from mechanical designer Mr.Kunio Okawara), voice actors Mr.Kazuhiko Inoue (Kakashi from Naruto, Nyanko sensei from Natsume's Book of Friends ), Rune Sasaki (Alfine from Crusher Joe , Vanessa Layard from Macross), and other splendid animators, manga artists, and illustrator teachers who have drawn characters in KUDEN clothing. Their character designs are printed on KUDEN's clothes and bags. (Currently being re-prepared for permanent installation)
Its characters and worldview have been adapted into a novel by Takahiro Sato of KUDEN and serialized in Hobby Japan's Novel Up+! ( English version is publishedon Wattpad)
The story is about a father who is the last sword smith struggling for his disabled son.
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【Afterword to the First Episode】
In the previous issues, we have sent you the first episode of the KUDEN Samurai Sword Jam novel.
This novel began as a "theme" for the charity's participating anime, manga, and illustration artists to draw "character designs" to be printed on T-shirts.
At the time, I had no idea that I would end up writing a novel. I lightly created the world of a SF samurai adventure story with the idea of having the characters drawn from the same worldview as KUDEN's brand story (is it cool to sacrifice someone's fashion?).
Later, voice actor Run Sasaki agreed to participate in the charity voice drama, and Kazuhiko Inoue and B-BOX, a voice actor agency, joined us so I wrote the scripts for three episodes of the voice drama. The strongest lineup was composed by Mr. Nagatomo Josei of infix, who wrote the ending theme "WINNERS FOREVER - Victors" for V Gundam.
I wrote the voice drama script for the main character Takanobu from the perspective of a fan who wants Kazuhiko Inoue to say such lines to him.
Not only the script, but on the day of the voice drama recording, Mr. Kazuhiko Inoue was the sound director , and with the support of Ms.Run and B-BOX CEO Ms.Nishiyama, I took on the challenge of directing for the first time. I was so nervous and sweaty that I hardly remember the day...
This is my first novel, which I have been writing every day for a year under the unprecedented circumstances and pressure of having the character design, theme song, and voice actors decided before writing the novel, as well as having respected animation director Ryosuke Takahashi write the Recommendation of the novel.
Please read it again after listening to the passionate performances of Kazuhiko Inoue, Run Sasaki, and the voice actors belonging to B-BOX, and the theme song "HIKARI".
The first episode of the voice drama corresponds to the first episode of the novel version, "The Iron Scraper," which we have been sending until last mail magazine. Episode 2 of the voice drama is the second episode "The Wheelchair Samurai," in which Kenta, a character modeled after the wheelchair dancer Kambara Kenta, appears.
The third episode of the voice drama will be an episode close to the final scene of this novel. If you don't like spoilers, you can go to the second episode of the voice drama. Currently, the first part, the first chapter, is completed, and in the last part, the adventures of Takanobu and Kenta will continue toward the content of the third episode of the voice drama. (We will inform you of the resumption of the serialization as soon as it is decided.)
Human hearts and thoughts do not die with death.
They are feelings that are passed on from generation to generation.
I will weave a story with such universal themes in my own entertaining way.
【Voice Drama #01】
KUDEN - Samurai Sword Jam -
https://youtu.be/Q2xsGPxdeRA
This voice drama was produced for the "Charity for Creating Jobs in Sewing Factories and Welfare Centers".
▼▼Novel First Chapter, Firs half in Japanees
https://novelup.plus/feature/kuden/
▼Special website
https://ku-den.jp/ja/pages/charity2021
＜Act by＞
Kazuhiko Inoue (Major Work: NARUTO Natsume's Book of Friends JoJo's Bizarre Adventure )
Run Sasaki (Major Work:Crusher Joe Macross)
Takayuki Nakatsukasa
Ryoga Imai
Makoto Iwatake
Hiromasa Kobayashi
Yuki Ominami
Masayo Kanai
Seiko Nakano
Nonoka Miyajima
Yukiko Murakami
＜Music＞
「HIKARI」
Write：infix Josei Nagatomo
Edit：Hisashi Sasaki
＜Recording / Sound Engineer＞
Write：infix Josei Nagatomo
Edit：Hisashi Sasaki
＜Project Planning・Original work・Script＞
Takahiro Sato
Special Thanks
B-Box
Novel 「KUDEN 口伝 -Samurai Sword Jam-」
Ep.02 Wheelchair Samurai 01
The strong sun is shining.
With the single-mindedness, a man wields katana.
He has 2 Katana in his both hands.
However, the man was in a wheelchair.
It’s a rare cace that
He is a rare man on this planet who can manipulate a wheelchair and a katana at his will, without using cyborg technology to compensate for his appearance.
He is on a journey to train himself as a Samurai.
One of the goals of his journey is to find a "Katana forged of real steel," as he had heard rumors.
During the journey, he heard about a real katana.
The man was very fascinated by the way the steel was forged.
"I would love to have a real katana in my hands someday, instead of this nonsense."
In a town where he stopped on such a journey, he heard a rumor of a man who forges katana.
Taking a break at a teahouse, the man in the wheelchair points to one of the posters and calls out to the teahouse girl.
“Is this Gozen-Jiai( Official match held in the presence of a lord) open to everyone?"
"Yes, I believe you can enter in advance at the stadium. I've never been to one, so I don't know all the details."
...... I see, the winner will receive a steel katana.
Let's go to ......
"Hi you, Onii-chan! That's so cool!"
Suddenly, he turns at the sound of a child's voice calling from behind him.
There is a boy with ear muffs smiling and looking into a wheelchair.
"Hey, Takeru. You're being rude.
Sorry, he' s a curious boy.
"No, it's okay. I'm sorry but I would like you to tell me in which direction to go to the stadium."
"The stadium is east of here, near the fortified gate. It's a big place, and you'll find it."
The man thanked the father and son, paid to teahouse girl, and go to the stadium.
―
"The Gozen-jiai is now about to begin!"
Use your weapons freely! But do not kill. The winner will receive a katana made of real steel from our princess!”
In the circular stadium, a large crowd is anxiously waiting for the match to begin.
In the cheers of the crowd, a clear voice, which passes well from the guests' seats, is heard.
“The truly strong will be allowed to join the Samurai Dan and given a true katana!”
"Let all of you show me the results of your daily training!"
Looking around the stadium with a dignified expression, the princess returns to her seat after completing her task.
……I wish I could have been there……
Her face was innocent as she whispered this, it’s completely different from the earlier one that more mature expression.
In the near future, the earth has become impossible to live on due to repeated environmental pollution and natural destruction, and human beings have moved to other planets.
The planets to which they were relocated had different resources, material composition, climates, and ecosystems than Earth, and humans adapted with various technologies along with the creatures of the other planets.
However, not all of these planets were as rich in nature and resources as Earth, and people were still living strongly in a tough environment, as if they were guilty of having once destroyed the Earth's nature and made it unlivable.
This country on a certain planet in such days.
Many people with Japanese roots live there.
It is a country that prospered by building a fortress around a space elevator to protect itself from the harsh natural environment.
There was a man in this country who was proud to inherit the spirit of the Samurai that was once on the earth and in the country of Japan.
When humans first settled here, there were still few people and they had to live in this harsh environment while developing the land.
To protect people from the natural environment and conflicts, the man protected and encouraged them with a steel katana inherited from the earth.
People who admired him were gathered together, and swordsmanship and Shido ( Samurai Code that how they should be as a samurai ) were passed down to the present.
The name of this group is the Samurai Dan.
It is a symbol of this country and an organization for vigilance.
The Gozen-jiai.
It is a tournament that, along with its purpose of improving the Samurai Dan’s ability, also has the aspect of a deterrent, appealing to other nations of the Samurai's power, which is comparable to the military power of a single horseman if he/she is at the leader’s class.
The studiam echoed with cheers.
The signal for the opening of the match echoes with the howling of the speakers.
"Then let's begin the first match! "
" The leader of 2nd squad of Samurai Dan! Arthur J. Nagakura!!
vs. the traveling swordsman, Kenta Kuroda! Forward! “
Two swordsmen begin to walk toward the center of the stadium, one from the east and one from the west.
The crowd begins to buzz at the appearance of the unknown man, Kenta.
Ep.02 "Wheelchair Samurai 01"
Fin.
To be continued...
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■ 4．KUDEN History「Live like traveling 」
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: After falling into bankruptcy, falling ill, being separated from my son, and hitting rock bottom, I decided that I create a place where I could work with my disabled son in the future. I decided to start KUDEN with this goal in mind. Through encounters with various people, KUDEN has come to be what it is today. People who want to become fashion designers. People who are interested in how to start a new business in this era, people who like KUDEN's clothes and want to know more about KUDEN. For those who want to get hints for overcoming hardships and adversities, and for those who love children with disabilities, we will weave a memoir of KUDEN's history from its origins to the present.
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Photographer:Tak
KUDEN History「Live like traveling」
Part 01 「From Furniture to Clothes」
My company, which operates KUDEN by TAKAHIRO SATO, is called Gerbera Design Inc. We provide branding and design advice for new businesses. The slogan of my company is "live like a traveling".
This slogan is based on my experience of falling ill due to overwork and my desire to work freely in any time and place by myself so that I can raise my disabled son with only my male help. (The initiative was even featured in the Tokyo Shimbun newspaper. That's a story for another time...)
The company's slightly quirky 2016 corporate brochure (designed in the style of a free paper) includes a travelogue of my trip to the Philippines as part of the trials and tribulations of launching KUDEN.
In fact, KUDEN's preparation began with the idea of designing furniture, not clothes. Why is it now a fashion brand? I'll write down the history of KUDEN as I recall it back to 2016.
Gerbera Design Corporation's 2016 company brochure (free paper-style design), "Live Like Traveling." Excerpts from the Philippine Travelogue section.
”
【Philippine Travelogue Postscript】
I want to work with my son.
I want to create a place where my autistic son can work.
I want to create a place where children with disabilities like my son can work.
This is my dream, and it is a goal that I will surely achieve.
For this purpose We are preparing to start a "forestry" + "furniture maker" business, taking advantage of our strength as a design company.
Why forestry?
There are two reasons.
The first is that if we have a wide range of jobs, not only in design, but also in forestry and factories, we can help people with disabilities find some kind of job that they are good at.
The era of mass consumption and mass production is over, and no one in Japan can live in an economy that is growing steadily due to rapid economic growth.
The first people to be damaged in this situation will be people in positions such as those with disabilities.
The second reason is to keep the company going.
We would like to build a business model for a new era by combining primary industry (forestry), secondary industry (furniture manufacturing), and tertiary industry (design and sales) as a business model, and by challenging ourselves to create new customers.
Specifically, furniture needs change over the course of a person's life, from singleness to marriage to childbirth to children leaving home.
We want to sell furniture that can be used for a long time according to different situations, take back furniture that is no longer needed, repair it beautifully, and sell it to those who need it at a reasonable price.
We want to start with forestry to grow trees for materials, and even if we have no choice but to dispose of the furniture after many years of use and repair, we will return the wooden furniture to the nature of the mountains.
I participated in the Ministry of Environment's overseas forest conservation training program in the Philippines this time because I wanted to study the site of shortsighted deforestation by Japan during its period of rapid economic growth without thinking about the future of the Philippines and other countries as a Japanese, to experience firsthand the forestry industry in Japan and overseas in order to build a brand of "forestry" + "furniture manufacturer" + "employment of people with disabilities".
Although it was only for a short period of five days, the trip touched my heart in many ways, not only about reforestation, but also about the good qualities of the Philippines, the problems it faces, and how Japan has been involved in these problems.
”
At first, as an aspiring furniture designer, what I saw and felt on my trip to the Philippines was...
... to be continued in the next time.
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■ 5．Q&A
We are looking for questions aboutKUDENclothing (care, coordinating, etc.) and what you would like to see us do as content in the future.
Also, if you want to start up an apparel brand, become a creator of design, etc., or do business overseas, please send me your questions, and I will answer them in the mail magazine as much as possible.
What about photographic equipment? What should I sell overseas? I want to be a creator!
Please feel free to ask me any questions using the form below.We are currently receiving questions about how to care for our clothes and what tools we use to design and otherwise work with them.
We are planning to send you contents such as how to iron KUDEN clothes by staff SENA in the next issue.
Please mention “mail magazine Q&A Section” before sending your question.
Click here to ask us >>>
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■ 6．Media & Serials
Up-and-coming nFashion Magazinee
・AVESSA MAGAZINE
https://www.avessa.com/on-virtues-and-vices/
SF adventure
「Novel KUDEN Samurai Sword Jam」
・Japanese
Powered by Hobby Japan “Novelup plus”
Free reading
https://novelup.plus/feature/kuden/
・English
"Wattpad" Free reading
https://www.wattpad.com/story/307475614-kuden-%E5%8F%A3%E4%BC%9D-samurai-sword-jam
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・Edited/Published by：KUDEN by TAKAHIRO SATO（Gerbera Design Inc.）
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All copyrights to the contents of "KUDEN凛rinlife" belong to the editor/publisher.Please refrain from reprinting, forwarding, or re-editing most or all of the contents of this e-mail magazine without permission.Quotations on personal blogs and social networking services for non-commercial purposes are acceptable as long as the source is clearly stated.
© 2023 KUDEN by TAKAHIRO SATO /Gerbera Design Inc,
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┃K┃U┃D┃E┃N┃【 凛rin life 】
Vol.004
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/ Issued February 17th, 2023/
I became a fashion designer at the age of 43 to create a place to work with my son who has a disability, and I am challenging myself as a creator and manager to go overseas. I will share with you my personal viewpoints and perspectives that I cannot easily share on my website.
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┃K┃U┃D┃E┃N┃【 凛rin life 】
Vol.004
/ Issued February 17th, 2023 /
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■Index
■□■□■□■□■□■□■□■□■□■□■□■□■□■□■□■□
… 1. News
… 2. Catch up
… 3. Original serialization for KUDEN Charity , Novel “KUDEN Samurai Sword Jam”
Wheelchair Samurai 01
… 4. KUDEN history"live like traveling" part 01
… 5. Q&A
… 6. Media & Serials
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■ 1. News
★from「KUDEN by TAKAHIRO SATO」★
#Clothes for people who love kimonos #Japanese Modestyle
KUDEN by TAKAHIRO SATO is a brand created to get people interested in traditional kimono with a modern kimono style that does not need special dressmaking.
From last week, the February order event for jackets and pants (totally 10% off with coupon in the mail magazine) and pre-order sales of KASANE Shirt are now on.
The February order event for jackets and pants in particular closes at 23:59 (JST) on Sunday the 19th, so don't miss it.
Thank you for subscribing to our mail magazine.
This is the fifth issue counting from Vol.0 since KUDEN changed its policy to focus on mail magazines.
To celebrate, we are happy to offer 5 winners a Samurai Mode Vneck T-shirt, perfect for the coming spring season.
The condition for application is that you must be a subscriber to our mail magazine and write a review about the comfort of the T-shirt after you receive it.
The Vneck T-shirts were created for KUDEN Charity, which creates jobs at sewing factories and welfare facilities for people with disabilities.
Graphic T-shirts are often "fashion at someone else's expense," involving various social issues such as mass production, mass disposal, and Uyghur cotton.
We do not want to print the character graphics of the creators who participated in this charity project on such "T-shirts at someone else's expense" just to lower the price.
I also felt that it would be unbalanced to have the T-shirts printed by people in the field of welfare for the handicapped or to donate money to charity.
Is it okay to use T-shirts that were cheaply bought and made under poor working conditions in favor of immediate cheapness and profit, when the charity is to help someone else?
After much deliberation, I designed and produced this T-shirt from scratch.
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<< Exclusive gift for mail magazine subscriber! >>
Samurai Mode Vneck T-shirt Monitor Promotion
Made of high-grade 100% non-Uighur cotton
This Vneck T-shirt fits KUDEN's Japanese mode style and looks great on its own or with a kimono collar.
Unlike the boxy silhouette of regular T-shirts, this slightly tight design gives a sharp impression when worn.
Despite being made of 100% cotton, it is made of a high quality fabric with UV cut and contact cooling properties.
< How to Entry >
To whom to enter
Mail magazine subscribers who will write product reviews
Gift items
Vneck T-shirt ( 5 winners )
[https://ku-den.jp/ja/collections/tops/products/samurai-mode-vneck-tshirt]
Entry deadline
18th Feb 23:59
Winner Announce
3rd March
Only winners will be notified by email
Please send us your entry form at the URL below and select the size and color you would like to win.
Winners will be selected by lottery and the winning email will be sent to the email address of the mail magazine subscriber.
Please register as a member of KUDEN and enter your address and other necessary information for shipping. We will ship the Vneck T-shirt to you winners.
A few days after the product arrives, KUDEN will send you an email requesting a review.
Please review how you feel about the product.
We look forward to hearing your wonderful reviews.
>>Go to Entry Form
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Pre-order sales of KASANE Shirt and order events for jackets and pants are also ongoing.
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【 5%OFF!!［Pre order sale］Shirt II KASANE】
*JST
<予約期間>
Subscriber advanced pre order sale
11th Feb. 18:00 - 12th Feb. 18:00
All customer pre order sale
12th Feb. 18:00 - 28th Feb. 23:59
＜Notice＞
・Only subscribers to our newsletter can purchase during the advanced pre-order period.
・Pre-order special 5% off.
・If the number of items exceeds the planned production quantity for any size or color, the item will be sold out.
・The product will not be available for purchase until after 18:00 (JST) on 11th Feb. (Sat).
＜Guidline for delivery＞
Shipping start in April
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【February Order Event Jacket＆Pants II】
Mail magazine subscribers will receive 5% off the regular Order Event + 5% off with the mail magazine limited coupon for a total of almost 10% off
*JST
4th Feb.18:00 - 19th Feb. 23:59
＜Notice＞
・Reservation are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis in limited quantities for 16 days only.
・5% OFF for regular customers.
・10% OFF for subscribers to the mail magazine by using the coupon code in this mail.
＜Delivery Guideline＞
Scheduled to be shipped by April to early May
・Jacket Standard
（Outer: black triacetate, inner: black）
・Jacket Custom
（Outer: black triacetate, inner: your selected color）
※※Limited to approximately 10 triacetate jackets in total.
・Pants II Standard
（fabric: black triacetate）
※Limited about 10 triacetate pants
・Jacket Eco Standard
(Outer: Black, inner: black）
・Jacket Eco Custom
(Jacket Eco Custom）
・Pants II Eco Standard
（fabric: black）
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Would you like to enjoy Spring wind with Samurai Mode Jacket?Depending on the number of orders received and the status of the sewing factory, you will receive your order as early as April or as late as May. (*This is just a shipping date. For overseas customers, it will take one or two weeks for Yamato overseas parcel service and Japan Post to complete delivery.)
The KASANE Shirt will be produced in March and we plan to be ready to ship in April.
Together with the gift Vneck T-shirts, KUDEN's clothes are designed like no other brand, and because they are worn by both men and women in Japan and abroad, the sizes are unique.
Although the size chart is shown on the product page, if you are not sure about choosing the right size, please feel free to contact our concierge. (Please use e-mail, LINE, messenger, or DM on SNS!)
I had not featured the Samurai Mode Vneck T-shirt much, but it was difficult to find a T-shirt that I myself wanted, so I took great pains to create this T-shirt.
＜My T-shirt's special features＞
・Comfortable to wear everyday (100% cotton with UV and cool contact fabrics)
・Can be worn beautifully on its own (Sharp silhouette and elegant V-neck)
・Fabrics and sewing techniques that don't wear out quickly after washing
・Non-Uyghur cotton
In the future, we would like to add more variations such as those with a chest pocket and those made of merino wool for winter so that this T-shirt can be worn all year round by itself.
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【Again：Coupon code for subscribers for pre tailor-made event】
・・Total 10% OFF for mail magazine subscribers using the coupon code in the Vol. 002/ Feb. 3rd, 2023 email. Go to archive articleLink here＞＞
※Discounts will be applied when you sign up as a member using the email address of a mail magazine subscriber.
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■ 2. Catch up
Hello everyone. This is Takahiro Sato, aka Tak, the designer. I am writing this week's update in the car while driving my son to and from his special needs school.
I always carry my iPhone13 mini with a thin Microsoft two-fold keyboard (discontinued but easy to use and love it) and a foldable phone stand, and I use the time I spend waiting for my son to write. For novels and writing, I use a lightweight text editor called Ulysses, which can link data via icloud. This is convenient and I can write the rest of the story from any machine on my iPhone, iPad, and Mac. It's a good time to be able to work from anywhere with just a smartphone.
This week, the pattern maker sent us the toile for the new Samurai Mode Kimono Gown (tentative name).
By the way, I have not explained what "toile" means. Toile (Originally French) refers to test garments sewn to check the design, size, etc. when making clothes. For a simple garment, it is simply pierced with a needle and fastened, but there are cases where it is sewn with thread. There are also two types of toile, half toile and double toile. Whether half toile is sufficient or double toile is made depends on the mechanism and design of the garment. In this case, I had a patterner finish double toile because I was thinking of a mechanism to wear a kimono gown in the style of a kimono.
The keywords in creating this Kimono Gown are…
・1 piece can be used in both Western and Japanese styles
・Can be combined with other existing KUDEN clothes
・Customers who want to wear Kimono overseas can enjoy the Kimono style with just one piece
・Customers from hot countries can enjoy the Kimono style with this piece
・I want to make it a universal design that changes its expression just by changing the fabric like the original traditional kimono
・I want to make a silhouette that looks skinny with the shoulders dropped like a Jacket
We are currently checking the toile and compiling instructions for revision to the pattern maker while considering comfort, silhouette, strength, etc. in every detail.
After this toile check, we will make pattern corrections, sew the first sample, make pattern corrections, sew the second sample, complete the design, and then do the grading (size development). Working on a plan to start crowdfunding in March while we do the model shoot.
In the next time, I will introduce the new Kimono Gown with some more design drawings and pictures of the toile. I am looking forward to seeing this gown in early summer when everyone will be wearing it, so I am now looking forward to choosing a cool, light fabric so that I can wear it cool in summer or as a substitute for a summer kimono.
We are looking forward to seeing you, and we would be happy to receive your comments and suggestions about the fabrics and prints you would like to see. (Please send your comments to the mail form!).
Thanks for reading.
See you next time.
Tak
■ 3. Original serialization for KUDEN Charity , Novel “KUDEN Samurai Sword Jam”
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Make the world just a little bit better by wearing your favorite "cool & kawaii" clothes!
KUDEN, a fashion brand founded by a father with a mentally handicapped and autistic son, and Japan's leading animators, manga artists, and illustrators collaborated for a charity project.
This novel is based on a charity that was started in 2021-2022 to create jobs at welfare centers for the handicapped and sewing factories with the help of animation and manga.
Animation Director Mr. Ryosuke Takahashi famous for Blue Comet SPT Layzner(Armored Trooper Votoms, Fang of the Sun Dougram) , Character Designer & Animator Mr. Moriyasu Taniguchi (Armored Trooper Votoms , Captain Tsubasa, Samurai Champloo ), a combination of the TV animation "Blue Comet SPT Layzner" (We also received supportive comments from mechanical designer Mr.Kunio Okawara), voice actors Mr.Kazuhiko Inoue (Kakashi from Naruto, Nyanko sensei from Natsume's Book of Friends ), Rune Sasaki (Alfine from Crusher Joe , Vanessa Layard from Macross), and other splendid animators, manga artists, and illustrator teachers who have drawn characters in KUDEN clothing. Their character designs are printed on KUDEN's clothes and bags. (Currently being re-prepared for permanent installation)
Its characters and worldview have been adapted into a novel by Takahiro Sato of KUDEN and serialized in Hobby Japan's Novel Up+! ( English version is publishedon Wattpad)
The story is about a father who is the last sword smith struggling for his disabled son.
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【Afterword to the First Episode】
In the previous issues, we have sent you the first episode of the KUDEN Samurai Sword Jam novel.
This novel began as a "theme" for the charity's participating anime, manga, and illustration artists to draw "character designs" to be printed on T-shirts.
At the time, I had no idea that I would end up writing a novel. I lightly created the world of a SF samurai adventure story with the idea of having the characters drawn from the same worldview as KUDEN's brand story (is it cool to sacrifice someone's fashion?).
Later, voice actor Run Sasaki agreed to participate in the charity voice drama, and Kazuhiko Inoue and B-BOX, a voice actor agency, joined us so I wrote the scripts for three episodes of the voice drama. The strongest lineup was composed by Mr. Nagatomo Josei of infix, who wrote the ending theme "WINNERS FOREVER - Victors" for V Gundam.
I wrote the voice drama script for the main character Takanobu from the perspective of a fan who wants Kazuhiko Inoue to say such lines to him.
Not only the script, but on the day of the voice drama recording, Mr. Kazuhiko Inoue was the sound director , and with the support of Ms.Run and B-BOX CEO Ms.Nishiyama, I took on the challenge of directing for the first time. I was so nervous and sweaty that I hardly remember the day...
This is my first novel, which I have been writing every day for a year under the unprecedented circumstances and pressure of having the character design, theme song, and voice actors decided before writing the novel, as well as having respected animation director Ryosuke Takahashi write the Recommendation of the novel.
Please read it again after listening to the passionate performances of Kazuhiko Inoue, Run Sasaki, and the voice actors belonging to B-BOX, and the theme song "HIKARI".
The first episode of the voice drama corresponds to the first episode of the novel version, "The Iron Scraper," which we have been sending until last mail magazine. Episode 2 of the voice drama is the second episode "The Wheelchair Samurai," in which Kenta, a character modeled after the wheelchair dancer Kambara Kenta, appears.
The third episode of the voice drama will be an episode close to the final scene of this novel. If you don't like spoilers, you can go to the second episode of the voice drama. Currently, the first part, the first chapter, is completed, and in the last part, the adventures of Takanobu and Kenta will continue toward the content of the third episode of the voice drama. (We will inform you of the resumption of the serialization as soon as it is decided.)
Human hearts and thoughts do not die with death.
They are feelings that are passed on from generation to generation.
I will weave a story with such universal themes in my own entertaining way.
【Voice Drama #01】
KUDEN - Samurai Sword Jam -
https://youtu.be/Q2xsGPxdeRA
This voice drama was produced for the "Charity for Creating Jobs in Sewing Factories and Welfare Centers".
▼▼Novel First Chapter, Firs half in Japanees
https://novelup.plus/feature/kuden/
▼Special website
https://ku-den.jp/ja/pages/charity2021
＜Act by＞
Kazuhiko Inoue (Major Work: NARUTO Natsume's Book of Friends JoJo's Bizarre Adventure )
Run Sasaki (Major Work:Crusher Joe Macross)
Takayuki Nakatsukasa
Ryoga Imai
Makoto Iwatake
Hiromasa Kobayashi
Yuki Ominami
Masayo Kanai
Seiko Nakano
Nonoka Miyajima
Yukiko Murakami
＜Music＞
「HIKARI」
Write：infix Josei Nagatomo
Edit：Hisashi Sasaki
＜Recording / Sound Engineer＞
Write：infix Josei Nagatomo
Edit：Hisashi Sasaki
＜Project Planning・Original work・Script＞
Takahiro Sato
Special Thanks
B-Box
Novel 「KUDEN 口伝 -Samurai Sword Jam-」
Ep.02 Wheelchair Samurai 01
The strong sun is shining.
With the single-mindedness, a man wields katana.
He has 2 Katana in his both hands.
However, the man was in a wheelchair.
It’s a rare cace that
He is a rare man on this planet who can manipulate a wheelchair and a katana at his will, without using cyborg technology to compensate for his appearance.
He is on a journey to train himself as a Samurai.
One of the goals of his journey is to find a "Katana forged of real steel," as he had heard rumors.
During the journey, he heard about a real katana.
The man was very fascinated by the way the steel was forged.
"I would love to have a real katana in my hands someday, instead of this nonsense."
In a town where he stopped on such a journey, he heard a rumor of a man who forges katana.
Taking a break at a teahouse, the man in the wheelchair points to one of the posters and calls out to the teahouse girl.
“Is this Gozen-Jiai( Official match held in the presence of a lord) open to everyone?"
"Yes, I believe you can enter in advance at the stadium. I've never been to one, so I don't know all the details."
...... I see, the winner will receive a steel katana.
Let's go to ......
"Hi you, Onii-chan! That's so cool!"
Suddenly, he turns at the sound of a child's voice calling from behind him.
There is a boy with ear muffs smiling and looking into a wheelchair.
"Hey, Takeru. You're being rude.
Sorry, he' s a curious boy.
"No, it's okay. I'm sorry but I would like you to tell me in which direction to go to the stadium."
"The stadium is east of here, near the fortified gate. It's a big place, and you'll find it."
The man thanked the father and son, paid to teahouse girl, and go to the stadium.
―
"The Gozen-jiai is now about to begin!"
Use your weapons freely! But do not kill. The winner will receive a katana made of real steel from our princess!”
In the circular stadium, a large crowd is anxiously waiting for the match to begin.
In the cheers of the crowd, a clear voice, which passes well from the guests' seats, is heard.
“The truly strong will be allowed to join the Samurai Dan and given a true katana!”
"Let all of you show me the results of your daily training!"
Looking around the stadium with a dignified expression, the princess returns to her seat after completing her task.
……I wish I could have been there……
Her face was innocent as she whispered this, it’s completely different from the earlier one that more mature expression.
In the near future, the earth has become impossible to live on due to repeated environmental pollution and natural destruction, and human beings have moved to other planets.
The planets to which they were relocated had different resources, material composition, climates, and ecosystems than Earth, and humans adapted with various technologies along with the creatures of the other planets.
However, not all of these planets were as rich in nature and resources as Earth, and people were still living strongly in a tough environment, as if they were guilty of having once destroyed the Earth's nature and made it unlivable.
This country on a certain planet in such days.
Many people with Japanese roots live there.
It is a country that prospered by building a fortress around a space elevator to protect itself from the harsh natural environment.
There was a man in this country who was proud to inherit the spirit of the Samurai that was once on the earth and in the country of Japan.
When humans first settled here, there were still few people and they had to live in this harsh environment while developing the land.
To protect people from the natural environment and conflicts, the man protected and encouraged them with a steel katana inherited from the earth.
People who admired him were gathered together, and swordsmanship and Shido ( Samurai Code that how they should be as a samurai ) were passed down to the present.
The name of this group is the Samurai Dan.
It is a symbol of this country and an organization for vigilance.
The Gozen-jiai.
It is a tournament that, along with its purpose of improving the Samurai Dan’s ability, also has the aspect of a deterrent, appealing to other nations of the Samurai's power, which is comparable to the military power of a single horseman if he/she is at the leader’s class.
The studiam echoed with cheers.
The signal for the opening of the match echoes with the howling of the speakers.
"Then let's begin the first match! "
" The leader of 2nd squad of Samurai Dan! Arthur J. Nagakura!!
vs. the traveling swordsman, Kenta Kuroda! Forward! “
Two swordsmen begin to walk toward the center of the stadium, one from the east and one from the west.
The crowd begins to buzz at the appearance of the unknown man, Kenta.
Ep.02 "Wheelchair Samurai 01"
Fin.
To be continued...
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■ 4．KUDEN History「Live like traveling 」
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: After falling into bankruptcy, falling ill, being separated from my son, and hitting rock bottom, I decided that I create a place where I could work with my disabled son in the future. I decided to start KUDEN with this goal in mind. Through encounters with various people, KUDEN has come to be what it is today. People who want to become fashion designers. People who are interested in how to start a new business in this era, people who like KUDEN's clothes and want to know more about KUDEN. For those who want to get hints for overcoming hardships and adversities, and for those who love children with disabilities, we will weave a memoir of KUDEN's history from its origins to the present.
Photographer:Tak
KUDEN History「Live like traveling」
Part 01 「From Furniture to Clothes」
My company, which operates KUDEN by TAKAHIRO SATO, is called Gerbera Design Inc. We provide branding and design advice for new businesses. The slogan of my company is "live like a traveling".
This slogan is based on my experience of falling ill due to overwork and my desire to work freely in any time and place by myself so that I can raise my disabled son with only my male help. (The initiative was even featured in the Tokyo Shimbun newspaper. That's a story for another time...)
The company's slightly quirky 2016 corporate brochure (designed in the style of a free paper) includes a travelogue of my trip to the Philippines as part of the trials and tribulations of launching KUDEN.
In fact, KUDEN's preparation began with the idea of designing furniture, not clothes. Why is it now a fashion brand? I'll write down the history of KUDEN as I recall it back to 2016.
Gerbera Design Corporation's 2016 company brochure (free paper-style design), "Live Like Traveling." Excerpts from the Philippine Travelogue section.
”
【Philippine Travelogue Postscript】
I want to work with my son.
I want to create a place where my autistic son can work.
I want to create a place where children with disabilities like my son can work.
This is my dream, and it is a goal that I will surely achieve.
For this purpose We are preparing to start a "forestry" + "furniture maker" business, taking advantage of our strength as a design company.
Why forestry?
There are two reasons.
The first is that if we have a wide range of jobs, not only in design, but also in forestry and factories, we can help people with disabilities find some kind of job that they are good at.
The era of mass consumption and mass production is over, and no one in Japan can live in an economy that is growing steadily due to rapid economic growth.
The first people to be damaged in this situation will be people in positions such as those with disabilities.
The second reason is to keep the company going.
We would like to build a business model for a new era by combining primary industry (forestry), secondary industry (furniture manufacturing), and tertiary industry (design and sales) as a business model, and by challenging ourselves to create new customers.
Specifically, furniture needs change over the course of a person's life, from singleness to marriage to childbirth to children leaving home.
We want to sell furniture that can be used for a long time according to different situations, take back furniture that is no longer needed, repair it beautifully, and sell it to those who need it at a reasonable price.
We want to start with forestry to grow trees for materials, and even if we have no choice but to dispose of the furniture after many years of use and repair, we will return the wooden furniture to the nature of the mountains.
I participated in the Ministry of Environment's overseas forest conservation training program in the Philippines this time because I wanted to study the site of shortsighted deforestation by Japan during its period of rapid economic growth without thinking about the future of the Philippines and other countries as a Japanese, to experience firsthand the forestry industry in Japan and overseas in order to build a brand of "forestry" + "furniture manufacturer" + "employment of people with disabilities".
Although it was only for a short period of five days, the trip touched my heart in many ways, not only about reforestation, but also about the good qualities of the Philippines, the problems it faces, and how Japan has been involved in these problems.
”
At first, as an aspiring furniture designer, what I saw and felt on my trip to the Philippines was...
... to be continued in the next time.
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■ 5．Q&A
We are looking for questions aboutKUDENclothing (care, coordinating, etc.) and what you would like to see us do as content in the future.
Also, if you want to start up an apparel brand, become a creator of design, etc., or do business overseas, please send me your questions, and I will answer them in the mail magazine as much as possible.
What about photographic equipment? What should I sell overseas? I want to be a creator!
Please feel free to ask me any questions using the form below.We are currently receiving questions about how to care for our clothes and what tools we use to design and otherwise work with them.
We are planning to send you contents such as how to iron KUDEN clothes by staff SENA in the next issue.
Please mention “mail magazine Q&A Section” before sending your question.
Click here to ask us >>>
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■ 6．Media & Serials
Up-and-coming nFashion Magazinee
・AVESSA MAGAZINE
https://www.avessa.com/on-virtues-and-vices/
SF adventure
「Novel KUDEN Samurai Sword Jam」
・Japanese
Powered by Hobby Japan “Novelup plus”
Free reading
https://novelup.plus/feature/kuden/
・English
"Wattpad" Free reading
https://www.wattpad.com/story/307475614-kuden-%E5%8F%A3%E4%BC%9D-samurai-sword-jam
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・Edited/Published by：KUDEN by TAKAHIRO SATO（Gerbera Design Inc.）
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All copyrights to the contents of "KUDEN凛rinlife" belong to the editor/publisher.Please refrain from reprinting, forwarding, or re-editing most or all of the contents of this e-mail magazine without permission.Quotations on personal blogs and social networking services for non-commercial purposes are acceptable as long as the source is clearly stated.
© 2023 KUDEN by TAKAHIRO SATO /Gerbera Design Inc,
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┃K┃U┃D┃E┃N┃【 凛rin life 】
Vol.004
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/ Issued February 17th, 2023/
