[【FOCUS IT.] GORO’s “MIN-NANO” workshop has appeared at Ginza Sony Park. A look back at 17 years of history through the things he loves.

"MIN-NANO," a select shop that opened in Ikenoue, Tokyo, in 2009, has created a space at "Ginza Sony Park" that recreates the workshop of its owner, GORO.

This project is part of “SHELF PORTRAIT,” a new series launched by Ginza Sony Park that presents the “shelves” of shop and brand creators as portraits of themselves. By displaying not only their products and work but also the items they’ve collected out of personal interest and even those that have somehow remained in their possession, the series brings out the essence of each individual.

For this first installment, we feature GORO from “Minna no.” The exhibition showcases GORO’s personal collection and archives—ranging from figurines, magazines, and music-related items he has collected over the years to the products he has created—all on display. The items on display are all things he has selected based on his own instincts, regardless of genre or era.

Through personal belongings and scenes from his workplace—things we rarely get to see—the culture that has shaped GORO’s sensibilities and the roots of that culture come into focus. We spoke with him about his encounters with music and fashion, his attachment to objects, and his feelings toward the store he has run for 17 years.

• Photo_Shinji Serizawa
• Edit_Yuichiro Tsuji

---

Something that expresses the identity of "Minnano."

—This exhibition is designed to resemble a recreation of GORO’s workspace, isn’t it?

GORO: I received a request to show what kinds of things I usually cherish. I actually have three places—the backroom of my shop, my office, and my home workshop—but I presented them in a way that blends them all together. Some of these are things I’ve liked for a long time, while others are things I loved as a child and bought again as an adult. It’s basically a compilation of all the things I love.

—If there are figurines and stuffed animals, there are also music-related items. GORO has such a wide range of interests, doesn't he?

GORO: I’ve loved animation for as long as I can remember, so I think these things just naturally found their way into my collection. But they aren’t mainstream characters—they’re things like stuffed animals or items made by people in the hardcore scene. I’m just into things that are a little alternative. When I design my own graphics, I also tend to go for character-like styles, so I think that’s where I get my inspiration from.

As for music, I started listening to punk in middle school because of my friends. Back then, Kensei Onuki was hosting a show on a local FM station, and there was a segment on it called “DJ Hikaru.” They’d play bands like NOFX, SNUFF, and BAD RELIGION, and I thought they were absolutely awesome.

—Were music and fashion connected even back then?

GORO: Since fashion and music came into my life around the same time, I feel like music was more of a source of comfort for me than fashion alone.

When I was in high school, I started listening to hip-hop, too. Back then, there were no streaming services or YouTube, so I’d watch overseas music videos that aired late at night on TV and look up all kinds of information about them.

—It's interesting that it's both punk and hip-hop.

GORO: To be honest, back then I didn’t really understand the context of music—I just thought Cypress Hill was cool, so I’d listen to them and go out to buy T-shirts like the ones they wore. I was also influenced by B-boys, and I liked skate brands, so it was all kind of a jumble (laughs).

Also, the soundtrack to *Judgment Night* had a big impact on me. Alternative rock bands and rap groups were collaborating on songs, which was a huge sensation back then. That’s actually how I first discovered De La Soul.

—Do you think the fact that you’ve been exposed to so many different things over the years has influenced your current designs, GORO?

GORO: Before I started “Minna no,” I was in a band, so I used to make my own T-shirts, album covers, and flyers. I think that’s where it all began. As I started designing things myself and analyzing them, I began to realize, “Oh, this is the kind of stuff I like.”

—Do you still often draw inspiration from music?

GORO: Definitely. It’s the same when I’m designing—I’m often influenced by musicians. Recently, for example, I saw the members of Turnstile and thought they looked cool, so I bought a pair of adidas shoes, and I’ve taken cues from the way Mac DeMarco wears his hat. I also sometimes find the demeanor of female artists really inspiring. I’ve been posting music videos on the “Minna no” blog, and customers have even told me, “I discovered this artist because of that.”

Also, I really like Hotei, too.

—Toru Hotei?

GORO: That’s right. The first concert I ever went to was by Hotei. This is a collection of artwork from the early ’90s, and looking at it now, the designs are really cool. It’s the same with albums by the Smashing Pumpkins—I really like that kind of fantastical worldview from back then.

—Do you tend to keep things for a long time?

GORO: I’m the type who tends to get rid of things on a whim, so I don’t have many old items left. I even had to search for Hotei’s art book on Mercari and buy it again.

GORO: But “Relax” was the only one I still had, so I’m displaying it. Magazines had a huge influence on me—besides “Relax,” I used to read “Boon,” “Asayan,” and “MEN’S NON-NO” all the time. I was especially influenced by the Ura-Harajuku culture, so I used to check out Hiroshi Fujiwara’s pages from cover to cover.

I saw their rooms and offices featured in a magazine, and I thought they looked incredibly cool. I think the fact that I display figures is also influenced by the desks of people like Skeshin and Toru Nishiyama. Of course, I can’t copy them exactly, and it won’t turn out exactly like that, but I hope that by mixing in other music and culture that I love, it will become something that’s uniquely mine. It feels like the things I saw back then are still deeply ingrained in the very core of who I am today.

—When you're not working, what do you do in the workshop?

GORO: It’s mostly shopping. I often find myself wandering through online stores, looking for something nice, and before I know it, three hours have gone by (laughs). I guess you could call it research, I suppose. Sometimes I’ll suddenly start watching live videos and before I know it, two hours have gone by. But maybe that time spent exploring all these different things is the most fun. For example, I’ll meet someone who likes a certain brand, and from there I’ll discover something else. It’s also interesting to look into the connections between bands and the lineups that tour together.

Also, sometimes customers will see something in the store and say, “I really like this,” and strike up a conversation. It’s almost as if our shared tastes become a common language—or rather, our shared culture serves as a starting point, and the conversation really takes off from there. I think the items we carry here also serve to express our identity—they show what we like and what “Minna no” is all about.

---

A variety of items inspired by souvenirs from the museum shop.

—I hear there are also some items on display that were prepared specifically for this event.

GORO: That's right. When you go to an art museum, there's always a museum shop, right? This time, I wanted to create something along those lines—something people would want to buy as a souvenir.

PARK CREWNECK (NAVY/BLACK) ¥13,200

GORO: “Minna no” has a classic sweatshirt with the store’s logo on the front and “CREW” on the back, but this time we made a version where we changed “CREW” to “PARK.” I thought the word “PARK” was interesting because it’s universal and has such a broad meaning.

PARK TOTE BAG: ¥4,620 each

GORO: The tote bag is big enough to hold records. I designed it with the idea that it would look cute even when carried by a girl.

Lao Tee (White) ¥8,800

GORO: Since “Sony Park” has a concrete vibe, we’ve chosen gray as the key color this time. We’ve also created a special version of the character T-shirts we regularly sell in our store, featuring the characters in gray.

Mofu Mofu ¥4,400

GORO: Since we’re on the topic of gray, we also made some fluffy keychains. These are really popular at the store right now, and a lot of people are buying them.

Self Employee Tee (Black) ¥8,800

GORO: We also have a T-shirt that pays homage to a certain sports brand’s catchphrase. It’s called “SELF EMPLOYEE,” which means “self-employed T-shirt.” It’s a reminder to myself to “get to work” (laughs).

Incense ¥2,200

GORO: We’ve also prepared some incense for this event. It was custom-made by a brand called “ROOM,” and we actually sell their custom-made incense at “Minna no” as well. When we were asking them to come up with a scent, we needed some references, but they told us we couldn’t use anything too direct, like perfume. So, I sent them photos of Le Corbusier’s architecture to convey the image (laughs).

Penco Clip, 1 of each TP9T715

Penco Bullet Pen, 1 of each: TP9T1,430

Pack Tape ¥1,320

GORO: We also have office supplies. Since this exhibition recreates a workplace, I wanted to create items that could be used around a desk. I put the same print on the paper clips as on the T-shirts. If you clip a document with one of these along with a message like “ASAP,” everyone will know at a glance that it’s urgent work, right? (laughs) I hope people will use them to clip things like invoices.

The pen is based on a classic model from PENCO and incorporates a texture reminiscent of a certain well-known fountain pen manufacturer. Then there’s the tape. The one I made before had a black design on a yellow background, but this time I went with a new gray color inspired by concrete.

While some items are already sold out, they may be restocked during the event. Also, we may be able to release additional limited-edition items this weekend.

---

I found myself thinking once again, “I really have been doing my best.”

—Behind the desk, there’s also a display of backpacks from past collaborations with .

GORO: I was surprised to realize just how much I’d actually made (laughs). It made me feel a sense of history—or rather, it made me realize I’d been doing this for quite a while.

—How many years has it been since “Minna no” opened?

GORO: It’s been 17 years already. I hadn’t really felt the weight of that time at all, but when I looked at this backpack, there was a moment when I found myself thinking, “I’ve actually been doing this for quite a while,” and it really struck a chord with me.

When I was first approached about this story, there was a subtheme of “I’d like you to take stock of things,” but at first, I just couldn’t seem to get started. However, once I began by looking back at my old blog posts, all sorts of memories came flooding back.

—In that case, this exhibition is a kind of culmination of your work, isn't it?

GORO: That’s right. It’s the culmination of my work so far. This is also the first time I’ve had the opportunity to hold a major solo exhibition like this, so in that sense, too, I found myself thinking about a lot of things.

—Where did you start with that inventory count?

GORO: I’ve been writing a blog ever since I opened the shop, so when I look at the photos there, things I thought happened about three years ago actually turned out to be seven years ago. Seeing them all lined up like this, I realized I’ve actually been doing this for quite a while.

—I imagine this brought back a lot of memories, but did this process of taking stock have any impact on you personally? I mean, in terms of what your past self has brought to who you are today.

GORO: Since keeping the shop afloat is our top priority, I don’t really look back on the past much. I just go about my day saying things like, “This month is going to be rough” (laughs).

My mindset hasn’t really changed since my first year in business. I’ve always thought of myself as a total newbie, so even when someone tells me, “I respect you,” I just think, “No way.” It’s like, “You’re lying!” (laughs). But when I take a step back and look at it this way, I realize I’ve come this far, so maybe it’s not so strange that people would say that.

Of course, I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have such wonderful people around me, and it’s thanks to their help that I’ve been able to get this far. But since I usually view each individual event as a single point in time, I’ve never had the chance to look back on them all together like this.

GORO: So this time, I found myself thinking, “I’ve really been doing this right.” I guess that’s what I took away from this experience. Maybe I can be a little more confident. Just a little, though (laughs).