くも晴れ Vol.6　“違い”を楽しむご縁が、人生の財産になる！

“違い”を楽しむご縁が、人生の財産になる！
ゲスト：発明塾 塾長 楠浦 崇央さん・澤田 武洋さん
(The English version follows the Japanese text.)

「どんなことがあっても、自分にとっては最高の一日になる。」そんなコンセプトで、Creative Guildのコアメンバーの有賀 悦江さんがお届けするラジオ番組「It’s always sunny! くもの上はいつも晴れ」。第6回のゲストは、再びの登場となる発明塾塾長の楠浦 崇央さんと、その高校時代からのご友人である澤田武洋さんです。今回は、お二人の30年以上にわたる不思議なご縁と、その原点となった京都・伏見の学習塾「海塾」での青春時代が語られました。

お二人が出会った「海塾」は、単に受験の点数を上げるためだけの場所ではありませんでした。もちろん勉強はするものの、そこでは「本物とは何か」「生きるとは何か」といった人生の本質に触れるような対話が自然に生まれていたといいます。高校もクラスも違う二人が、帰る方向が同じだったことをきっかけに親しくなり、やがて長い友情へとつながっていきました。

この回のききどころは、正反対の二人だからこそ続いてきた関係性です。楠浦さんは当時から鋭く、論理的に物事を見つめるタイプ。一方の澤田さんは、飄々としていて、何を言われても受け流すような自然体の存在でした。普通なら噛み合わなさそうな二人ですが、その違いを否定せず、絶妙な距離感で受け止め合ってきたことが、30年続く関係の土台になっています。

さらに印象的なのは、塾講師時代の青春のエピソードです。卒業生が講師として戻ってくる文化の中で、お二人も海塾に戻り、授業後には仲間と食事に行き、時には麻雀牌で方角を決めて深夜のドライブへ出かける。そんな一見くだらないようで、かけがえのない時間の中で、将来や人生について語り合った経験が、今の深い信頼関係につながっています。

今回の重要なインサイトは、利害関係のないつながりが、人生の大きな支えになるということです。社会に出ると、仕事や役割、損得が関わる人間関係が増えていきます。だからこそ、学生時代のように何者でもない状態で出会い、違いをそのまま受け入れてきた関係は、何でも話せる人生の財産になります。

Creative Guildでは、このような実践者のストーリーを「クリエイティブ・ラーニング」として共有していきます。大切なのは、話を聞いて懐かしむだけでなく、自分にとって大切なご縁や関係性を見つめ直すこと。忙しい日々の中で、ふと思い出す友人や、しばらく会っていない仲間がいるなら、少し連絡を取ってみるのもよいかもしれません。その一歩が、人生のお天気を少し晴れやかにしてくれるはずです。

Connections That Embrace Differences Become Lifelong Treasures!
Guests: Takahiro Kusuura, Founder of Hatsumei Juku, and Takehiro Sawada

“No matter what happens, each day can still become the best day for you.”
Guided by this concept, Creative Guild core member Yoshie Aruga hosts the radio program It’s Always Sunny! Above the Clouds, the Sun Is Always Shining. In this sixth episode, the guests are Takahiro Kusuura, founder of Hatsumei Juku, returning to the program once again, and Takehiro Sawada, his close friend since high school. This episode explores their mysterious and enduring connection of more than 30 years, along with the youthful memories they shared at Kaijuku, a unique cram school in Fushimi, Kyoto, where their friendship began.

Kaijuku, where the two first met, was not simply a place for improving exam scores. Of course, students studied there, but it was also a place where deeper questions naturally emerged—questions such as “What is authenticity?” and “What does it mean to live?” Although they attended different high schools and different classes, Kusuura and Sawada gradually became close because they happened to head home in the same direction. That small coincidence eventually grew into a long-lasting friendship.

One of the most compelling points of this episode is the relationship that has continued precisely because the two are so different. Kusuura has always been sharp, direct, and logical in how he sees things. Sawada, on the other hand, has a calm, easygoing presence, someone who seems to let almost anything pass by without being shaken. At first glance, they may not seem like the type of people who would naturally fit together. Yet rather than denying each other’s differences, they have accepted them with just the right sense of distance. That subtle balance has become the foundation of their 30-year friendship.

The stories from their days as instructors at Kaijuku are also especially memorable. The school had a culture where graduates would return as teachers, and both of them eventually came back to teach there. After classes, they would go out to eat with friends, and sometimes even flip mahjong tiles to decide which direction to drive late at night. What may sound silly at first was, in fact, a precious time in their lives. In those spontaneous moments, they talked about the future, life, and who they were becoming. Those shared experiences became the basis for the deep trust they still have today.

A key insight from this episode is that relationships without calculation or self-interest can become one of life’s greatest sources of support. As people enter adulthood, many relationships become shaped by work, roles, responsibilities, and practical interests. That is why the relationships formed when people were simply themselves—before titles, status, or business interests entered the picture—can become so valuable. A friendship that accepts differences as they are can become a place where one can speak honestly and return to oneself.

At Creative Guild, stories like this are shared through Creative Learning, allowing the insights of real practitioners and lived experiences to reach a wider audience. What matters is not only listening with nostalgia, but also reflecting on the relationships and connections that truly matter in one’s own life. In the middle of busy days, there may be an old friend or long-unseen companion who suddenly comes to mind. Reaching out, even with a small message, may be enough to make the weather of life feel a little brighter.