It has been a year since I came to Nobeyama. I am taking it easy.

I was transferred to Nobeyama Radio Observatory in August 2023, so it’s been just over a year. I am enjoying every bit of it. It’s cool enough in the summer that I don’t need air conditioning, but it’s cold in the winter. I was told that it doesn’t snow that much, but when I go to work in the morning, I am horrified when I see about 30 cm of snow on top of my car. Nobeyama Radio Observatory has been in operation for about 40 years, and over that time has settled into a rhythm, so the daily routine is not so busy. But in addition to my normal duties, I also cut the grass, which is something unique to Nobeyama. I prefer to move at a leisurely pace, so Nobeyama’s environment is a good fit for me. I took in a stray cat in January after I came here. I use a robot vacuum cleaner for cleaning, but the cat messed with it and prevented it from charging. So I put the charger in another room, and when I want to clean the living room, I have to carry the vacuum cleaner in myself. It can’t clean automatically in this situation.

Five years in NAOJ Chile. I particularly remember the delicious food.

Before coming to Nobeyama Radio Observatory, I was at the NAOJ Chile for 5 years and 4 months, and I enjoyed it because everyone was so nice there. The work was of course administrative, and leisurely. That was right at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, so I felt like I had a lot of leeway for how to do things. The official language in Chile is Spanish, but I didn’t study it very much, so I came back still unable to use it. The work was in English, and I could get by with translation software for emails, etc. Supermarkets have self-checkouts, so I didn’t have to talk with others. However, I quickly picked-up the Spanish names of ingredients on restaurant menus. I also used Uber Eats a lot. Chilean food was surprisingly good, and I still remember some of it. There was a distilled liquor called pisco, which was also delicious. I often bought it at the supermarket. I also cooked for myself. The house I was renting at the time was very spacious and had a fully equipped kitchen with an oven, so I could cook meat ....... I probably will never live in a house that big again in my life.

Seeking interesting places. NAOJ was a second chance for me.

I studied mathematics in university and really enjoyed learning. But I thought the only way I could use mathematics was by becoming a researcher, and I did not choose that route. So, at first, I thought the National Diet Library sounded interesting, so I studied for the civil service exam and took the employment exam, but I failed in the final interview. At the same time, I was taking the employment examination for employees of national university corporations, including NAOJ. The first round was a common examination, and from the second round, each organization had its own examination. I took the exams for Tokyo Tech (formal name Tokyo Institute of Technology at that time, now Science Tokyo) and the University of Electro-Communications, but I thought there might be more interesting places. I thought that the Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology or the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan might be doing something interesting, so I applied to the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS). But I failed. It was around August and I had run out of options for job hunting, and was starting to think about going back to university. But then I saw that NAOJ was recruiting again, so I took the exam again, thinking “this is my last shot,” and I was hired.

My try for Antarctica. If I have to work, then I want a fun job.

I have experienced several transfers in my career, but the National Institute of Polar Research is the only one that I voluntarily requested. After four years of employment, I felt that if I have to work, then I want a fun job; if I went on an Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition, I would be able to say that I had done something with my life. My work was still going to be administrative when I went to Antarctica, but I did some training in the snowy mountains before departure. But right after I was transferred to the NIPR, I had a medical exam and although I had no problems in my daily life, the medical team told me that there is cause for concern. So I decided to give up on Antarctica that time. However, if I had a second chance, I would go even if I had to undergo surgery, because it is something that can be cured with surgery. When I came back to NAOJ I was greeted with, “Mr. Yamafuji, didn’t you leave for Antarctica?” All I could do was laugh.

I once went to the VERA Ogasawara Station to help with a special open house, and that was fun too. Well, I like remote areas. It is more fun to have that kind of playful spirit at work. When I retire and have more time, I would like to go to luxury spas and hot springs, and read a lot of books.