Old Decks, New Tricks - Zero Waste Life

Since ancient times, the Japanese have believed that a life force resides in all creations. Valuing and caring for the things we use, a zero-waste life. Pointing the way to better living for a new era. A major Japanese port city, Hachinohe in Aomori. Anakubo Yu, skateboarder. Well, not exactly. He's actually a woodworker by trade. His workshop is surrounded by nature. But the material he works with is rather different. Used skateboard decks, to be specific. Skateboarding puts a lot of stress on the wood, and once a deck is damaged, it can no longer be ridden. But because the wood is of such high quality, Anakubo says it still has a lot to give. Basically, we use Canadian maple. It's a great material to be able to use as a material. That's why we use it. Today, another shipment of used decks from skaters all over Japan arrives at his studio. Each one is composed of up to seven layers in several colours. Making use of these colours is what sets Anakubo's creations apart. Sometimes it's interesting to see the colours split in half. In one layer, there's a pattern of orange and green in the middle. Maybe I'll try using this. He removes the grip tape from the surface, stripping them down to bare wood. With that, they're ready for use. I'm trying to keep it as flat as possible. It's a nice colour. The skateboard deck is reborn as some very smart-looking ballpoint pens. Anakubo has used old skateboards to make a variety of distinctive accessories. I was very happy when I saw that skateboards, which are no longer necessary, could be made into small shapes that I could imagine in my head, and that my customers would be happy with them. Born in Hachinohe in 1990, Anakubo was an inquisitive child. His favourite thing of all was playing with the toys that his father made. He still treasures them to this day. This is a toy my father made for me when I was in nursery school. In the middle is a picture of me when I was in nursery school. The driver put his face on it. A spaceship made by his father. Nearly all the parts used were from the trash. This cylinder is probably made from a wrap of evolved toilet paper. When you open the middle, you can see that the paint is getting old and it's peeling off, but the straw is being used. I just realised that this is probably made from a piece of paper. Also a woodworker, Anakubo's father. Between busy periods at work, he used scrap to make toys for his son. When I came home from work, I used to think that I did a good job. I like making toys, so I make them regardless of the time. I can make a new toy. I just need to think about where and how to put the parts. It's interesting. Inspired by his father, Anakubo also followed the path of the woodworker. And he chose the skateboard, something he also loved, as his source of material. I feel like I was doing the same thing as my unconscious father. If you use something good, you can make something good. If you use something that's already there, you can make something that's twice as good. I didn't expect my son to be involved in something like this. I don't say much, but I support him. I hope he does well. Anakubo recently took on an unusual job. It came from some local skaters. They pooled their money to build a skate park. The walls are lined with worn-out old decks they'd used for daily practice. I've been working with him for a long time, so I don't throw things away. I have a lot of memories of being able to do that trick for the first time on this board. I can't just throw it away. But what to do with them? They were at a loss when they discovered the work of Anakubo, who also lives in Hachinohe. It's simply amazing. It's so stylish. It's like a skateboard's wooden board. It's so shiny. It can be a cute earring or a key chain. It's really amazing. They asked Anakubo to use the old decks to make a signboard commemorating the one-year anniversary of the skate park in autumn. It's hard to tell where it's going to be, so I wanted a signboard. I'm glad it's a signboard. It was almost a waste of money. I should have thrown it away. Anakubo's design incorporates the feelings of the clients. Every piece is from decks they actually used. He's finally settled on a design. Gluing the strips together, he forms a large slam. He uses a laser engraver to add the skate park's logo. Scraps from making the board form the letters. Nothing goes to waste. Anakubo delivers the completed sign himself. I made a signboard! Wow! It's amazing! It's so cool. It's a standing board. It's amazing. It's a new design. It's a waste of money. This A is my board. I thought you might recognize it. I think it's this N. It's amazing. The boards we used to make the boards have become one signboard. It's like a piece of art. It's amazing. Do you want to try flying it? Can you do it? I can do it. It's a commemoration. You can do it! It's called trash, but it's like a treasure to me. I can only see broken things as treasures. I think it's very valuable that I can use it. I'm happy.