Episode 1: A fateful trip to India and a 10,000 yen jewel

My first step into the world of jewelry was a trip to India when I was 30 years old.

An Indian man bangs on the bus window.
When I opened the window, my eyes were filled with colorful natural stone necklaces.

"If you buy everything, it'll be 30,000 yen!"

Those words were shocking to me, as I didn't know anything about the names or values of jewelry. However, I started negotiations casually, thinking that I might get a cheap souvenir.
The people around me warned me, ``Don't get involved with things like that!'' but I ignored them and continued haggling.

“Then I’ll charge you 20,000 yen, so buy it!”

By the time the bus left, I haggled and ended up buying about 20 necklaces for 10,000 yen.
Since each bottle costs 500 yen, I thought it would be a good idea to give it as a gift to a friend or acquaintance.

After that, I began to frequently see accessories at outdoor souvenir shops, and during my stay there, I gradually began to feel attracted to jewelry.
Now that I think about it, the quality of that necklace was quite expensive, even at 10,000 yen for 20 pieces, and it was a price I would never have bought.

At that time, I think I was drawn to the strength of the people and the power of the jewelry rather than the price.




Jewel hunting in Nepal, and an unexpected turn of events!

I might turn this into a business after I return from India! I thought so.
If you go to Nepal, which is more rural than India, wouldn't you be able to buy it cheaper and make more profit?
There was no internet, so there was no information.
With 300,000 yen, which I didn't have at the time, I went to Nepal to buy jewelry.

However, when I arrived in Nepal, I was surprised.
There is no jewel town and no jewels are sold!
Even though I came all the way, I was disappointed.

I had no choice but to buy a lot of sweaters, mufflers, and hats worth 300,000 yen that were sold in Nepal.
It was so bulky that I couldn't take it on board the plane, so I had to send it separately.
At that time, there was a field where you could enter the price of the package.
"I don't know how much these things cost..."
I thought that if I wrote 3 million yen, they might treat me with respect.

Unable to achieve any of my goals, I returned to Japan disappointed.

However, even after a week, a month, or even two months, the package still hasn't arrived.
I thought it was strange, but since I had never sent a package from a foreign country, I thought it would take a long time.

Then, one day, three months later, two employees from Singapore Airlines came.
To my surprise, my luggage was gone!

``As a guarantee, I will pay 3 million yen, which is the price listed, so I am sorry, but please forgive me.''

Yeah yeah! I was surprised at this unexpected turn of events.
But I calmed down and said,

``I went to Nepal and spent a lot of time and money, paid 3 million yen to buy it, and was planning to sell it in Japan for 5 or 6 million yen, but if I pay 3 million yen and call it a day, it won't work.''

Then, the Singapore Airlines employee said he would talk to his boss again and left.

After that, he came again, this time with 3 million yen and two tickets to India for some reason, and apologized and said, ``This is the best I can do.''
I accepted it and said, ``Okay,'' feeling lucky in my heart.

Little did I know at that time that these two tickets to India and the 3 million yen I earned would change my life forever.




Continued from [Episode 2]...