- Name: Katsunori Ebara (えばら・かつのり)
- Date of birth: 2nd January 1978
- Born and Grew up in Himeji, Hyogo, Japan
- Living in Nakano, Tokyo, Japan
- Nationality: Japan
About the Site Title “Kateba Michi Ari”
The name was inspired by the belief that overcoming(Japanese:克) oneself opens the path forward.
The “Path” is inspired by Laozi’z concept of the Dao.
Cars & Boats
A car might not be necessary within the 23 wards of Tokyo, but I own one because I like it. It’s convenient to easily travel not only within the city but also to the suburbs.
Occasionally, when I feel like it, I glide across Tokyo Bay and the Sumida River in a boat.
I currently don’t ride two-wheelers (except bicycles), but I have a license.
However, I sometimes use the rental kickboard LUUP.
- March 1996 – Obtained moped license
- June 1996 – Obtained regular driver’s license (limited to medium-sized vehicles up to 8 tons)
- February 2002 – Obtained regular motorcycle license
- December 2020 – Obtained first-class small vessel pilot license
Cooking
When I was young (in the 1980s), my mother often told me, “In the future, men will need to be able to cook too,” so I often helped with her cooking. My main memory is of mixing hamburger patties.
During my gap year, I worked part-time at a Chinese restaurant. My main memory is learning how to peel shrimp.
At the start of my university life, I remember making large batches of tonkatsu and freezing them.
Now, when I’m at home, I cook almost every meal and post the results on Instagram.
English
- 1995: Passed the English Proficiency Test Grade 2
- 1997: TOEFL score of 600October
- 2020: TOEIC Speaking & Writing Public Test 290 – S:140, W:150December
- 2020: TOEIC Listening & Reading Public Test 860 – L:445, R:415
Alcohol
I like all kinds of alcohol including beer, shochu, sake, wine, and whiskey. I drink quite a lot but maintain a suitable level of inebriation. I consider it a skill to enjoy drinking responsibly. I enjoy choosing alcohol to match the food I prepare and vice versa.
Google Maps Local Guide
I’ve loved traveling since I was young. I travel both domestically and internationally, not only for leisure but also for work. I enjoy listening to and speaking the local languages and dialects of the places I visit. I often visit highly-rated places on Google Maps. Combining this with my love for taking photos, I became a Google Local Guide. I enjoy planning trips and looking at maps.
Bikes
I enjoy cycling and frequently ride around the city. I ride a cross bike, not a road bike, so I don’t go very fast. In the fall of 2019, I stayed in Innoshima and rode part of the Shimanami Kaido. In May 2020, I bought a Bianchi 2020 C-Sport 1.
Music
In elementary school, I was a mischievous kid, so my homeroom teacher made me join the school brass band (playing the trombone) and the choir. I remember practicing almost every morning and evening, leaving no time for mischief. Thanks to that, I learned to read sheet music.
In middle school, I followed the trend and bought an electric guitar. In high school, I formed a band and performed at the cultural festival in my senior year. The songs I remember playing include “Mama Kin” by Aerosmith, “Runaway” by Bon Jovi, “Reckless Life” by Guns N’ Roses, and “Let It Be” by the Beatles. The only Japanese song we played was “Hoshi no Love Letter” by THE BOOM.
In university, I secretly played the acoustic guitar at home. As an adult, I occasionally play the acoustic guitar.
I love all kinds of music, from enka to the latest K-pop, and have about 30,000 songs stored in my brain. I can name most songs and their artists just by listening to the intro.
Yukichi FUKUZAWA
“Heaven does not create one man above or below another man,” says Fukuzawa. Therefore, all men are equal at birth, without distinctions of high and low, rich and poor. However, in the human world, there are wise people and foolish people, rich and poor, high and low, much like clouds and mud. The difference lies in learning. The wise and the foolish are distinguished by whether they have learned or not.
Yukichi Fukuzawa – “An Encouragement of Learning” (Gakumon no Susume)
Prohibiting Prohibitions
Il est interdit d’interdire! Prohibiting prohibitions!
This is the spirit that gave birth to freedom in France and has continued to evolve in Japan since Fukuzawa Yukichi. This “free spirit,” which means being liberated from existing authorities and prejudices, and exceeding one’s limits, is the way I strive to live.