[April Dream] 'Sorry to have a father like me' — A rural cram school director's dream after overcoming unemployment and illness to achieve commercial publishing: 'Changing Japanese Education from Inae, Shiga!'
A director of a cram school in rural Shiga, who achieved commercial publishing after facing rock bottom with unemployment and illness, shares his dream of reforming Japanese education from a small town as part of the April Dream campaign.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 1, 2026 at 09:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 1, 2026 at 01:00
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 24, 2026 at 05:42 (556h 41m after Collected)
General Learning School Bridge, located in Inae, Hikone City, Shiga Prefecture—a small town with fewer than 100 children per school year—is home to a cram school where over 100 students attend. By adhering to a unique teaching philosophy of 'not over-teaching so as not to stunt student growth,' I have sent many students to top-tier junior high and universities, including Nada, Todaiji Gakuen, and Kobe Jogakuin.
I am also a pioneer in futuristic education, having introduced Japan's first online study room using Zoom in 2015. Despite being in a small local private school where it's hard to make a splash, I continue to publish commercially nationwide. This stems from a desperate desire to 'leave proof of my existence' after a past of hitting rock bottom, including panic disorder and multiple layoffs.
Now, I hold a grand dream: 'Changing Japan from Inae.'
### Bottoming Out: The Unemployed Years and the Wish to 'Leave a Legacy'
My dream of publishing began with the birth of my first daughter. Due to a chronic illness, I moved from job to job, being fired 4-5 times before the age of 30, and welcomed my daughter's birth while unemployed. At the time, I felt inadequate and wanted to leave something behind that my daughter could be proud of. The desire to publish was a desperate wish to live and to leave my thoughts for my children and grandchildren.
### Building a School as Local Infrastructure Without Fanning Anxiety
Overcoming repeated adversity, I realized my childhood dream of raising children in my hometown of Inae and opened a cram school there. The goal was to build a place that supports the community without relying on fear-based marketing.
I am also a pioneer in futuristic education, having introduced Japan's first online study room using Zoom in 2015. Despite being in a small local private school where it's hard to make a splash, I continue to publish commercially nationwide. This stems from a desperate desire to 'leave proof of my existence' after a past of hitting rock bottom, including panic disorder and multiple layoffs.
Now, I hold a grand dream: 'Changing Japan from Inae.'
### Bottoming Out: The Unemployed Years and the Wish to 'Leave a Legacy'
My dream of publishing began with the birth of my first daughter. Due to a chronic illness, I moved from job to job, being fired 4-5 times before the age of 30, and welcomed my daughter's birth while unemployed. At the time, I felt inadequate and wanted to leave something behind that my daughter could be proud of. The desire to publish was a desperate wish to live and to leave my thoughts for my children and grandchildren.
### Building a School as Local Infrastructure Without Fanning Anxiety
Overcoming repeated adversity, I realized my childhood dream of raising children in my hometown of Inae and opened a cram school there. The goal was to build a place that supports the community without relying on fear-based marketing.