We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kiyotaka Tsutsumi. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kiyotaka below.

Kiyotaka, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?

I’m generally happy. However, there are moments, albeit occasional, when I feel the opposite of happiness, like when I’m not in the best state of mind, lacking motivation, or when I find myself overly concerned with others’ opinions. During those times, I sometimes think that having a regular job might be less stressful.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I have 19 years of experience as a hairstylist. I spent 13 years in Tokyo, and since moving to New York, it has been 6 years. Over the years, I have gathered a wealth of experience, and my colleagues and I opened the hair salon MEY New York. At MEY, we offer styles that are both natural and have a unique edge.

The name “MEY” was inspired by the Japanese word for “Isshou kenmei,” which is a fundamental value for us as Japanese people. It signifies putting one’s best effort into everything. We approach each customer with sincerity, aiming to help them discover a unique design that suits them individually.

Drawing upon the experience I’ve accumulated in the past, we continually propose new designs. Our goal is to make our customers feel more beautiful and confident when they visit MEY, enabling them to step out into the world with self-assurance. We take pride in offering uniqueness and high-quality hairstyling. We look forward to introducing our work to new clients and followers.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

At the age of 25, during my first visit to New York, my intuition whispered to me that this city was where I should be. When I returned to New York at the age of 30 as a hairstylist, it brought about significant changes in my life. Living in the epicenter of the world’s economy, New York, provided me with invaluable experiences.

Exposure to diverse races and cultures, an opportunity I had not encountered in Japan, allowed me to engage with various perspectives, fostering personal growth. Moreover, it led me to contemplate pressing issues I had never considered before, such as gun crime, warfare, the global environment, world economics, and politics. These experiences opened up broader horizons and prompted a profound reevaluation of the sanctity of life.

In addition, during my time here in New York, I had the fortune to find a life partner. The connections I forged with people in this city have undeniably added new dimensions of meaning to my life.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

To best support artists, creatives, and a thriving creative ecosystem, society can take several steps. These include respecting the talents of artists and creators and establishing mechanisms for economic stability, increasing investment in arts and culture, improving education to provide opportunities for nurturing creative talents, and emphasizing diversity and inclusivity by ensuring fair opportunities for creators from diverse backgrounds and identities.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://meynewyork.com
• Instagram: kiyo_meynewyork

Image Credits
Hayato Sakurai/Imena/Rikiya Ogura/Miku Mizuguchi/Emma/Kiyotaka Tsutsumi Tai Hirayama/Naoki Sumiya/Emma/Kiyotaka Tsutsumi Lina Takeuchi/Meisha Brooks/Rikiya Ogura/Shoko Sawatari/Kiyotaka Tsutsumi