Mieko Murao (Matsumaru) was born in Tokyo, Japan. She independently established a graphic design firm "Natural Graphic" at 19. The company, including her eight employees, was acquired by a web development firm "Jambase" as its design division. After serving as the Vice President and Senior Designer, she decided to leave and establish Graphnetwork, an online-contents production company focusing on user-friendly design. From ideation to system development, Graphnetwork provides everything from a website's start-up to getting it up and running and beyond. Her innovative ideas, strategies, and thoughtful designs have led the company to become one of Japan's leading web development firms, producing over 1,000 websites and Apps. After she devoted her time as the CEO and designer of Graphnetwork for a decade, she moved to Los Angeles to expand the company globally.
She obtained her investment visa by purchasing a restaurant. She established a company, produced several restaurants in Los Angeles, and sold them all for profit. Three years later, she shifted her gear towards UI/UX design for the clients she gained from the food/entertainment industry. During this time, she realized that doing business in the U.S. had its own set of rules and cultures, and having that knowledge would have complemented the lessons she learned on the front lines. This realization sets her on a journey from the University of The People to UC Berkeley to MIT. She completed her bachelor's degree at UC Berkeley while raising her son and maintaining her businesses. She completed her master's degree at MIT IDM (Integrated Design and Management) program and researched Design Thinking. In 2020, she also founded a shop called Crane and Turtle in Boston to introduce Japan-made household items that are sustainable and practical, which advocate the mitigation of waste, and the culture of cherishing things. She continues to research human-centered design and develop products and services from that standpoint.
東京都出身。19歳でグラフィックデザイン会社Natural Graphicを設立。8人の従業員を含む同社はWeb開発会社のJambaseのデザイン部門として買収され、21歳の若さでJambaseの副社長兼シニアデザイナーに就任。その後同じ職場で勤務していたプログラマーである桜田と新たに株式会社グラフネットワークを設立。少人数ながらも数多くの案件をこなし、UX/UIのスペシャリストとしてWeb制作誌等で認知されるように。
10年CEO兼デザイナーとして東京オフィスで勤務したのち、業務拡張のためにアメリカロサンゼルスへ移住。デザイン業務はパソコン1台で仕事が完結するために、投資家ビザが取得しづらい事を知り、観光ビザでの訪米期間中にハリウッドでレストランを購入。全く未経験である米国での飲食店の経営に飛び込み、思うように業績が伸びない中、ビジネス自体を売却する事を考え、結果的に購入額の5倍で売却を果たす。その後合計で3軒の飲食店をプロデュースし全て売却。その間に培ったネットワークを通じて原点であるデザイン業の案件が増加し、再びデザイン制作に専念出来るようになる。
全くコネクションの無い中でアメリカに渡り、単独でビジネスをはじめ、疑問にぶち当たったらオンラインで独自に学ぶという事を繰り返す中、これはもう一度学校に行って学び直した方が良いと考え、オンラインオンリーの大学UoPeopleで単位を取得後、UC Berkeleyに編入。子育てと仕事の傍ら首席で卒業を果たし、MIT（マサチューセッツ工科大学）の大学院に通うために家族でボストンに拠点を移す。ボストンでは伝統工芸品などを扱うショップCrane&Turtleを立ち上げ、ショップの経営を行いながらMITではIntegrated Design and Management (IDM) というプログラムでデザイン思考やイマーシブエクスペリエンスに関する研究を行う。
2022年夏、アメリカでのビジネスを売却し、沖縄に移住。
約10年ぶりの日本での生活に沖縄を選んだ理由はこちら。
A design office that I started when I was 19 years old. Launched a free paper/magazine called Contact, a club information magazine.
19歳の時に起業したデザイン事務所。クラブ情報誌Contactというフリーペーパーを創刊。
My company became a joint stock company in 2004. The company provides web design services and a wide range of online solutions for clients such as Kadokawa Film, ANAP, Universal Music, and T&G.
2004年に株式会社化。角川映画、ANAP、Universal Music, T&Gなど多方面に渡る業界のWeb制作及びオンラインソリューションを担当
The Los Angeles Branch Office of GNW.
Since moving to the United States in 2011, the company has provided web production, restaurant-related order systems, and employee education systems.
2011年に渡米して以来、Web制作及び飲食店関連のオーダーシステムや従業員教育システムなどを提供
A Japanese dining restaurant I opened on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood. I purchased an old sushi restaurant to obtain an investor visa and redesigned and produced the restaurant from the ground up. It was my first restaurant production project in the United States.
ハリウッドのサンセット大通り沿いにオープンしたジャパニーズダイニングレストラン。投資家ビザ取得のためにレストランを購入し、初めて飲食店をアメリカでプロデュース。
Fortunately, the location in Hollywood sold for five times the purchase price. So I purchased a more prominent space in Torrance. Again, I redesigned, produced, and operated a restaurant; this time, a Japanese Italian restaurant, and I sold it for double the purchase price.
ハリウッドの店が購入額の5倍で売却出来た為、トーランスにあるさらに規模の大きい店舗を購入。ジャパニーズイタリアンレストランを運営し、購入額の倍で売却。
While living in Los Angeles, I built and operated a Japanese-English bilingual job site and a Los Angeles information site.
Graphnetwork handled the overall system construction.
ロサンゼルス在住時代に、日英バイリンガル求人サイト及びロサンゼルス情報サイトを構築、運営。Graphnetworkがシステム構築全般を請け負う。
I opened a gourmet shaved ice shop Cold Rush in Downtown Los Angeles. A modern take on the Japanese Kakigori.
I sold the store due to childbirth and moving north (as a result of being accepted to UC Berkeley).
ダウンタウンロサンゼルスにグルメかき氷店Cold Rushを開店。出産と引っ越し（UC Berkeleyに合格した為）の為、店舗を売却。
A gift shop in Boston that sells traditional crafts with sustainable development goals in mind.
We do everything from concept formulation to operation and develop many original products.
ボストンにある伝統工芸品等を扱うギフトショップ。
コンセプト策定から運営まで全て行い、オリジナル商品も多々開発
A design firm in Okinawa that does everything from designing to producing. It is also a retail store, art & design workshops, museum & art space producer, and art-related commerce.
沖縄にて、デザイン制作、小売店運営、アート＆デザインワークショップ及びミュージアムの企画等を行うため会社設立
In 2013, I married in the United States, changed my last name to Murao, and completed the marriage procedures at the Japanese consulate. At this time, my husband, who had both American and Japanese nationality, had to choose between one or the other, or I would be treated as bigamy. So my husband gave up his Japanese citizenship, leaving only American citizenship.
It seems that there was a way to submit the marriage registration only in the United States, but that would mean my son would not be able to have Japanese citizenship. So after giving it serious thought, my husband gave up his Japanese citizenship and allowed my son an opportunity to acquire both American and Japanese citizenship.
And in 2022, my family moved to Japan. My husband, who has American nationality, does not have a family register in Japan, which means everything would move smoother for my family when it comes to government-related registration processes if I did things under my Japanese name. So that is why I have to use my maiden name Matsumaru.Hence, my son's name is Aiden Murao in America, but Aiden Matsumaru in Japan.
I am the youngest of three sisters, so my father might be happy that the family name Matsumaru is used.
2013年にアメリカで結婚し、苗字が村尾になり、日本領事館でも婚姻手続きを済ませました。この時アメリカと日本の両方の国籍を持っていた夫はどちらかの籍を選ばなければ私が重婚という扱いになってしまう（日本人の村尾とアメリカ人のMuraoと結婚する事になってしまう）ので、夫が日本国籍を捨て、アメリカ国籍だけ残ることになりました。
婚姻届をアメリカだけで提出するという手段もあったそうなのですが、そうすると息子が日本国籍を持てないので、悩んだ挙句、夫が日本国籍を失い、息子がアメリカ国籍と日本国籍を得る事になりました。
そして2022年、一家で日本に移住してきたのですが、アメリカ国籍の夫は日本に戸籍が無く、日本在住権利が無いために、私の戸籍で諸々手続きするので旧姓である松丸に戻ったという訳です。
そのため、息子の名前もアメリカではAiden Muraoで日本では松丸英伝です。
私は三人姉妹の末っ子なので、松丸という苗字が残り亡き両親も喜んでいるかもしれません。
After moving to Okinawa, the most asked question is, "Why Okinawa?" But I always wonder, is that just rhetorical? Because there are countless attractive aspects to Okinawa! First of all, the people. The vibe here is incredible. Maybe it's because the Okinawans have peace of mind that immigrants or transplants don't have. I feel a sense of peace from the people here rooted in the culture, not something quickly gained in a short amount of time. There's a sense of surplus of kindness. According to the statics (excuse me for not knowing the exact source), the Okinawans are the happiest people in Japan. It may be jarring to some because Okinawa has many problems, such as having the highest unemployment rate, the lowest rate of advancement to higher education, and the lowest average income.
While there are challenges, like anywhere else, I think it's incredible that Okinawa has the longest life expectancy in Japan (possibly the world). And the happiest people in Japan. After all, some things are unobtainable through work or money.
As I reflect on the days I lived in Roppongi Midtown, I sipped champagne every day, and there was a time I led a flashy lifestyle. I graduated from a graduate school that is said to be the best in the world. But to be honest, I feel the most comfortable I ever felt living in Okinawa now. I'm happy that I was able to come to Okinawa when my sense of values has changed at this age, and I live a different life stage.
日本に帰国して一番聞かれるのが『何で沖縄？』という質問。なぜって沖縄には魅力がたくさんあり、あえて理由を述べる必要も無さそうですが、まず第一に人が温かい事です。沖縄人特有の心の余裕みたいなものも感じます。ネットで見たリサーチによると（いい加減ですみません）沖縄は最も幸福度が高い県だとか。沖縄には問題もたくさんあって、進学率が全国最低、平均収入も全国最低、失業率も全国一高いなど、不名誉とされる数字もたくさんある中で、全国で寿命が最も長く、幸せな人が多い。結局仕事やお金では得られないものの価値を分かっている人が多いのだと思います。
私自身、六本木ミッドタウンに住み、毎日シャンパンをのんで派手な生活を送った時代もありましたが、何かが欠けている感じでした。世界最高峰と言われる大学院を卒業しても自尊心が満たされる事はありませんでした。
色々と経験出来た事は掛け替えがなく、何も後悔は無いのですが、今沖縄での生活が一番心地よいです。人生には年齢や興味にあったステージがあり、この年齢になって価値観も変わり、今沖縄に来れて本当に良かったと思っています。
伝統や歴史、芸術なども奥の深い沖縄。今後さらに深く学びコミュニティの一員として貢献出来たらと考えています。
