2. Monday Lunches
As usual, I suppose you’ve been asking Miyamoto-san all sorts of things.
Yes, I suppose I have. (laughs)
He really has!
When do you two usually talk?
You stock up a lot of topics for “Iwata Asks” at lunchtime, right?
Yes. Miyamoto-san has lunch with the same people almost every day - Takashi Tezuka-san and Toshihiko Nakago-san.1 It’s been that way for quite a while. 1Takashi Tezuka is general manager of the Software Development Department of Nintendo's Entertainment Analysis & Development Division. Toshihiko Nakago is president of SRD Co., Ltd. For many years, they have developed the Legend of Zelda and Super Mario series together with Shigeru Miyamoto.
Longer than with our wives.
Yes, that’s how long we’ve been eating together! (laughs)
It’s true! (laughs)
About once a week, I join them and listen in. If I think something sounds interesting, I remember it and use it in “Iwata Asks.”
Ah, I see. (laughs)
The best time to join is Monday. That’s because everyone shares the interesting ideas they came up with on Saturday and Sunday.
They’re alone on the weekend, so they can think more.
Right. The conversation during Monday lunches is extra rich, so I try to arrange it so that I can go.
I think I know what you mean.
On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, we tend to talk about stressful stuff, or problems that have arisen. It’s usually one of those days when you hear someone say, “We’ve got a big problem!”
(laughs)
If I go to lunch on Tuesday or Wednesday, I learn the latest information about projects that aren’t progressing well.
Everyone eats with a grave expression.
Oh, it’s not like that. When we hear something isn’t going well, everyone comes alive.
Oh!
Right. Everyone animatedly discusses what can be done about the situation.
Uh-huh.
Lunchtime is the only time for such focused sessions. Then everyone splits up on their own.
Yeah.
You’re able to talk animatedly about what isn’t going well because you can see the problem.
Yes, because we’re saying, “We can do this!” It’s fun to talk about what should be done.
Oh, so that’s what you talk about at lunch.
We also talk at night.
I’m hardly ever with them then.
And weekends?
We never meet then.
On weekends, you just do your own work?
I do my own work or something completely different.
And when you do something entirely different, you can make discoveries.
Yes, yes! (laughs) I hit on neat little ideas.
And then you can barely wait to go to work on Monday.
Oh!
On Mondays, it’s clear from everyone’s facial expression that they have something they want to say. (laughs) They share what they have to say and when it goes over well, they look so pleased!