Bonsai Desk Setup in Japan

Name: MUGICHA

Location: Japan

Occupation: Staff member

Room size: 16 m² (172 ft²)

Social media: X

Hello! Tell us a bit about yourself

Hi! My name is MUGICHA!

I can speak a little English, but I also use translation sites, so my English might be a bit strange sometimes. Apologies for that!

I work for a company that runs a retail business and a personal gym.

We might start a pet shop or real estate business next!

I mostly work outside, so I rarely work from home. I only use my home desk for work a few times a year.

So, what do I use my desk for?

Mainly for playing games, watching movies, and drawing illustrations as a hobby!

I’m also quite an indoor person.

But it’s best to do what you love in your favourite place, right?

Take us through your setup

My desk setup is characterised by incorporating elements of bonsai.

I choose and use items that I think look cool.

I prioritise appearance over functionality!

Actually, I want to replace my GPU, but I really like my current PC case.

The RTX40 is large, and with this PC case, I can’t place the GPU at an angle like I do now.

The main feature of my desk?

It’s the bonsai!

Everyone is more interested in the bonsai than the desk devices, right? Lol.

I might be the only one in Japan who has this many bonsai around their desk!

Interestingly, bonsai are more popular overseas than in Japan.

I started placing bonsai on my desk because I wanted more young people in Japan to take an interest, as well as people around the world.

That’s how my current desk setup began.

So even now, I take photos every night and upload them to social media.

Originally, it was just a monochrome desk.

The hardest part about my current desk? That’s... making sure my wife doesn’t find out how much I’ve spent on it!

I’m not that organised, but I put all the things I don’t use often in drawers.

I leave things I use frequently, like my headphones, watch, and my Kindle, lying around.

I generally want to keep my desk simple, but too simple isn’t my style, so I placed a bonsai there. Surprisingly, it looks pretty cool!

Also, if I’m going to post on social media, I want to do something different.

A bonsai is like art, and even though it’s small, it gives off the feeling of nature, which is really relaxing and energising.

What’s your favourite item on your desk?

I love absolutely everything, but my bonsai trees are my absolute favourite!

I think of them as a living piece of art.

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My second favourite is a photo of my little angel.

It’s something my wife and son made for me on my first Father’s Day. I’m excited to see both my bonsai and my son grow!

The third is a room fragrance. I’ve always been using Laboratorio Olfattivo! It costs about ¥13K in Japan, which is roughly $81 right now.

My recommended scent is Giardino d’Inverno!

What apps or tools do you use to get things done?

I don’t use it often because I don’t work at home, but I occasionally use Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and Lightroom.

I also do design as a hobby. I created the banner and icon for X. It’s really just a hobby, so I haven’t made it into a business. I use Photoshop and Illustrator for this!

I’m currently learning Lightroom and can’t really use it well yet, haha.

I want to get better at photography and master retouching!

The main things I use are Steam and Epic Games. Guilty as charged! Everyone uses them, right?

Lately, I’ve been playing Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. I’ve been into the Assassin’s Creed series since the Xbox 360 days.

Oh, and as for the backlash to the new release, no comment on that, please!

What books, blogs, or podcasts recently caught your attention?

I don’t listen to podcasts, but I’ve been reading a lot of bonsai books lately. I want to start a bonsai business in the near future.

Other than that, I enjoy looking at pictures of everyone’s desks on social media. I get a lot of inspiration, and it’s very stimulating!

I’m also learning a lot from Maker Stations!

Any tips for other makers who want to improve their workspaces?

PCs, desks, chairs, and devices can get quite expensive, but I think the most important thing is to buy what you love.

Of course, everyone’s budget is different, so it’s hard to generalise.

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However, a lot of people who compromise end up not using the items for long and buying similar things again.

If you stretch a bit to buy what you really want, you’ll treasure it more and use it for a longer time, don’t you think?

That’s how I approach purchases in general, not just for my desk setup.

It’s definitely more cost-effective than buying cheap things bit by bit.

Also, while minimalism with only the essentials is great, having your favourite things around your desk creates a personal, relaxing space, and it’s the best!

What does your typical day look like?

When I wake up in the morning, I water my bonsai, check my emails, take a breather, and then head to work.

After work, I usually go to the gym to pump up. I get home around 10 pm, so I spend most of my day outside.

Oh, by the way, I didn’t change my working style much even during the COVID-19 pandemic.

After the gym, when I get home, it’s family time. It’s short, but this short time makes me happy.

However, I worry that my wife might get mad at me someday because I work so much… haha.

After everyone goes to bed, it’s game time!

Lately, I’ve been playing Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. I usually enjoy playing games by myself and just chilling.

I’m not good at games, and I’m not a fan of the trending FPS games.

On my days off, I spend time with my family at the park. Time with family is truly precious to me.

But sometimes, I just feel like staying in bed all day, lol.

Your tips for working from home?

(I’ve never worked from home before, so I can’t really say for sure, but probably the important thing is not to accidentally fall asleep, right?)

When I work from home, I mainly create web page designs and product labels. As for how to switch into work mode... I wish someone could teach me that!

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But well, I try to keep it casual because I feel like I can’t make good designs if I’m too tense.

Thank you! Arigatou Gozaimashita!

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