At the February 10th edition of Lunch Together!, we welcomed Ms. Mao Komagata as our special guest.

Ms. Komagata works as a conditioning trainer, a professional who teaches people how to use their bodies effectively. She creates personalized training programs tailored to each client’s goals and provides one-on-one personal training. She is also involved in various community initiatives in Okuma Town, including hosting physical activity workshops for children at the plaza in front of Ono Station.

With such a wonderful career, we were curious—what inspired her to become someone who teaches others how to use their bodies?

“I loved high school baseball and enjoyed being active. I realized becoming a professional athlete would be difficult, so I chose a path close to that—becoming a sports trainer.”

Her “likes” clearly connected to her future. However, she shared that she did not originally dream of becoming a conditioning trainer. At one point, she even aspired to become a nurse.

Our second question was, “Why do you do the work you do now?”

She answered,
“Because I can be involved in someone else’s life.”

As a trainer, she supports people’s physical health. If someone has pain, she can provide training tailored to their needs. When that pain improves and she hears the words “Thank you,” she says that is the most rewarding part of her job.

She also shared a touching story about a grandmother who had been unable to hold her grandchild due to back pain. After training, she regained her strength and was able to hold her grandchild again. The grandmother expressed deep gratitude, which left a strong impression on everyone listening.

Ms. Komagata attended a vocational school specializing in sports to become a trainer.

Finally, she left the students with these important messages:

“Take pride in your work.”
“Cherish what you believe is important to you.”

Whether you already have a dream or are still searching, and no matter what career you choose in the future, she encouraged everyone to take pride in their work and to live confidently and proudly.

Yumenomori is a place where students can discover what they love. Whether they have already found their “favorite thing” or are still searching, we hope that through their learning experiences here, each child will encounter something that makes them say, “This is it!”