resident of St. Louis Colin Croy, 31, is a music technology designer and business owner, who operates CroyTone Audio in Japan’s northernmost region. He opened his shop in Sapporo in January this year and has since been serving the musical community in Hokkaido’s capital with repairs, upgrades and modifications.
1. What brought you to Hokkaido? My friend was accepted into the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program and her internship was in Chitose. But the more I discovered about Hokkaido and Sapporo, the more I realized that this was kind of Japan’s best-kept secret. Sapporo is a big city, but not as well known as Tokyo or Osaka. It felt like there was an opportunity to do something with music here. It reminds me of St. Louis; a medium-sized city in America with a thriving – albeit lesser-known – music scene.
2. How much did you know about Hokkaido before moving there? I had read about it. In many ways it reflected the US Midwest: lots of farming and food production, friendly people, and a slower lifestyle compared to the rest of Japan. I was excited to go somewhere I thought I could live comfortably.
