Makoto Ueno, 47, sells The Big Issue Japan outside Kyoto Station in Tokyo
My most memorable moment of 2017 was when my favourite pop group retired from their singing career.
I had never cooked much in my life and had always been kind of a loner. But for the first time in my life, I cooked curry with my fellow vendors as a team. We then shared the curry with others. It was good. This was my biggest achievement.
Changing my sales pitch has been a challenged but I am trying to get used to it.
I was able to move into temporary accommodation that is run by The Big Issue Japan where I can prepare for life in more stable accommodation. I never really wanted to move into an apartment before, so this is a surprise to me. It feels like I moved one step up the stairs, a step away from the street life. I will live here for 6 months. I am looking forward to being able to move into my own flat next year!