You've probably seen pictures. You may have even read a lengthy step by step tour.... But we here at BrickNerd bring you behind-the-scenes coverage of what's really going on in Billund at the LEGO House... Actually, I saw Takamichi Irie's pics on Flickr and shot him an email.

And in the time it takes a bullet train to move passengers between Japanese cities, he wrote back with all sorts of info about how he became involved in the Yellow Zone display. Like how he received an email directly from LEGO Headquarters inviting him to feature his insect creations, and how he flew fourteen hours, all the way from Japan... Coincidence?

I had other pressing questions for him, too, such as, "Were there free goodies? Who did you meet? Did something funny happen?" Some of these took a while for him to answer, but I was persistent. There was a tour of the LEGO House for the builders, presentations by the top LEGO brass, and a free lunch. He also received a custom brick for his display, which you can see in the photo above; down, and to the right...

In addition to the other builders who came from all over the world, Takamichi met and traded sig figs with not only the current CEO Bali Padda, but the former, Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen, as well! The two highest-ranking executives in the same place, at the same time...Interesting.

Lastly, and most importantly, something funny did happen. Takamichi almost missed his bus getting this shot of the builders on the outside of the LEGO house, proving to everyone in the outside world that all of this did in fact happen. I think it was worth it.