The Fifth Generation owner of this century-old family workshop. He joined in 2012, launched online direct sales in 2013, and formally became representative in 2017.
On taking over
I joined the workshop in 2012 and learned every stage before taking over: preparing raw materials, carding and sewing, shipping and customer service. I wanted to understand the work myself. A family workshop means more than a surname on a business card; it means making every shikibuton worthy of that name.
The year of online direct sales
In 2013, we began selling directly online. This brought us closer to customers: we could hear their feedback directly and explain how our shikibuton are made. That direct conversation continues to guide our work.
What the word “workshop” means
For us, a workshop is a place where people take responsibility for what they make. Our sewing stations are known by the people who work there: Inose, Shida and Shimizu. When a shikibuton leaves, its maker remembers the work that went into it. That personal connection is what we value in our workshop.
Facing overseas
2023 marked the family business’s 150th year, and the year our two lines — HIMARI 日葵 / SORA 宙 — formally went on sale overseas. Households in Asia and abroad differ from those in Japan — different floor plans, climate, rhythms of life. But the wish “to sleep well” is shared. With over 150 years of family heritage, the workshop hopes to make products that families around the world can use just as naturally.
The next decade
As I look ahead to the next generation, I have three hopes for the workshop: that our team takes pride in its work, that customers enjoy using our shikibuton every day, and that the next generation inherits a secure family business.