July 2021– date –

【How to define non-essential things】 I went to the seaside to fish last week, passing by many electric signboards on the road saying "Let's avoid non-essential outings!" I know fishing is definitely thought to be a non-essential activi...

【We are still dependent on wood】 The "wood shock" has still cast a big shadow over our industry. As many of you know, it's one of the social problems caused by the COVID. As more people tend to work remotely at home, the demand of hous...

Did you know Haagen-Dazs was originated in the US? I thought it came from somewhere in North Europe, which, I assume, would be exactly what the brand founder intended. Let me tell you another example. In Japan, canned coffee is one of th...

How did leather fall from the passenger seat to the coachman's? I explore the Paradox of Leather and the rise of Alcantara, the "fake suede" invented by a Japanese scientist at TORAY. I argue that Alcantara is the future of luxury due to its ethical edge and stunning appearance (just Google "Ferrari Alcantara"). Find out how our furniture, upholstered in the same material—Ultrasuede—offers you an eco-friendly path to automotive luxury in your own living room.

【Impossible to copy our products cheaply】 As you can imagine, the structure of a chair is just simple, difficult to be unique, and easy to copy. It consists of a backrest, seat, arm rests, and legs. That's all. As it's so simple, every...

TWhy did European castles have high stone walls while Japanese castles relied on wood? I compare the architecture of France’s Carcassonne with Japan’s design, revealing how earthquake threats forced a strategy of resilience, not impression. This analysis uncovers the political divide—total war vs. civil war—and concludes that understanding the "other" is the only way to recognize the unique value of the "self."

Kamakura—the modern pilgrimage site for Slam Dunk fans—was once the birthplace of the strongest Samurai. We unveil the 1,000-year-old secret of Japanese structural philosophy: ultimate strength is not in rigidity, but in controlled, flexible movement. Our furniture applies this ancient wisdom, using stealth metalwork to ensure the wood can flex and endure—just like a temple surviving a seismic shock.

【The COVID, the one-way time machine】 The COVID is sometimes called "a time machine." Remote work is a good example. I think most of the companies at least in Japan just pretended to take a positive attitude but actually were not so se...

When working in Tokyo, I always left the office after dark and rushed back home. After getting back to Hokkaido, I've noticed the busy city made me forget to pay attention to the beauty around my life. Hokkaido has been covered with snow...

The Grotesque Truth: The Penfield Homunculus reveals the brain prioritizes your hands over your eyes. I am not a genius of body control. We reveal the secret of Japanese craftsmanship: the final quality is judged not by machines, but by the micron-level precision of the master craftsman’s hand. That urge: "Seeing something and wanting to touch it"—is the highest compliment.