I contributed to the September 2023 issue of Akita Economic Report.
■Taking over the wholesale business of the traditional craft "Birch Crafts" I'm sure that everyone in Akita Prefecture knows that the "birch crafts" that we handle were developed by the Satake Kita family, who ruled Kakunodate during the Edo period, as a "side job for samurai." About 20 years after the company was founded, they were presented as gifts to Torigoe-sama (Satake Iki-no-kami) of Edo, which led to an increase in the number of loyal users. Then, in the Meiji period, the samurai lost their stipends and began to make the craft their main occupation, which led to further refinement and the formation of a production area.
However, as is often the case with traditional crafts, their traditional nature no longer matches modern life, resulting in them not selling well. Our company was founded in 1970 in what is now Daisen City by my father, who took over the business from Kikuchi Shoten, which was located in Higashi Katsurakucho, Kakunodate Town. In 2005, I took over the business from my father as the second generation, but as shown above, sales began to decline from the time I took over.
■ Creating a "Philosophy" In 2008, I met my senior colleague, Mr. Aoki Masahiro, at an alumni reunion of my university seminar in Tokyo. Mr. Aoki had worked for many years as an in-house consultant in the business planning field at the Imperial Hotel Ltd., before moving to the investment banking division of Citigroup, where he was active as a manager of business revitalization through self-account investments in inns, hotels, ski resorts, and other properties. Currently working as an independent consultant, he is also the chairman of the Tourism Management Research Group of the Japan Society for International Tourism. He had also worked at the Embassy of Japan in Egypt as a seconded official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs while at university, and was highly regarded by his juniors.
Desperate for help, I told him about my predicament, and he suggested that since it was the perfect time to do so right after I took over the business, I should re-evaluate the company's mission statement. So I immediately began exchanging emails with him night after night. At the time, I had a cynical feeling that "re-evaluating the company's mission statement will not improve the company's financial situation," but he was very serious and encouraged me by saying, "Even if it is the most important thing in business management, the mission statement is rarely rewritten, so this is a great opportunity."
Submitting homework to him was tough for me while doing my daily work, but I was also perplexed and fed up with the harsh criticisms he made. "You're not just writing an essay. You have to express the philosophy of the company's president, so you have to be extremely careful," he said, demanding detailed explanations of the definitions of every word, even going so far as to not even be found in the dictionary.
In this way, after almost daily communication from the start, about four months later, I was finally able to pass the test, with the words "That's great!" At the time, I was also told that "You were able to endure it because you are an Aikido master (5th dan at the time, currently 6th dan)," which made me feel a little embarrassed.
Looking back, this was the beginning of everything that Tomioka Shoten has today.
■What is the management philosophy?
Tomioka Shoten's management philosophy is as follows:
As a manufacturer of birch crafts, a nationally designated traditional craft, we at Tomioka Shoten aim to be a company that can contribute to enriching people's lives through the richness of continuing to use "one in a lifetime" items, by promoting the value of this unique craft, which is one of a kind, not only in Japan but also around the world.
Furthermore, the business areas are as follows:
With birch crafts as its core, the company plans and creates products that offer the richness of continued use in crafts in general, and also discovers works by new artists, disseminating information through its sophisticated, yet friendly, gallery-like store.
The four points below are the ones we particularly focused on in our management philosophy. You can find more details on our website, so in this article we will focus on our "passion."
1. One genus, one species 2. Widely disseminate to the world 3. Contribute to people's enriched lives 4. Richness that can be enjoyed through continued use
It is our duty as a business owner to spread the uniqueness of Akita Kaba Zaiku, which is unique in the world, not only throughout Japan but also to the world. The latter two points are the most difficult, and we first thought deeply about "What does it mean for people to live a fulfilling life?" This also includes the meaning of transcending the timelessness found in traditional crafts, and our idea that whatever life may be in the future, it will be a spiritually rich life for people. Furthermore, "the richness of continued use" does not only refer to the continuity of a family over time, but also the continuity of being able to repair the product as long as our craftsmen are around, which is an antonym of "the richness of disposable items."
The business area of "general crafts" refers to "all products we handle" that are in line with Tomioka Shoten's philosophy.
In the end, it was a simple piece of writing, but I was able to express my own thoughts. Furthermore, Mr. Aoki pointed out that the starting point of my consultation was not "I want to sell," but "How can I convey the appeal of birch crafts?", and that this was the most important starting point. Looking back on myself, I was convinced.
■As an artist The four months spent creating the philosophy was also a form of "language training" for me.
As the saying goes, "Man is a thinking reed," humans are the only animals that think in words, whatever the language. Having come to associate with Europeans, I have come to realise that the language we use to think in our heads is our "mother tongue," because to the people of the European continent, who are fluent in many languages, we would not know who we are if we did not make such a distinction. In this respect, Japanese people who are not good at foreign languages are surprisingly lucky, as they have no hesitation in knowing that Japanese is the only language they can use.
The experience of pondering deeply about "What is Tomioka Shoten?" has given me a tremendous advantage as the president of the company. I have become able to explain my company in a logical manner in my own words, not only to outsiders but also to internal employees.
It's not the case that "just because I'm the president, it's natural that I should be able to explain something about my company."
After we finalized our philosophy, strangely enough, we received a lot of newspaper and television interviews. Not only were the reporters surprised that I, who is usually not very eloquent, like a native of Akita Prefecture, was able to explain it so fluently, but I also realized that they understood what Tomioka Shoten is aiming for and became fans.
By the way, did you know that the eyes of the world's businesses are always researching and looking for partners? I had no idea at the time. In 2012, at our first overseas trade fair, we received an offer from a famous fashion house. "Why such a small manufacturer?" I was stunned. Even in traditional industries, we are always looking for new materials. Otherwise, they will end up in museums. Later, Yamagata Casting's Masuda Naoki wrote in his book, "The word tradition has a conservative connotation for us today, but unless we recognize anew that it was the highest avant-garde thing in its time, the door to traditional crafts in the 21st century will not open." I thought this was exactly right.
This was the catalyst for our birch crafts to expand beyond France to the European continent, and we are now collaborating with several European traditional craftspeople.
Needless to say, becoming a partner company of Serdaneli. Paris (haute couture bathroom fittings) was also due to our philosophy. As the company president, I was able to express my company's presence on the world stage. And looking back, it was because we created our philosophy that we were called to Europe, rather than just going there aimlessly.
■In this day and age, it may sound exaggerated, but I was astonished by the 2022 Nobel Prize in Physics announced last fall. The reason for the award was "experimental proof of quantum entanglement." As I consider myself a hardcore liberal arts student, I may have jumped to conclusions or misunderstood, but the reason I was so astonished was that I thought "human thinking will fundamentally change."
The era of science dominance (one considered superstition) due to the separation of science and the spiritual world (such as Christianity) seen in Europe about 400 years ago has ended, and science and the spiritual world are now connected by quantum mechanics. This has caused a major shift in past common sense in the world of philosophy, the pinnacle of the humanities, and many cutting-edge scientists have already acknowledged that the concept of "emptiness" in the Buddhist Heart Sutra, "form is emptiness, emptiness is form," is the universe itself.
Our lives, including all of our ancestors, are recorded as information on the wall of the universe, and the University of Tokyo is leading the world in attempting to decipher this data. In essence, our one and only life does not disappear when we die, but is recorded and can be reproduced sometime in the future. It is no exaggeration to say that this means that everyone will recognize that a fulfilling life is more valuable than a shameful one.
These days, it feels as though we are being fuelled by anxiety about AI, low birth rates and so on, but if we think about it a little more, we believe that we are now in an age where we need to philosophise for ourselves. Although the medium is a small piece of birch crafts, we would like to continue to work hard every day to realise the philosophy of Tomioka Shoten, which continues to provide value that transcends time and space.
However, as is often the case with traditional crafts, their traditional nature no longer matches modern life, resulting in them not selling well. Our company was founded in 1970 in what is now Daisen City by my father, who took over the business from Kikuchi Shoten, which was located in Higashi Katsurakucho, Kakunodate Town. In 2005, I took over the business from my father as the second generation, but as shown above, sales began to decline from the time I took over.
■ Creating a "Philosophy" In 2008, I met my senior colleague, Mr. Aoki Masahiro, at an alumni reunion of my university seminar in Tokyo. Mr. Aoki had worked for many years as an in-house consultant in the business planning field at the Imperial Hotel Ltd., before moving to the investment banking division of Citigroup, where he was active as a manager of business revitalization through self-account investments in inns, hotels, ski resorts, and other properties. Currently working as an independent consultant, he is also the chairman of the Tourism Management Research Group of the Japan Society for International Tourism. He had also worked at the Embassy of Japan in Egypt as a seconded official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs while at university, and was highly regarded by his juniors.
Desperate for help, I told him about my predicament, and he suggested that since it was the perfect time to do so right after I took over the business, I should re-evaluate the company's mission statement. So I immediately began exchanging emails with him night after night. At the time, I had a cynical feeling that "re-evaluating the company's mission statement will not improve the company's financial situation," but he was very serious and encouraged me by saying, "Even if it is the most important thing in business management, the mission statement is rarely rewritten, so this is a great opportunity."
Submitting homework to him was tough for me while doing my daily work, but I was also perplexed and fed up with the harsh criticisms he made. "You're not just writing an essay. You have to express the philosophy of the company's president, so you have to be extremely careful," he said, demanding detailed explanations of the definitions of every word, even going so far as to not even be found in the dictionary.
In this way, after almost daily communication from the start, about four months later, I was finally able to pass the test, with the words "That's great!" At the time, I was also told that "You were able to endure it because you are an Aikido master (5th dan at the time, currently 6th dan)," which made me feel a little embarrassed.
Looking back, this was the beginning of everything that Tomioka Shoten has today.
■What is the management philosophy?
Tomioka Shoten's management philosophy is as follows:
As a manufacturer of birch crafts, a nationally designated traditional craft, we at Tomioka Shoten aim to be a company that can contribute to enriching people's lives through the richness of continuing to use "one in a lifetime" items, by promoting the value of this unique craft, which is one of a kind, not only in Japan but also around the world.
Furthermore, the business areas are as follows:
With birch crafts as its core, the company plans and creates products that offer the richness of continued use in crafts in general, and also discovers works by new artists, disseminating information through its sophisticated, yet friendly, gallery-like store.
The four points below are the ones we particularly focused on in our management philosophy. You can find more details on our website, so in this article we will focus on our "passion."
1. One genus, one species 2. Widely disseminate to the world 3. Contribute to people's enriched lives 4. Richness that can be enjoyed through continued use
It is our duty as a business owner to spread the uniqueness of Akita Kaba Zaiku, which is unique in the world, not only throughout Japan but also to the world. The latter two points are the most difficult, and we first thought deeply about "What does it mean for people to live a fulfilling life?" This also includes the meaning of transcending the timelessness found in traditional crafts, and our idea that whatever life may be in the future, it will be a spiritually rich life for people. Furthermore, "the richness of continued use" does not only refer to the continuity of a family over time, but also the continuity of being able to repair the product as long as our craftsmen are around, which is an antonym of "the richness of disposable items."
The business area of "general crafts" refers to "all products we handle" that are in line with Tomioka Shoten's philosophy.
In the end, it was a simple piece of writing, but I was able to express my own thoughts. Furthermore, Mr. Aoki pointed out that the starting point of my consultation was not "I want to sell," but "How can I convey the appeal of birch crafts?", and that this was the most important starting point. Looking back on myself, I was convinced.
■As an artist The four months spent creating the philosophy was also a form of "language training" for me.
As the saying goes, "Man is a thinking reed," humans are the only animals that think in words, whatever the language. Having come to associate with Europeans, I have come to realise that the language we use to think in our heads is our "mother tongue," because to the people of the European continent, who are fluent in many languages, we would not know who we are if we did not make such a distinction. In this respect, Japanese people who are not good at foreign languages are surprisingly lucky, as they have no hesitation in knowing that Japanese is the only language they can use.
The experience of pondering deeply about "What is Tomioka Shoten?" has given me a tremendous advantage as the president of the company. I have become able to explain my company in a logical manner in my own words, not only to outsiders but also to internal employees.
It's not the case that "just because I'm the president, it's natural that I should be able to explain something about my company."
After we finalized our philosophy, strangely enough, we received a lot of newspaper and television interviews. Not only were the reporters surprised that I, who is usually not very eloquent, like a native of Akita Prefecture, was able to explain it so fluently, but I also realized that they understood what Tomioka Shoten is aiming for and became fans.
By the way, did you know that the eyes of the world's businesses are always researching and looking for partners? I had no idea at the time. In 2012, at our first overseas trade fair, we received an offer from a famous fashion house. "Why such a small manufacturer?" I was stunned. Even in traditional industries, we are always looking for new materials. Otherwise, they will end up in museums. Later, Yamagata Casting's Masuda Naoki wrote in his book, "The word tradition has a conservative connotation for us today, but unless we recognize anew that it was the highest avant-garde thing in its time, the door to traditional crafts in the 21st century will not open." I thought this was exactly right.
This was the catalyst for our birch crafts to expand beyond France to the European continent, and we are now collaborating with several European traditional craftspeople.
Needless to say, becoming a partner company of Serdaneli. Paris (haute couture bathroom fittings) was also due to our philosophy. As the company president, I was able to express my company's presence on the world stage. And looking back, it was because we created our philosophy that we were called to Europe, rather than just going there aimlessly.
■In this day and age, it may sound exaggerated, but I was astonished by the 2022 Nobel Prize in Physics announced last fall. The reason for the award was "experimental proof of quantum entanglement." As I consider myself a hardcore liberal arts student, I may have jumped to conclusions or misunderstood, but the reason I was so astonished was that I thought "human thinking will fundamentally change."
The era of science dominance (one considered superstition) due to the separation of science and the spiritual world (such as Christianity) seen in Europe about 400 years ago has ended, and science and the spiritual world are now connected by quantum mechanics. This has caused a major shift in past common sense in the world of philosophy, the pinnacle of the humanities, and many cutting-edge scientists have already acknowledged that the concept of "emptiness" in the Buddhist Heart Sutra, "form is emptiness, emptiness is form," is the universe itself.
Our lives, including all of our ancestors, are recorded as information on the wall of the universe, and the University of Tokyo is leading the world in attempting to decipher this data. In essence, our one and only life does not disappear when we die, but is recorded and can be reproduced sometime in the future. It is no exaggeration to say that this means that everyone will recognize that a fulfilling life is more valuable than a shameful one.
These days, it feels as though we are being fuelled by anxiety about AI, low birth rates and so on, but if we think about it a little more, we believe that we are now in an age where we need to philosophise for ourselves. Although the medium is a small piece of birch crafts, we would like to continue to work hard every day to realise the philosophy of Tomioka Shoten, which continues to provide value that transcends time and space.