MEET THE TAKUMI
The journey to mastery starts with a singular focus. This may be one specific tool, one art form, or one desired outcome.
Carpenter
Shigeo Kiuchi
Shigeo Kiuchi has worked as a Miyadaiku - a specialist Temple and shrine carpenter, at Kongo Gumi since he was 6 years old. He’s spent a lifetime mastering his craft, spending 10,000 hours to master one planer, 60,000 to master all three. Kiuchi sees himself as a "blink of an eye” in Kongo Gumi’s history and wishes to pass down his learnings to the next generation.
Chef
Hisato Nakahigashi
Miyamasou, a two Michelin star restaurant and lodge, has been owned by the same family for four generations and was a place where pilgrims could rest and eat. After perfecting his craft in Paris, Hisato Nakahigashi returned to Miyamasou to search for a deeper purpose to his craft. This extends to the bowls used at Miyamasou, which he believes give insight into his personality.
Artist
Nahoko Kojima
Nahoko Kojima began studying Kirie at 5 years old. Now at 37 she has given most of her life to the ancient craft of paper cutting. Nahoko makes her own Washi paper. A long process, that creates paper with a unique texture that is said to last for thousands of years. While Kirie has been a tradition for over 1000 years, Nahoko is one of the last practicing Takumis.
Engineers
TAKUMI OF LEXUS
Lexus plants are technologically advanced. Even so, human senses play a crucial part in the crafting of each car. Takumi Oiwa devoted a lifetime to developing a sense of touch that can detect microscopic flaws in body work. Takumi Tanaka has spent 60,000 hours developing eyes that can see the smallest flaw in the paintwork. Takumi Suganuma brings his years of experience and tuned senses to make the final inspections.
