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Naoki Terashima, the 30-Year-Old Craftsman who Elevates "Shoe Polishing" into an Art Form
There is a young craftsman who continues to make unprecedented strides in the traditional handwork field of "shoe polishing." Naoki Terashima is 30 years old.
Having won the domestic shoe polishing championship at the age of 24, he demonstrates a beautiful technique even while polishing leather in a suit. He expertly utilizes original maintenance products and travels between his atelier in Kyoto and luxury residences in major cities.
I spoke with Terashima, who is pioneering the field of leather maintenance with a fresh perspective, about the depth of his work and the value of using and maintaining things over time.
PROFILE
Naoki Terashima
Born in 1994 in Kyoto Prefecture. He started his shoe polishing career on the streets of Kyoto during his university days. At the age of 24, he became the youngest champion of the shoe polishing championship organized by Ginza Mitsukoshi, and opened a specialized shoe polishing shop, HARK KYOTO, in 2020. In November, he plans to open a branch of HARK KYOTO in Osaka.
The Starting Point Was a School Bag & a Baseball Glove
Could you tell us about Terashima's activities?
Based in the store "HARK KYOTO" in Kyoto, I perform maintenance on leather goods such as shoes, bags, and wallets. Since 2022, I have also opened a location at the high-end rental residence "La Tour Osaka Umeda" managed by Sumitomo Realty & Development, and I am now able to offer services in Tokyo as well.
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