The Choice to Inherit a 400-Year-Old Family Business

The history of Kiyohara Orimono dates back to the late Muromachi period. Although details of its founding are lost, ancient documents confirm that the Kiyohara family was involved in the textile business, and records show it was established as "Kiyohara Shoten" in the 6th year of the Meiji era (1873). Even after relocating from Omuro, Kyoto, to Shiga, they have continued to create textiles for prestigious occasions, including pieces for the Imperial Household, festival curtains for events across the country, and decorations for temples and shrines.

However, despite being a workshop passed down through generations, it’s not as if they have a grand, imposing storehouse. "We were a family that just kept surviving," laughs Kiyohara. Facing numerous economic waves, including wars and the collapse of the bubble economy, the family business has been carried on, relying solely on one belief: "the techniques are what must be preserved."

Kiyohara, who had a long career in the construction industry, originally had no intention of taking over the family business. He says his family didn't expect him to, either. However, when he began to feel the limits of what he could control at work, he found himself re-examining his family's trade. The workshop had no one to take over. If he joined, he could eventually run everything based on his own decisions. The moment he thought, "There's a future where I can do things my way," his interest in the world of crafts ignited all at once.

And so, he made the career change over a period of two years. Although he started with zero technical skills, he possessed a clear determination: "to take action for the sake of preservation."