Stepping Away to See the True Uniqueness of the Family Business

Were you involved in the family business from a young age?

I’m the seventh-generation printer in my family line, which dates back to the Edo period. The Sekioka workshop itself was founded by my great-grandfather. My grandfather, Isao Sekioka, was the second-generation head, my master Hidekatsu Kawashima is the third, and I'm the fourth.

My grandfather doted on me, so from a very young age, I was always playing in the workshop, watching Kawashima—who would later become my master—at work. I have a fond memory of making a woodblock print for a summer school project and really enjoying it.

But after that, I drifted away from woodblock printing and stopped helping with the family business. From middle school through university, I was completely absorbed in baseball.

You were quite the athlete. What prompted you to consider becoming an artisan?

Stepping away and looking at it from an outside perspective made me appreciate the appeal of a printer's work all over again.

During my job hunt, I vaguely wondered if I should take over the family business, but I also thought, 'Being an artisan seems really tough.' So, partly to get some real-world experience, I decided to take a job at a thrift store.

While making house calls to buy furniture and appliances, I'd talk to customers, and so many of them would praise my family's trade, saying things like, “That's such a wonderful profession!” I started to realize that it might be a really compelling career path. I enjoyed my office job, but as an only child, and with my master getting on in years, I knew the Sekioka legacy would end with him if I didn't step up. I wanted to ensure that the craft of woodblock printing survived, so at 24, I decided to join the family business.

I hear that after quitting your job and before starting your apprenticeship, you went backpacking abroad.

I had a three-month break, so I used it to travel to various places like Europe, the United States, and Morocco. I wanted the experience to inform my training, so I made sure to visit places like the British Museum in London and MoMA in New York. I saw ukiyo-e prints on display there, drawing a lot of attention. Seeing that solidified my resolve. I knew this was the work I was meant to do.