The Catalyst Was the HiAce

Please tell us about your business and how it started.

Our company was founded in 1869 (Meiji 2). Tatami emerged 700 years ago, with its history continuing for 1300 years. It became commonplace among the masses from the late Edo period to the Meiji era. Until then, tatami was a luxury item meant for those of high status. Therefore, it is common for tatami shops to have been established for 100 to 150 years since the Meiji period. I took over as the fifth generation.

You worked at an architectural firm before taking over the family business; can you share what prompted that decision?

I was born in 1983, during a time when the popularity of tatami was declining. I had a somewhat old-fashioned image of tatami and thought that flooring was cooler from elementary school. I also felt that there were fewer tatami rooms in households. Additionally, the work of tatami craftsman in residential settings often involved dusty tasks, so I didn’t consider taking over the tatami shop in the future. However, I also loved the unique atmosphere of temples and shrines since childhood.

Later, I pursued a degree in architecture and got a job at an architectural firm in Tokyo. However, as it was a long-standing family business with a rich history, I felt a sense of sadness about not continuing the shop.
In 2017, I decided to establish my own architectural firm and left the company I was working for, returning home to prepare for my venture. With some savings and no deadline for starting the business, I was able to spend time leisurely while preparing for my company.
During this time, in 2018, a friend asked me to lay tatami in the back of a HiAce. Until then, I thought tatami could only be made in square shapes, but when I created tatami that could be freely deformed to fit the shape of the interior of the vehicle, I realized that tatami had many more possibilities. Since I had always loved design, I thought that if I developed this further, it could lead to more interesting outcomes.

Through my previous work at the architectural firm, I had visited various interior-related exhibitions across Europe, including Milan Design Week, but I had never seen any products made with tatami. Thus, I felt it could be exciting to introduce these deformed tatami products overseas.
Tatami originated in Japan and has a 1300-year history, yet it has not yet spread widely enough to become common in overseas households. I thought it was a very interesting product once again. Rather than just for business, the motivation to take on new challenges while enjoying myself led to where we are today.

I have always admired overseas cultures and ultimately aim for international expansion, but for now, I want to focus on expanding the expressive potential of tatami through production and raising awareness domestically.