Introduction of artisans: Menu ----------------------------- Introduction ----------------------------- Introduction "Clothing" Kyo yuzen silk dyeing / Masahiro Ikeuchi Nishijin textile / Takahisa Tamura Kyo yuzen silk dyeing / Ryotaro Hika Kyo Yuzen silk dyeing / Tomoko Fujii Flower arrangement / Michihisa Watanabe ----------------------------- Introduction "Eating and Drinking" Japanese dishes / Takeshi Shinmura Rice / Takashi Hashimoto Sake / Yoshihiro Higashino ----------------------------- Introduction "Living" Synthetic resin / Shigemi Inari Kiyomizu-ware / Hirokazu Kato Woodblock printing / Yuko Harada Jidaigire / Taro Matsumura Folding fans / Takahito Mizukami

Over the past half a century, our company-Toho Industrial Rubber Corporation-has been supplying rubber and synthetic resin (plastics, engineering plastics and super engineering plastics) products to various markets. To meet diverse customer demands, we supply a wide variety of items, including both standard items and tailored items of various specifications. In the "Innovative Globalization of Kyoto's Heritage Industries" program, I am working to use industrial rubbers and synthetic resins in traditional industrial arts. Although such materials have seldom been used in traditional industries, I believe that the fusion of such different elements can bring about surprising synergy. Through such synergy, I hope to develop our company into a world-leading trading company.
Apart from the company business, I am also engaged in stained glass production, primarily for lamps and interior accessories. I also serve as instructor at a stained glass school.

I entered my present profession when my husband became the president of our company. I also began helping at the stained glass studio because it was operated by my relative.

I always tell myself to remember the three K's: kansha (gratitude), kenkyo (modesty) and kenmei (hard work). I also try to maintain good relationships, not only with people, but also with articles that I use and events in which I am involved. I believe that a company should seek constant innovation, regardless of its business performance. This is particularly true of small businesses and trading houses specializing in particular product lines, like our company. As part of efforts to innovate our company, we are committed to innovating our IT systems (opening our website) and developing new business lines outside industrial products.

Since my high school days I have lived in Kyoto, excepting a few years. I have many friends who are engaged in traditional industries, performing arts and other cultural fields. Since our company is based in Kyoto, I hope to contribute to the development of Kyoto's heritage industries. We also hope to develop new business lines through collaboration with such heritage industries.
I am also engaged in stained glass production. I love beautiful products, so I am truly excited to produce beautiful industrial art products through collaboration with Kyoto's heritage industries.

I hope that our company will constantly progress and innovate its business methods. Specifically, I hope to develop a product design business through various collaboration programs, including the Innovative Globalization of Kyoto's Heritage Industries program. We now have many ideas for new businesses. At the moment, these ideas comprise a "jumble of wheat and chuff" or in the Japanese phrase, gyoku-seki konko (mixture of jewels and pebbles). It is nearly impossible to distinguish jewels from pebbles, since what seems to be a mere pebble could be a rough diamond. Accordingly, I believe it is important to take the first step of starting a new business.
By initiating a new business, we are likely to discover still other business seeds, new opportunities and new partners, all helping us to further develop new businesses.