STORIES

The wisdom of our forebears: using every last bit of heaven's gift

Kawai Sangyo, founded in Mikawashima, moved to Soka in 1948. Once a maker of animal glue, it now specializes in gelatin raw materials under Kazunori Kawai.

A gem of a collection, uncompromising in every detail, that speaks to leather lovers the world over

Sincere craftsmanship underpins the brand: 20 artisans led by masters in their seventies, many young or female, most of whom trained first on the shop floor.

Japan’s own natural leather, full of potential

“Sharks have a fierce image, yet their leather is so refined. That contrast is what drew me in most.”

There's skill in that leather: the marks of handwork

The way eyeliner is applied can transform a face. The same is true of leather goods.

The driving force behind elegant leather shoes with high performance built in

madras now also pursues function for comfort, a focus that began a decade ago, when a rubber sole alone made a shoe rainy-day wear. Trends aside, madras…

Through a range of pioneering initiatives, an early advocate of a leather lifestyle and sustainable leather

Founded in 1923, Tomita Kogyo is a long-established yet pioneering company that was quick to focus on sustainability and turn it into concrete projects.

Japan’s leather culture: more than 1,000 years of history

Leather-working cultures vary by people, shaped by climate, land, lifestyle and culture; on continents like Europe, neighbors often shared new techniques.