“Traditional crafts are for everyday use. They have no meaning if they are not used.”

So says Hidetaka Shimizu (traditional craftsman).

The first skill he learned was hand polishing. This involves using both the hands and the eyes to carefully polish the cut surfaces, and it is a task that takes time. This young man, who was charmed by Edo Kiriko in his youth, learned each of the techniques involved one by one, and after studying for around a dozen years, he finally became independent and set up his own workshop and store.

"It has been scientifically proven in experiments that the sense of taste is affected by what can be seen, heard and felt. Beautiful designs and colors that delight the eyes and the feel of fine items in the hands and on the lips are all elements that go to create the sense of taste.

It is because of this that I believe that everyone should introduce fine articles into their everyday lifestyles to turn every day into a pleasant experience.

This craftsman is firm in this belief."