Horiuchi Woodcraft
Coporate Profille
Ryoichi Horiuchi established Horiuchi Woodcraft in April 1993. At the age of 28 this grand plan was brought to practice after 10 years of preparatory training. From 1993 to 2000, the company has created various wooden products made by potters’ wheel, such as bowls and pots. Currently, the three main supporting duties of the company are as follows:
Production of novelty goods ordered from Kanagawa Prefecture;
Development and production of wooden toys for medical purposes;
Providing OEM service for other companies.
Story
Odawara Woodwork is said to have a 1000-year long history. The Tanzawa mountain range in the west of Kanagawa Prefecture used to be a heavily forested area. As a result, the local woodcraftsman started making lacquer ware and parquetry. During the Edo period, when people visited Hakone for its hot springs, these goods were exceptionally popular as local souvenirs. When Japan established diplomatic relations with foreign countries and opened up to foreign trade, many of these products were exported abroad as traditional Japanese craft through ports like Yokohama and Shimoda. Although the number of craftsmen is declining year by year, the refined technique is still being passed on to the next generation.
Interview
I don’t think mere reliance on traditional elements will move Odawara Woodwork into the future. In the ever-changing society we live in today, the woodwork itself has to adapt to these changes. We need to produce goods that suit the needs of the people. Also, in the future, the situation has to change such that the craftsman of Odawara Woodwork can make a living by carrying on this tradition. We have to convince the younger generation that this occupation is an ideal job to make their dreams come true.
Recommendation
We are producing “Wooden toys for medical purposes” in order to let children understand the complicated medical processes such as surgery. This production makes up 40% of our profits. “We are the only producer of medical purposed wooden toys” says Horiuchi proudly. This all started in 2003 when the staff-in-charge of the forest administration of Kanagawa Prefecture requested the company to produce simulation wooden toys. In this way, children undergone surgery would understand how the surgery processes, tools and methods. After production the Kanagawa Prefectural Children’s Hospital run a trial on the children, these toys were highly recommended, as they were extremely helpful in explaining the medical process. The Institute of Medicine had also invited the company several times to produce other items, such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Computed Tomography (CT) machines. Not to produce the actual equipment, but to convert these heavy and bulky machines into palm-sized mini items. These items have then been used in more than 100 local hospitals. They have also been adopted by medical institutes in foreign countries such as the United States, Belgium and China. Horiuchi thinks that the warm texture of the wood gives children a sense of security, and that is the main reason to pick wood from other materials.
