Interview | Tomoyuki Ichida
-Representative of Sole Wood Products
Tomoyuki Ichida
What I enjoy as a furniture artisan is creating a piece of art from scratch.
Because both my grandfather and father were carpenters, "wood" was always there, since I was little, it’s in my blood. Therefore, I thought it would be a natural progression to become a carpenter in the future. Then I became a student studying woodworking and I seriously realized the joy of making furniture.
A two-dimensional design drawing becomes an individual three-dimensional piece of art created by your own hands and single in its uniqueness.
I decided to become a furniture artisan because I was fascinated by the fact that I can create a piece of art from scratch that will pass on for decades maybe even a hundred years or more.
Gained experience at Mitsukoshi Seisakusyo.
After graduating from technical college, I got a job at the furniture factory "Mitsukoshi Seisakusyo", which is a long-established furniture store founded 110 years ago and is said to be the origin of Japanese luxury Western furniture manufacturing.
After working for a major furniture company, I worked on various tasks such as the Parliament Building, the Supreme Court, the imperial family, and production of high-end furniture and custom made furniture. Working in the professional atmosphere with modern technology has become not only technologically demanding but also mentally challenging. In addition, as I gained experience, I have more opportunities to further my work experience from personal requests from customers. It made me very happy and confident.
Working the way I like
From Tokyo to Okawa
When I was working in Tokyo, during the peak season, I used to leave home before my children woke up and come home after they'd gone to sleep. I was so busy with work that I didn't have enough time to spend with my family and I missed seeing my child grow up.
At that time, the system of work and the work environment changed drastically, and that forced me to think about things, "turning point of life".
I wanted to change my life and then I started to think of becoming independent and work the way I like.
I made a decision to start up my own business because of the Great East Japan Earthquake that occurred on March 11, 2011.
People went crazy and things quickly disappeared from the shelves of supermarkets and convenience stores, and it was hard to get water and food for our kids. Due to concerns about the health hazards to children caused by the Fukushima nuclear accident, I have come to seriously consider moving to an area that is safe and has relatively few natural disasters. I wanted to work the way I like and spend more time with my family. That's why I decided to move to Okawa.
Okawa, a city of furniture with high-quality materials
The most attractive thing about Okawa as a woodworker is that you have access to high quality wood at any time you need. For example, if you order wood material by phone that morning, you'll get it right away in the same morning. If this were Tokyo, it would take a lot more time. Normally, logging is transported to a sawmill first, but the longer the transportation distance, the more dry the wood becomes due to temperature changes, and the more it will need to be processed. However, the risk is minimal if the timber is logged in the Fukuoka prefecture. And the quality of wood from Fukuoka and Kyushu are amazingly good.
And above all, the charm of Okawa is "the warmth of people". The locals are kind to young families with children. My children are growing up freely and happily with the love of the local people and I appreciate it a lot.
The company name “Sole” comes from my children's favorite picture book.
I'm often asked what the name “Sole” means, I found it from a picture book character that my children love.
Sole-chan, who is good at carpentry, appears in "Bam and Kero's Forest Hut" in the picture book "Bam and Kero" series by Yuka Shimada.
Sole-chan doesn't talk a lot, but he is very passionate about his work and works very hard so that everyone in the forest can live happily.
I wanted to be that kind of woodworker as well, so the company is named after my hero “ Sole-chan”.
There is a small street near the factory where it is said that a Japanese folk monster called "Betabeta Kuzzoko" which means sticky sole(fish) will appear. It is a monster that resembles a fish “sole” in the Ariake Sea, and is said to have wrapped around the ankles of people passing by on the street. It’s not scary at all. The local adores that legend. I am very happy that there is an affinity with the local community due to the coincidental connection of sticky sole = “sole”.
I want to create unique furniture in collaboration with customers.
I think our strength is that we listen to our customers' requests carefully and consult continuously until we reach the best idea. And then design, and perform all processes from sawing to completion by hand by one artisan.
We make furniture using the technique of "Edo Sashimonoshi", a traditional joint technique. The furniture made by making full use of the Japanese traditional technique "hozogumi" tenon without using any nails is very durable and can be used habitually for many years.
We are particular about arranging different grains of wood one by one, making use of the pattern of wood, and valuing the expression of wood.
We often receive orders from customers who have requested other workshops but were refused due to technical reasons. "The artisan here can make it." And I am very honored to do it.
The fun of imagining
The joy of making our customers happy
I think the fun of making furniture is all about the fun of "creating". In the beginning that’s why I wanted to become a furniture artisan since I was a kid, I was totally fascinated by my father, as a carpenter, who was looking at the drawings and shaping the wood more and more.
It is difficult to make what you imagined in your head from scratch, but even that difficulty seems to be "interesting" to me.
I am glad that customers are pleased with the furniture I make, and I hope that they will cherish it. The responsibility of making furniture that will last forever motivates me to make it.
The other day, I received an order for a coat hanger from a person in the same industry. I was surprised when he said, "I can't make the same coat hanger even if I want to make it myself." To be honest, I was very happy that I realized I’m able to make something that only I could make.
Japanese traditional technology that we want to pass on to the next generation
As I got older, I developed a stronger desire to pass on the experience and skills I have acquired to the younger generation. Japanese traditional furniture making techniques are very interesting and I think there is a great possibility of creating new things. Therefore, I would like the younger generation to inherit our great culture.
As one of those projects, I am currently in charge of a woodworking class at Ukiha Technical High School in Fukuoka Prefecture. I was asked to give guidance to students who will participate in the "High School Student Manufacturing Contest'' held in 2018.
In the wood processing section of the "Manufacturing Contest'', furniture is manufactured from scratch. Compete to see which student does the most amazing work. In the year we tried for the first time, in 2018 we won 2nd and 3rd place, and the next year, in 2019 we won 1st and 2nd. The result was great and I couldn’t be happier.
I want to spread Sole's work all over the world.
In the future, I would like to challenge not only furniture but also artwork that attracts attention from overseas as a woodworker, and deliver "Japanese and Sole's manufacturing" to the world.
I want to make woodwork with originality that can be immediately recognized as a "Sole" work. It's a challenge for myself, how much I can put out what I have imagined and it makes me very excited.
The number of likes and comments from overseas is increasing from the works posted on Instagram. It's so exciting that people from overseas can get to know the work of "Sole" through social media.
