[Special] Guide to experience Ota City, a location brimming with creative manufacturing

“Kiriko” is a traditional manufacturing technique where patterns on the surface of glass are done by hand. “Edo Kiriko” is famous as a traditional Japanese craft to be proud of. Did you know that an original brand continuing the tradition of Edo Kiriko exists in Ota City?
Kamata Kiriko is the brand. Originally, the father of the current owner, Takashi Nabetani, used to operate a factory that manufactured Edo Kiriko. Utilizing the technique, they started planning and selling their original products. Thus Kamata Kiriko was established as a brand.



We received comments from Mr. Nabetani, the representative of Forest, a company handling Kamata Kiriko.

“Edo Kiriko produces great crafts which are beautiful works of art full of seasoned Japanese craftsmanship. Given their high quality and artistry, Edo Kiriko in general is fairly expensive. For example, a typical glass is in the five-figure price range (in yen).
Kamata Kiriko is a brand created with the hope that more and more people will learn about the beauty of the Kiriko technique and its magnificence as a craft.”



“With Kamata Kiriko, we seek usability and versatility on top of the quality of Kiriko as crafts. For example, the characteristic of our original design ‘Suikyo’ (glass in the middle) is a ball-like pattern, which was designed to give you a gentle and easy grip with your fingertips almost sinking into the pattern. We also believe that the reasonable price settings are important, which allow you to use our products in everyday setting. This clear, one-color product line, ‘Tokyo Water Glass’ is 7,500 yen (without tax), and that is pretty reasonable compared to the typical cost of Edo Kiriko.”



“This is a line called ‘Kamata Modern’ which uses overlay glass. Clear glass is overlaid with colored glass to create the double structure, and then the cutting is done. Most people think of this type when they hear the term Kiriko technique. Overlay glass cutting costs more both from a technical and a labor time point of view compared to the clear one, but our Kamata Kiriko large sake glass of this size is 10,000 yen (without tax). It is more expensive compared to other large sake cups in general, but we believe that it is an affordable Kamata Kiriko product that people can enjoy for everyday use!”



But then, why does Nabetani insist on making Kiriko crafts for everyday use? The answer was unique and original as a small factory in Ota City.

“Items manufactured in small factories in Ota City are not exclusive luxury goods. They’re mainly things that are useful for people or tools that can be used every day.
Because of the popularity Edo Kiriko gained overseas in the last few years, I felt that it had become a little too expensive. As the son of a glass craftsman here in Ota City, I grew up in this city, and I thought that people like me could make Kiriko crafts something more obtainable for people. That is one of the reasons why we still craft Kamata Kiriko in Ota City.
We would like people to use Kamata Kiriko and feel attachment to them. Kamata Kiriko is something for everyday use, such as for a nightcap, and to feel a little bit of luxury at the same time. We would be happy if people find these glasses to be a 'joy to use’.”

Have you ever had an idea you wanted to bring to life? While working or enjoying your hobbies, have you ever thought that “it would be convenient if I could have this” or “it would be fun to have an item like that”? We have a company in Ota City that can give form to those ideas!
The company’s name is Yasuhisa Koki Bio Mechanics Co., Ltd. Yasuhisa Koki utilizes their local connections to the abundant small factories in the area, and become your point of contact to make your wish come true. We had a chat with Hiroshi Tanaka, a person in charge of corporate planning at Yasuhisa Koki.

“We meet our customers’ demands in order to give shape to their ideas! It does not matter if the customer is an individual or a corporation.”

The service sounds like a dream come true, but why did you start a business like this?

“My grandfather founded this company, and since its founding, our motto has always been ‘create something that has never existed before.’” In Ota City, there are various specialized manufacturers with highly advanced techniques. We take advantage of this network of small factories, and meet our customers’ needs by handpicking specialized techniques depending on the project. Yasuhisa Koki is effectively a point of contact, consultant, and a production manager of a project, i.e. we connect small factories and customers.”

What kind of items has Yasuhisa Koki manufactured so far?



This item was requested by a teacher at a school for the visually impaired. They wanted a pen with which the visually impaired can draw. It is called “La Pico,” a tactile drawing pen for people with visual impairment. Beeswax is used as its ink, allowing you to draw with heated and liquefied beeswax, and when the beeswax cools and hardens, the drawn lines become convex. The concept is similar to the 3D pen that was released a few years ago, but it took 10 years to finalize this product.



“We faced many challenges, so it took a long time to complete it. As the project had a purpose which contributed to society, we ended up receiving some grant money, but originally, the project started out as a personal request from the teacher. We have the rough sketch of the initial idea.”
This is the rough sketch he showed us.



“Based on this sketch, we created a blueprint. With collaboration from the local companies, we developed a number of prototypes. I remember we developed it with a concept similar to that of a soldering iron in mind (laughter).”
The following picture shows several of the prototypes. On the far right is the very first prototype, and from right to left, you can see the improved versions over time.



So in short, your business is to take on the planning, design, and manufacturing, but as we just heard, this business in fact has a lot of hardships. Why did you decide to go this route?

“We definitely want to benefit the small factories, which embody Ota City’s originality as a city of manufacturers, and it would be great if our business were to be a key part of this. Also, we really enjoy the sense of achievement when we manifest an idea, and we of course enjoy seeing our customers’ faces when they are happy with our work.
Lately, we have been having more and more venture customers who raised their funds through crowdfunding. We feel that a certain atmosphere is being born where people feel they can freely manufacture while rooted to the local community.”
* On the right in the picture is Takashi Tanaka, the representative of Yasuhisa Koki and father of Hiroshi. He is a seasoned engineer with 35 years of experience who is proudly part of the “city of manufacturers, Ota City.”



Precisely because of their creative corporate culture, they also have some original products. This is Pata Cone, a collapsible traffic cone that can be used at construction sites, etc. The idea came from the police mentioning that the regular traffic cones are bulky and take up too much space in a patrol car.



A network of small factories that bring your ideas to life... This is only possible in Ota City, where there is a group of highly advanced engineers. If you ever wonder about your idea and want to make it come true, we recommend you check with them!
“We have been working with the medical sector, which requires uncompromising quality, so we are definitely confident about our workmanship. We believe that the power to realize an idea is the strength of small factories in Ota City.
If you have an idea or if you want to start a business with your idea, either as an individual or a company, please contact us. We are looking forward to working with you and your ideas!”

Compared to the booming situation of certain times in the past, the number of small factories in Ota City is decreasing. Though this is the trend of the times, it is indeed saddening. However, we have a movement to repurpose a shut-down factory site.
Gallery Minami Factory that we introduce today is a rental gallery space. The idea came from the current owner of the space, Keiko Mizuguchi (her maiden name is Minami), whose father used to operate a factory there.



This is the 5th year since the rental business started. Fully utilizing the large space, which measures over 100m2, the rental space is used for various cultural events from art exhibitions to music concerts, theatrical performances, and other events. Rotating exhibits hosted by Gallery Minami Factory are also held about twice a year. Last year, a rotating exhibit with the theme of “Female Artists Showcase in Kamata” was held, with works of nine female artists based in Ota City, including Nobuko Takato and Eiko Ohara shown during the exhibition (picture above and below).



“After my father passed, I had to come to a decision on what to do with this factory. I really love this place, so I thought hard about ways to keep it. I myself am really into art, so I started running a gallery as a rental space.
At the “Female Artists Showcase in Kamata” last year, on top of exhibition of works, we offered various events such as gallery talks, concerts, demonstrations of 3D scanning, and everyone seemed to have enjoyed them. We are planning a second showing of the event this fall (September 13 - October 5).” (by Keiko Mizuguchi)



In addition to art events like art exhibitions and jazz concerts, Gallery Minami Factory is meaningfully utilized as a place for community contributions such as various experiential sessions and workshops which involve the local children.



“Because the space has its factory atmosphere intact, you can create magnificent staging like no other space can. Steel beams radiate in right angles on the ceiling, working as lighting rails. Acoustics in the space are excellent, and we have a standard PA system setup, so the space can be used for many different types of artistic and cultural events. We look forward to your inquiries if you are interested in renting the space!

Depending on how the situation with COVID-19 unfolds, it is possible that events like exhibitions and gallery talks might be postponed or canceled, so please check our blog or check with us via phone beforehand. Let’s act with care in our response to COVID-19! We are doing everything we can to keep you safe as we prepare to bring back the joy of appreciating great works of art.”