About
Who we are
Kogei Styling (kogeistyling.com) is a fine Japanese lacquerware online store with a mission to introduce traditional Japanese art craft (kogei) items to overseas customers and to have those customers become fans of the true work of Japanese art crafts, especially Japanese lacquerware. At the same time, with the help of the customers, Kogei Styling is willing to stimulate and activate the Japanese art craft manufacturing front for a further succession of the Japanese tradition.
The operating company, Japan Kogei Styling Co., Ltd is a Japanese stock corporation in Tokyo.
(Japanese Government Corporate registration# 8013301034492 )
(Please visit our homepage at kogeistyling.co.jp and the Facebook page;
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Japan-Kogei-Styling-Co-Ltd/129600330543746)
The founder of the company, Tsuyoshi Kawaguchi, has long personal experiences with true respect and love for the traditional Japanese art crafts, and with 25 years of professional experience in one of the world's largest glass manufacturers in Japan, with engineering and business backgrounds. Because of the love and respect that he has for the Japanese tradition and the work of art, he founded the company with a passion and a vision to vitalize Japanese traditional art craft, which may diminish if one just waits for a customer to arrive in the ever-shrinking domestic market.
The Founder
Tsuyoshi Kawaguchi
Kogei Styling would like to introduce Japanese works of art to those who really appreciate the quality and the beauty of skilled handwork. Kogei Styling is motivated to exceed customers’ expectations and has strong desires for new creations, thereby collaborating with the designers and the manufacturers for unseen beauty in the world of Japanese lacquerware.
With a hope and a desire to contribute to passing on the true tradition to next generations, Kogei Styling will seek true fans of the Japanese art craft (kogei) items all over the world. Please also visit our blog at blog-kogeistyling.com
What we do
Kogei Styling is an online shop dedicated to handling Japanese authentic handmade art craft (kogei) items, specializing in lacquerware. Kogei Styling currently carries true Japanese lacquerware mainly from several areas of the Hokuriku area in Japan (the central northern part of Japan), where they are famous for rigorous and diligent traditional high-quality work. We do not manufacture any items ourselves. However, we have our original products that are planned and designed in collaboration with the artists and manufacturers we care about and work closely with.
Kogei Styling works directly with the lacquerware manufacturer or the artists and does not have any brokers in between; the product quality and the cost are effectively and efficiently controlled so that the value to our customers is maximized. Kogei Styling also does not have any physical stores in Japan or anywhere in the world. It is to minimize the total cost of the operation and eventually to maximize the value of each product and reach those potential customers all over the world, thanks to internet technology.
We need to admit that the Japanese lacquerware is a true niche product for those individuals who have eyes and appreciation for the true work of skilled hands and enjoy its rare beauty. And we believe they are rare personalities, but quietly reside all over the world.
Currently, we ship our products to selected overseas countries due to the limitations in total logistics and transactions. We will strive to expand the areas and apologize for the current limitations we have.
What we sell
Even though there are many “Made in Japan” handicrafts sold over the internet, there are only a few that are truly traditional Japanese handmade art crafts (kogei) items. Kogei Styling will assure and guarantee you that the items we have are the true traditional quality Japanese handmade art craft items.
Based on the “Act on the Promotion of Traditional Craft Industries” by the Japanese government, currently, there are 218 items designated by the Minister for Economy, Trade, and Industry as Traditional Japanese Crafts (Dento Kogei-hin). Kogei Styling mainly carries goods from the Traditional Japanese Crafts. They are, by definition, basically handcrafted and have more than 100 years of tradition. The exception may apply when in the case that the artists create their work outside of traditional procedures but following the heart of tradition for higher hand creations.
Kogei Styling purchases goods directly from each art and craft manufacturer and artists. Those who supply goods are Traditional Japanese Crafts Manufacturers or artists who follow rigorous traditional techniques and procedures to realize the true heritage of the Japanese handmade art crafts. The prices of these genuine art and craft items are not cheap. It is because, as you may understand, goods are outputs of highly skilled craftsmen’s or artists' dedicated hours of professional work, and from genuine local natural materials.
We do our best to maximize the value chain by direct purchase and selling, and by minimizing the operational cost. We hope that the art and craft items, along with the service we provide, will satisfy those rare customers who have eyes for the true work of Japanese handmade art crafts.
How we sell
All of our collections come directly to Kogei Styling from Traditional Japanese Art Crafts Manufacturers or artists without any intermediate brokers.
All the lacquerware is carefully selected to meet Kogei Styling’s highest quality standards and its quest for authenticity and beauty. Each item is checked in Tokyo and carefully packaged based on the customer’s order for its logistics.
All the lacquerware prices are based on Japanese domestic market value, Japanese customers who want our lacquerware can also purchase at competitive prices.
We take pride in the quality and the price of our lacquerware. We will do our best to make sure that our customers are completely satisfied with the product, service, and the total value that we provide.
Why we sell
Of course, as a private company, we need profits, however, it is not the only thing that we are looking for. It is the future. The future of Japanese tradition is what we are really seeking.
Many of the Japanese traditional art crafts as industries are in a fatal situation. Due to constant declining sales for these twenty years, the industry has shrunk significantly. It is the craftsmen, the core of the industry, that is decreasing and with very few successors. The average age of craftsmen is getting higher and higher every year. Unfortunately, we are almost certain that many traditions of Japan may diminish in the near future.
The fact is, that the impact from the shrinking market first comes from the supplies of materials and special handmade tools that are mandated for extra fine techniques that make Japanese art crafts special. As an example, the finest painting techniques on lacquerware, maki-e (paintings using urushi lacquer and gold sprinkles) require the finest writing brushes. They are specially made maki-e brushes that are very fine, long, with high elasticity and have a good hold of urushi lacquer. The maki-e brush manufacturing, also a highly skilled craftsmanship work, can stand by itself only when you have hundreds of maki-e craftsmen. Therefore, the highest quality maki-e brush craftsmanship is diminishing in the current market. Only a couple of veteran maki-e brush craftsmen who can make the traditional brush rarely exist in Japan. Also, traditionally, the finest maki-e brush was made from the central back fur of a certain mouse (Rattus rattus) that lived around Biwa-Lake in Shiga Pref. However, the hunter for the mouse furs no longer exists, and sadly, the finest brush is no longer available. Currently, maki-e craftsmen are carefully preserving the finest brushes that they have for the finest artwork.
The Japanese traditional fine art crafts industry requires many many areas and levels of professionals to stand by itself, like the automotive industry these days. The business volume is one of the most important key issues for the industry to stand. Therefore, however very small a step, Kogei Styling is challenging to this situation, with great help from potential Japanese lacquerware fans in the world, to widen the future market of the Japanese traditional art crafts, thereby our tradition can still entertain future generations.