People like TSUNAGI MOJI(letters written without lifting the brush from the paper).

(Is that a pendant with names written without lifting the brush from the paper on?) This is called "TSUNAGI MOJI". Most of them are order-made. I think foreigners would find them interesting. Yesterday, one customer wanted to give this pendant to Jeff, so I wrote Jeff both in Japanese syllabary characters, called HIRAGANA in Japanese, and in KATAKANA. (Can we ask for the words that we like?) That's right. Like "We are all human beings" or "I LOVE Masao". (laughter) This is the zodiac sign of next year,isn't it? It's a dragon. (Did TSUNAGI MOJI pendant exist in old days?) I think the one written by hand wasn't existed in the past. Customers give me their names and I draw designs of TSUNAGI MOJI. I show them to the customers and if they like them, I start making. Customers just leave them in my hands. I don't see any other professioanls who write letters freely by brush. In this sense, my job is quite interesting. (With gold or silver?) Both gold and silver. (Is it right that after the production, you sennd customers the goods?) Yes. The orders are too many for me to make them in front of customers at once. I make about two of them at one time and sell the one. So, when a customer asks me for more than one, I can make many identical goods. We can do in such a way, you know. (If you have stocks of those goods, you can sell them to customers who have the same name, right?) Well, yes. But it's not interesting. Whenever I make, they are all different. Every product are peculiar. (Is it fashonable to have one's original goods?) That's the point. It is the reason why people like them. There are such customers who are too fond of them to order many times. Some order for each member of their families. I have both male and female customers. (What generation?) The second generation. (Did your father do TSUNAGIMOJI? ) No, he didn't. He started with trophy cups, trays, and Japanese teacups. Then, he grew out of it. I gradually stopped making golf trophies. (When did you start TSUNAGIMOJI?) Two or three years ago.

When we produce in great amounts, we have to think.

My real job is making tools for incense.(What about this?) This is the base model for water drops. We take its mold, and then we make it's inside hollow with high-tech. (High-tech?) It's gilt. Making this the base the wax mold is taken. Then we paint it with something that would let electricity flow through, making it a gilt by passing it through some tools. We make pure silver and gold by melting bronze. That is why, recently, accessories can be produced at a rather cheap price. Using that, water drops. (Do you make a lot of accessories?) Incense tools are the majority. When there is an event, we do accessories for sale. We would sell incense tools there if they would sell, but they only sell in speciality stores, for some reason. But at events, we get in contact with the guests. We say, "We can do this and that, we can fix that" and that connects us and the visitors. (To make incenses, do you do it yourself?) No, I don't. Not at all. I have a teacher who I ask about many things. He tells me “This is no good.” I produce from what he teaches me. (What about this?) KANNON is in it. We chain it here. We have many of these, related to KANNON. We put sweet smelling tree of KYARA (aloeswood) in it. (Is this a very complicated job?) The job is complicated, but if the base is good, there's not much to it. (Everything is in the base?) Nothing can be done without a base. It has to be considered when producing in great amounts. Otherwise, the price won't become cheeper.

If I made a hundred, it would be very difficult, I would die.

(How do you go about mass production?) With a cast. Like rings are often done. That is the method. The pendant for "NINGEN DAMONO" are made in that way, too. However, ones with the names are almost all singles. (Do you do the casts by yourself?) I ask the casting company for that. I only have to bring them. So, for example, when early production is asked for and when there is a bunch of order from catalogues, and when we need many of the same pattern, we use the method. If we made them one by one, we would be in chaos, we would die. (Laugh) (You curve the name?) Yes, I curve it. (What about the surface?) There are times when I hit it. (You don't put any hammar marks?) I think it's better if I don't put any, but there are some people who would prefer the more rough ones. In other words, traditional art needs the surface to be processed with hitting. (Isn't polishing effective, too?) It's also fascinating. But, making it a little rough without polishing it makes it a traditional industrial art.

I really want to have someone take this job after me.

(How old were you when you started this job?) Since I graduated from high school. (Was your father the first generation?) Yes, it will be 40 years soon. (What about the job?) Well, we do everything. If I tried, I could, but I don't have the time. The incense tools are enough for me. We help each other out. (Are you alone?) I am alone. My son, on either going to take my job or finding another work, he took the second choice. In Honda's Research Institute, he makes auto-bicycles from clay. He does stuff similar to what I do, but he chose that. I was hoping that he would fail in it but it lasted. He has more vacation and more bonus in that job. (Were there workmen in your fathe's generation?) Yes, there were some, of course, in my father's generation. He managed it somehow. Now it's quite a pain to have an pupil. It's so much trouble to teach him. "Do this that way and this way". It takes up quite some time. In that case, I can be the only one. This can end in my generation! (Laugh) (Isn't it too important to end?) Well, maybe. I want to leave it somehow. For these incense tools, for example leaving the measures, I am thinking about things like that. I have been talking to the incense teacher, and we are leaving the measures. Unless we leave measurements for the tools, the people are going to be in trouble later. It collapses gradually. Incenses. Nobody knows when a master dies. (The measures are strict?) Yes, this, after I thought about it for a while, it's better to have it SUN X SUN, the old style. Centimeters isn't enough. Like 4SUN and 5BU, it should be exact. If the measurement distinction is left, it's going to be easier, that is, tool-wise. Isn't that enough already? (Laugh) (Does someone else do the rest?) Well, yes, if the measurement is firm, I think it'll be fine. However, I want to leave it to someone, a succeedant, someone to inherit. I have to leave it. It's us artisans' destiny, to do so. It's awful if everything was taken and gone. The method will die, it'll be the end. For us, ivory and wood and metals won't be enough. Especially ivory, which I haven't been making except for teapot handles and teapot patterns. It's easier because I have made some, but it's no use unless I do it all by myself, with the lack of workmen. One has to make everything from scratch all by himself, including wood. (There's no time to take pupils?) That is pretty difficult, I have experiences. It takes time, preparing for the pupil's work the next day, and there's a lot more to it.

"You are poor at selling"

(Do demonstration sales help?) Demonstrations in department stores are great because it reflects the customer's opinions. I understand what they are looking for. For example, if I make something that a customer wants, there's many more people who would buy it, right? It's so much better than sitting at home, thinking of what to make. (Is it frequent?) Some people do it all year long, I do it about 12 times a year. (You can't make it?) I want time to make it. (Mr.Hirose is which?) Well, I am the type that produces. A mannequin told me the other day, "You are poor at selling, you are a maker." I always discount quickly, whenever someone says, "Please make a reduction." (Laugh) I am too generous. It's fine to make a little reduction, but they tell me, "There's no need to make it that much cheaper!" Leave me alone. I'm the one that made it! (Laugh) And the advertising. (Showing the pamphlet) Recently, I was involved in this event. There, they were playing the song, "ONNA NO MISAO" There is a part that goes (singing) "For you-." ? (Holding the "For you" pendant") This is going to be a hit! (Laugh) (You sell with ENKA playing in the back?) I might. It fits amusingly. I think that it's very interesting.

There is no time for cleaning.

(You take pictures for your work here?) There is a recesses, but it's messy. When there is events after events, working, I go and don't come back for a week. Then, I come home, and there comes the next event, so I have no time for cleaning. (Is it a good thing to be busy?) Yes, it's a good thing to be busy. That's good, but there's other things. (Even though there's many people without jobs?) Well, in that way, I am indebted.