Nowadays, scissors making had changed.
I'm the second generation. (Was your father a sword maker?) No. Actually, my father was not a sword maker, but the military requested to make swords in the wartime. My father was born in Meiji(1868-1912) 34 and no longer young if he was still alive. He used to say "I was born in 1901, and I'm the twentieth century!"(laugh) (Did he make scissors during the war?) He set up in business on his own in 1919. It still continues. But the business was interrupted due to the war though he continued after the factory became as a military factory. Since scissors were needed to cut such as vegetables from the farm, material was given. It was prohibited to make luxurious scissors such as for flowers. However, scissors to cut something like vegetables were indispensable so everything he need was given to make them. It was how he named the scissors. The scissors for flower were imposed tax, but not for garden shears. The scissors for flower were luxurious. Therefore, he continued to name his scissors as garden shears even after the war. The scissors for the flower arrangements was imposed tax, but not for garden shears. Though they are the same shape, rephrasing make them different. It is pretty strange (Did most people have garden shears at their home?) Yeah. Nowadays, scissors making had changed. They are made by pulling board from the press. I guess young people image scissors like these. But the scissors like the ones I just talked about are forged. Forging is to shape from a piece of iron to make scissors. But forging is not efficient. I bet the scissors making will change in 10 or 20 years.

They are for trimming garden plants and hedges.
(Expert in flower scissors?) Yes, yes. I make flower scissors, but they are often for cutting trees such as bonsai and ikebana(flower arrangement). They are for trimming garden plants and hedges. (You do everything by yourself?) Yes, roughly most of the part. But not recently. It is too hot (laugh) and also pollution like street noises. (What is this picture of the building on the wall?) Before building this new house, somebody showed up to take the picture of it. (Was it tastefully house?) Everybody liked the old house more (laugh). (When was this picture taken?) It was in Heisei(1989-present) 4. Two months before the tear down.

You can use it for a long time.
(What's this?) I didn't do this before. I was told to do it, so this will be my main work. (What's this scissors for?) This is a gardening shear. There's one like this over there, the big one right there. I call the big one Okubo Scissors, a regular gardening shear. My hand is so big and scissors have to be big like that. But ladies' hands are small, so scissors I make now are better for them. People with small hands can't use big scissors. I used to make those small scissors as a special order, but now I make them regularly. (How big is the cutting edge?) It is about the same, but the grip different. It is a little more expensive. The materials are different. I'm thinking of making price little higher.1000 to 1500 yen. (How much were the old ones?) About 14000yen. (Is this small one for women?) It is actually for everyone. I explain to the customers that the tools are extension of your hands, so the fit is the most important. I recommend the small scissors for small-handed people, and big scissors for people with big hands. There are varieties of scissors. (Do you have the scissors for kids?) Yeah, I got the smaller ones. Also, the aged people use them. (Is it the lifetime thing?) Yes. You can use it for a long time. But it depends on how you use it. The one over there is not mine but this customer used for 43 years. Since he used it every day, it is glistening. (Was it repaired?) No, it was never repaired. (How is the sharpness?) Of course, it's an edged tool so will lose its edge as you use it. (Do the blades ever get loosen?) Yes. the metal fittings are expendables.

Since I have customers from Tokyo, I make both shapes.
(Is the shape differ by the different areas?) People from Kansai image scissors for flower arrangement with bracken ornament since their ancestor is Ikenobo. The scissors developed in Edo (Tokyo) were the ones with vine. So Ikenobo, Sougetu, and Obara are the shape of Kansai. Since I have customers from Tokyo, I make both shapes. About half and half. (How do you call the scissors for flower arrangement in Kansai?) Since there is a little objection, I call them Warabite(bracken hand). Then, nobody would complain about it. I call the other one, Tsurute(Vine hand)

Nowadays people are not good at using scissors.
(The space to put your hand in is so small!) You can't gain force without putting your hands. If you are not skilled, you put your hands between them. Nowadays people are not good at using scissors and use them by force. As the result, top part will be bent. People used to value the scissors.People stopped using saw for flower arrangement. They cut everything with the scissors. To cut thick branches, they put floor cloth under the flower and put their weight on the scissors. If they don't use them correctly, the top part will be bent. Many people say those parts are bent, but never say their hands are hurt. I wondered why they didn't hurt their hands. So I tried to find out why, and discovered about the floor cloth. (Isn't it reckless?) There isn't any teacher who teaches that. We never did that in the past. If it is impossible to cut with scissors, we use hatchets and saws. There are tools for depend on the situation such as small blade for flower arrangement. But people only use the scissors. So I make thick and strong scissors, but it won't be any help. Though I make them durable, the people use them same way. (Can you repair them?) Yes, but its their habit, so they do it over and over.


I just cut to try out the scissors.
(Are these the scissors for bonsai?) Yes. The straight one over there is also for the bonsai. (For cutting branches?) Yeah, yeah. It is called edasukashi and is our early product. (Do the shapes make difference in prices?) Yes. (Is there any big and small ones?) There is no difference in size, but we have two kinds of bonsai scissors. The one is for nipping off the shoots. (Do you trim the bonsais?) Me? No, but I cut bonsai to test the scissors, hahaha. (Do you roughly cut them?) Yes. There was a big garden in the past, but not anymore. So I just cut to try out the scissors.

Many foreigners knowing the brand name often come.
Many foreigners knowing the brand name often come. I take care of them, but the scissors with no name brand cost about 1/3. People have to actually use the scissors to tell the difference. They are 3,4 times more expensive even in the Japanese market. When the customer from other countries don't specify the brand, it is better to recommend them the other scissors. (Why is the price so different?) It's the material and the technique. Now there is machine of discharge processing. But they look all the same. There is no difference in the shape if its hand made or not.

I just keep the part which is essential.
You can easily tell the difference when you compare it with others. Reporters often wonder the lightness of our scissors. But their weight aren't so light. It is the design. I remove all the excessive parts. There is no difference in the function compared to the others. I also make them to look good. How should I say this? I just keep the part which is essential. I make the part of scissors, as it should be; not making flat part round and round part flat. When you make a part that should be flat with round shape, it would become ugly. (Are thy light and easy to use?) Yes. When the scissors are made, as they should be, the users won't get tired.

My products are high quality hand made.
(How should buyers choose the first scissors?) How? Choose the one that fit you the most, make sure the blades work smoothly. That is the most important. Also for the durability, pick the one that has good blades. (You recommend getting good ones?) Yeah, if you get a good one, you can use it for many years. After that, overhaul the scissors, and you can use them again. This one got the prize from the Governor of Tokyo. It has flat bottom because it is more convenient when people smash the bottom part while water raising flowers. Everyone bangs these bottom parts. They slip with regular ones. The flat bottom makes the flowers draw up water good. (Oh, really?)(laugh) When I explain like this, everybody agrees. However, the designers don't think well about it. They think its ugly. They say the bottom part should be round, not flat. But the handiness is important. Some of our products are copied, but it's difficult to do that since my products are high quality hand made. The shapes were unique in different areas, but nowadays they all look similar. So, they must have special features. ( On the outside of the store, it says . Does the shape come from the handiness?) Ummyes. The handiness is important but also the appearance. The tools have to be attaching so the users don't become weary of them. Also, they all have to be able to cut smoothly. The sharpness is significant for scissors. Next is attracting shape. They must not have excessive parts. People think a great deal of those kinds of scissors. If they think the scissors are throw away, they don't take any care. But if they don't think that way, they take care after each use. Some people come for the repair, and those people still have worn-out boxes to put in.


It's a has-been.
(How many do you make in a year?) Not so many. Now I'm the only one who make scissors. But I make more than thousand of them. To make a living, I must make that much. It is better if I can sell them directly. Then, I can gain more profit and can make less. However I have a lot of contacts with wholesale dealers since my father time and can't change it to direct selling. Though the wholesale dealers don't say anything at exhibition and sale at the department stores, I'm not so enthusiastic on the selling. I get some orders when they appear on TV, but I tell TV station not to tell my address to the viewers. I just don't want to make leftovers. (Do the wholesale dealers of edged tool still have an influence?) Yes. My wholesale dealers are trustworthy though they are small. (Showing a registered mail for cash) I told this customer, I don't need prepayment. The payment in advance makes me in a hurry. It's not good.(laugh) So I don't accept any prepayment. (Is it for a private customer?) Yes, the customer is from Kyushu. I guess this customer asked my address from TV station when my works appeared on TV. When my works appear on TV or magazine, every time a few customers come. I do what I can, but I don't sell to the school head. I know the school head, but I would not sell the scissors to them. The whole sale dealers are already making big profit from the school head. If I sell my products I can sell many to the students of the school head, but I won't be able to make so many. Also, I don't want to the wholesale dealers to feel bad. It's strange but I don't put any price on my displays. I just show what I make. If I'm enthusiastic on selling, I put the price on them. But I don'tthough it's a has-been.

A skillful craftsman can do the work just like a machine does.
(Is this the scissors for cutting gauze?) Yes. My father used to make medical equipment. That one is used by the dentists. (Is this a nail clipper?) Yes. This is the one that the nurses are using. As the result of making medical equipment, my works have excellent finishing. People wonder if they are really done by hand. They think rough made looks more like hand made. I believe a skillful craftsman can do the work just like a machine does. Nowadays many craftsmen leave the mark of the file to show the customer it is really hand made. I can't believe it.