our mission
Redefining Luxury to
Preserve Cultural Heritage for
a Sustainable Future
about us
| about our mission | what we do | key people | location & artisanal heritage | our vision & value | founder’s story | contact |
location & artisanal heritage
The Region of Shikoku:
We are based in Takamatsu, the capital city of Kagawa prefecture in the Shikoku region of Japan. The Shikoku region is located mid-southwest of Japan and covers 18,800 square kilometers. To give you a sense of scale, it is slightly larger than the U.S. state of Connecticut and 1.4 times the size of Sicily in Italy. The region consists of the main island of Shikoku and the surrounding archipelagos and small islands.”
- Heritage Crafts We see today.
- Cultural and Scenery Diversity of Shikoku
- Geographic Causes
- Mountains
- Facing two seas
- Diversity of Products
- Historical Cause
- Uniqueness of Kagawa
Heritage Crafts We See today:
Both geographic and historical factors have driven our ancestors in Shikoku to craft various items, ranging from necessities to enriching daily life. While many crafts were once prevalent in the region, only a select few are seen today and have earned the distinction of being designated local or national heritage crafts. Sadly, these cherished heritage crafts face the looming threat of extinction, primarily due to a rapidly shrinking market.
At “KoLe SHIKOKU, Japan,” we are on a mission to prevent the loss of these precious crafts by reimagining their role in modern-day life. We seek to integrate heritage craftsmanship into contemporary lifestyles. To achieve this, we value your unique and innovative ideas to explore new applications for Shikoku’s heritage craftsmanship.
| about our mission | what we do | key people | location & artisanal heritage | our vision & value | founder’s story |
key people
| Artisan | Crafts Collaborator, Product Designer | Eco-conscious Photo Artist | Founder, Product Curator |
Takashi Morimoto
Certified Artisan of Kude Craft
Contemporary Master Craftsman
Wooden Crafts Enthusiast
Kagawa, Shikoku, Japan
Language: Japanese
Kae Morimoto
Heritage Crafts Collaborator
Heritage Crafts Product Designer
Fashion Enthusiast
Kagawa, Shikoku, Japan
Language: Japanese
Kozy
Setouchi-Glass Photo Artist
Ocean Activity Guide
Local Environment Enthusiast
Kagawa, Shikoku, Japan
Language: Japanese
Satoko Kamada
Founder of “KoLe,SHIKOKU, Japan”
Graphic Designer/Illustrator/Artist
Power of Human Creativity & Nature Enthusiast
Kagawa, Shikoku, Japan
Language: Japanese/English
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| about our mission | what we do | key people | location & artisanal heritage | our vision & value | founder’s story |
about our mission
| Redefining Luxury | Preserve Cultural Heritage for a Sustainable Future |
| The Filament Lamp Effect | For the Hints to Eco-friendly Way of Living | Preserving Cultural Heritage Takes Will | Promoting Cultural Heritage Worldwide |
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Redefining Luxury to
Preserve Cultural Heritage for
a Sustainable Future
Redefining Luxury:
Redefining luxury means reimagining what true luxury is all about. While luxury has often been associated with expensive price tags and extravagant lifestyles, we believe real luxury goes beyond that. It’s about experiencing the extraordinary in a way that aligns with your values.
For us, luxury means celebrating the rich heritage of Shikoku, Japan, and its centuries-old craftsmanship. It’s about cherishing the artistry and authenticity that come with every product we curate. But it doesn’t stop there. We’re also committed to sustainability, ensuring that the luxury you enjoy today doesn’t compromise our planet’s future.
It’s also the luxury of time spent—time our artisans dedicate to crafting exceptional pieces and the personalized communication we have with you to ensure your vision becomes a reality. Taking time is a luxury, and we invite you to savor every moment of your journey with us.
In essence, redefining luxury offers a different kind of opulence—a luxury rooted in tradition, infused with creativity, and dedicated to preserving culture and nature. It’s a luxury that lets you express your uniqueness and enjoy exclusive experiences that truly matter.”
Preserve Cultural Heritage for a Sustainable Future:
Step into a world where every purchase preserves history and paves the way for a more sustainable future.
How can luxury craftsmanship and cultural heritage drive positive change?
“The Filament Lamp Effect”
Imagine a simple thread of bamboo plucked from a Japanese fan,
leading to a revolution in the world of innovation.
This intriguing phenomenon,
which we fondly refer to as ‘The Filament Lamp Effect,’
embodies the essence of our mission.
We have coined a term for a phenomenon we hold dear, “The Filament Lamp Effect.” It draws its inspiration from the story of Thomas Edison’s relentless pursuit of a better filament for his light bulbs. In 1879, Edison achieved a breakthrough by using a simple cotton thread filament, which extended the bulb’s lifespan to 40 continuous hours. However, he didn’t stop there; he experimented with 6000 materials for improvement.
The turning point came when Edison pulled a bamboo thread from his Japanese fan, and the light bulb’s duration skyrocketed to 1200 hours. This specific bamboo hailed from Kyoto, Japan. Edison’s story teaches us a valuable lesson: the extraordinary can often emerge from the ordinary, and a material deeply rooted in one culture can offer profound solutions elsewhere.
Our founder, deeply inspired by this tale, states, “For the longest time, Asian people have used bamboo for many things. But we never considered using bamboo for a light bulb because we were not inventing it. Bamboo is ubiquitous material in Asian culture but not as much in Western culture. One ordinary thing in one culture can be a significant solution in other parts of the globe. We should never underestimate or undervalue our own culture.”
We dream that one day, The Filament Lamp Effect will spark in someone overseas through the heritage crafts of Shikoku, Japan. Until that day arrives, our mission is clear: we must diligently preserve and share our rich cultural heritage.
For the Hints to Eco-friendly Way of Living
Heritage crafts, reminiscent of “The Filament Lamp Effect,” comprise intricate layers of knowledge, materials, methods, and user insights. Preserving these crafts extends beyond safeguarding their physical forms; it’s about cherishing the entire ecosystem around them.
Much like Thomas Edison’s quest for the ideal filament material, heritage crafts hold hidden clues to eco-friendly living. They offer insights into sustainable material usage, time-tested crafting techniques, and a mindset prioritizing enduring quality over disposable. Japanese crafts, celebrated for their durability and fixability, reflect a philosophy of creating items meant to last generations.
We aim to harness “The Filament Lamp Effect” within these crafts, revealing their capacity to inspire a more sustainable society that enriches lives while respecting our planet.
Preserving Cultural Heritage Takes Will:
Preserving cultural heritage is a meaningful endeavor, as highlighted in “For the Hints to Eco-Friendly Way of Living.” Heritage crafts encompass various facets, any of which may ignite ‘The Filament Light Effect’ in the future.
Nonetheless, protecting these crafts requires concerted effort. Many heritage crafts in Japan have either faded from modern life or are confronting a sharp decline in demand. When a craft vanishes, it takes the craft itself and its materials, tools, knowledge, and skills, and all lost to time.
To uphold these heritage crafts, we must raise awareness and cultivate usage, enabling contemporary artisans to thrive while inspiring future generations to envision their place in the heritage crafts industry.
Promoting Cultural Heritage Worldwide
Our mission is NOT to proclaim Japanese heritage crafts as the world’s finest. Instead, we aim to inspire individuals globally to take an interest in their own cultural heritage and crafts.
Our activities, as elucidated in “The Filament Lamp Effect,” “For the Hints to Eco-Friendly Way of Living,” and “Preserving Cultural Heritage Takes Will,” underscore the importance of safeguarding cultural legacies worldwide.
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what we do
Three Things We Do:
At “KoLe, SHIKOKU, Japan,” we are dedicated to creating a world where luxury isn’t just a status symbol but a celebration of craftsmanship, heritage, and sustainability. Dive into a realm where every product tells a unique story and where you have the power to design your own luxury experience.
1.
Curate and offer bespoke luxury products inspired by Shikoku’s heritage craftsmanship.
2.
Provide a unique opportunity to customize curated items or design new pieces from scratch.
3.
Foster a community of like-minded individuals dedicated to preserving cultural heritage through sustainable luxury experiences.
| Looking for ready-made items | Customizing Existing Items | Designing New Items | Curious about the Community |
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our vision & value
Our Vision:
At “KoLe, SHIKOKU, Japan,” we envision a vibrant community that embraces individual differences, fosters mutual respect, and ensures a sense of security. We aspire to cultivate a source of inspiration for uncovering innovative, sustainable solutions globally, drawing upon the wisdom of cross-cultural heritages.
Human creativity flourishes when individuals feel secure, content, and confident in their uniqueness. Innovations arise from diverse perspectives, and even the slightest insights beyond the familiar can ignite the “Filament Lamp Effect.”
We believe that solutions to today’s environmental challenges are hidden within the often-overlooked wisdom of diverse cultural heritages spanning 300,000 years across the globe.
We focus on building a community that embodies these principles and providing opportunities to learn our heritage crafts and create bespoke items that integrate our local heritage craftsmanship and your unique vision. These are all for us to catalyze the excavation of this wisdom and foster cross-disciplinary collaboration for a more sustainable future.
Creative diversity is the key. We are looking forward to joining us soon.
Our Value
At “KoLe, SHIKOKU, Japan,” we commit to forming a community that celebrates the uniqueness of every individual to be an inspiration for shaping a sustainable future. We take pride in being a human-centric establishment and hold the individuals who make up the “KoLe, SHIKOKU, Japan” community in the highest esteem.
Our community comprises everyone engaged with “KoLe, SHIKOKU, Japan,” from the talented artisans crafting items in Shikoku, Japan, to our dedicated service and material providers, our valued business partners, the members of “MiseNoMa – virtual store counter,” regardless of their purchase history, and our supportive social media audience.
We firmly expect all our community members to treat each other with the utmost respect. This aligns with our vision of fostering a vibrant community that not only embraces diversity but also nurtures mutual respect and a profound sense of security. This extends to how we engage with our collaborators and how our community members interact with one another.
Hence, we stand firmly against specific behaviors, especially:
- Projects that impose undue or unreasonable financial pressure on our producers and workforce.
- Any form of disrespectful, inconsiderate, judgmental, one-sided, or unproductive actions or comments within our community.
We eagerly anticipate our community thriving with individuals who embrace diversity, nurture mutual respect, and show compassion. Most importantly, we can’t wait to welcome you into our community soon.
Image by Pete Linforth from Pixabay
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founder’s story
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Explore KoLe, SHIKOKU, Japan: Uncover the Essence of Our Story.
Journey through the heart of KoLe, nestled in the tranquil landscapes of Kagawa, Shikoku. Dive into the Founder’s Story, a candid reflection shared by Satoko Kamada, revealing the genuine inspiration and purpose that birthed KoLe. Join this unique narrative where tradition meets innovation, weaving a tale of heritage craftsmanship, sustainability, and creativity.
Discover Our Founder’s Story and immerse yourself in the quiet elegance that defines KoLe.
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