The Commitment to Uphold a Legacy

Azuma was born into a family of paulownia chest artisans in Wakayama, a lineage stretching back over 100 years. Yet, as a child, he had no desire to take over the family business, once even considering a career as a hairdresser. He recalls writing "I will become the world's best paulownia chest craftsman" in his elementary school yearbook, but admits it was only to make his father happy.

The turning points were his father's illness and a fateful encounter with a master craftsman. When Azuma was in his late 20s, his father was diagnosed with blood cancer and given only a short time to live. Right up until his diagnosis, his father had been tirelessly sourcing paulownia wood and collaborating with fellow artisans. Witnessing his father's dedication, Azuma felt a powerful conviction: "It would be a profound loss to let over 100 years of history end with my generation." He resolved to become the fifth-generation head of the family business.

"History is made of individual human passions that form points, which then connect to create a line. I couldn't let that line break on my watch," Azuma explains. It wasn't pressure that motivated him, but rather a profound sense of "pride" and "responsibility."

The "Ultimate Technique" and Eye for Materials Learned from a Master

Azuma learned a special technique from a craftsman—a friend of his father's known as the "God of Lacquer"—which involves applying lacquer with his bare hands. Normally, lacquer causes a severe rash, so most artisans handle it with gloves. However, Azuma is constitutionally immune to lacquer rashes, allowing him to use the fine lines of his palms to create a unique texture that a brush simply cannot replicate.

He also inherited a keen eye for materials from his grandfather and father. "You can't know the beauty of the wood grain until the moment you split a paulownia log," he explains. Buying paulownia logs involves judging the inside's condition by its external appearance, a process he likens to sourcing high-end Wagyu cattle. "It's like a lottery, really. It’s a lifelong learning process."

Furthermore, his father repeatedly told him, "Don't skimp on materials. You can only achieve the ultimate work by using the best ingredients." While upholding this teaching, Azuma continues to challenge himself to "transform B-grade and C-grade wood into S-grade quality through my own skill." This mindset of breathing life into wood that would otherwise be discarded is a driving force not only for preserving tradition but also for creating new value.

From Tradition to Brand

When he first took over the family business, paulownia chests (kiri-tansu) were hardly selling in department stores, trapping him in a frustrating price war. During this time, a trip to Tokyo gave Azuma a shocking realization. In a chic Roppongi boutique, he watched as young people casually purchased beds costing nearly one million yen. Meanwhile, the traditional chests he saw in department stores wouldn't sell even when priced under 200,000 yen. That's when it hit him: "This is the 'power of a brand.'"

After extensive trial and error, he created the world's first rock glass made from paulownia wood, shaved down to a mere 1mm thickness. It became an unexpected smash hit, becoming the first craft project to successfully meet its goal on the crowdfunding platform "Makuake."

"I launched it without asking anyone for favors," he recalls. "There's no point in hitting a target just by having your friends buy it. But when we reached the goal in just seven hours, I became convinced that even artisanal crafts could make it."

In this way, Azuma's paulownia chests began to be sought after not just as "traditional crafts," but for the intrinsic value of the "Kagu no Azuma" brand.

A World Opened by Encounters: A Network Expanding from the LEXUS NEW TAKUMI PROJECT

A major turning point that catapulted Azuma's name into the spotlight was the "LEXUS NEW TAKUMI PROJECT," an initiative by Toyota Motor Corporation. In 2017, being selected as the best artisan in Japan through this project dramatically expanded his network of fellow artisans and designers, leading to collaborations with major corporations.

For instance, he used lacquer-dyeing techniques on a kimono fabric base for the 20th-anniversary model of the bag brand genten, which sold out in a single day. A collaboration with MARKS & WEB produced paulownia hand mirrors and soap trays, showcasing the appeal of handcrafted items for everyday use.

Furthermore, exhibiting at the Lexus booth at Salone del Mobile in Milan led to a connection with Philip Morris, resulting in an appearance in the world's first "Maker's Gallery" and a commercial. Witnessing this intersection of global brands and traditional craftsmanship convinced him that "the potential for crafts is global."

He also deepened his relationships with an impressive roster of artisans and artists, including a master of Nambu ironware, President Orii of Momentum Factory Orii, and ceramic artist Shiro Tsujimura. These "encounters with exceptional talent" continuously sharpened Azuma's own philosophy of creation.

Technology, AI, and the Next Generation

Stating that "a craftsman's peak is until age 50," Azuma is already looking ahead, envisioning a new form of succession that leverages AI and digital technology. He plans to have machines learn his intricate hand movements and digitize his techniques through 3D scanning. He believes that by preserving his skills as video and AI-driven tutorials, artisans 100 years from now might be able to replicate his work.

However, Azuma draws a clear line between "what AI can do" and "what only humans can do." He emphasizes that the intuitive feeling of the wood fibers' resistance and the micro-adjustments of force can only be mastered by the human hand.

At the same time, Azuma's focus is firmly on his children and apprentices. He doesn't give his three sons an allowance; instead, he pays them a "salary" like any adult when they help with the work. He fondly remembers his youngest son, still in middle school, helping in the workshop all night and cheering at the sight of the morning sun. "I want them to learn about life through the act of creating," he says.

He also passionately encourages his apprentices and interns to go independent, supporting them with free materials and machinery. "If someone doesn't take the hit to pave the way, the next generation can't survive," he says, his words filled with a powerful sense of mission. "I want to pass the opportunities I received on to the younger generation."