A Life Surrounded by Crafts from a Young Age

Most of us have probably dreamed of a future career inspired by a TV show or comic book from our childhood. For Miyamoto, however, it was a bit different. During our interview, he casually dropped a Japanese proverb: "A young acolyte near a temple learns the sutras by ear." So, what exactly did he mean?

“My father was a craftsman at a furniture company in Kyoto, and we had a small workshop at home. For whatever reason, I didn't go to kindergarten, so I often played by myself during the day. But across the street was a traditional townhouse carpenter, and next door was a woodworking shop, so I'd spend all day long just watching the artisans at work.”

He was surrounded by craftsmanship from his earliest memories—even before what you might properly call childhood. “I just knew, without being taught, ‘Oh, this is how you use this tool.’ I pretty much understood,” he recalled of that time.

It's astonishing to think that while other kids his age were pretending to be superheroes, Miyamoto was playing "craftsman" using his father's actual tools.

A Family of Creators

So how did his family feel about young Miyamoto being surrounded by his father, other artisans, and dangerous tools like planes (Kanna) and chisels (Nomi)? You’d think they would have been worried sick, but Miyamoto's family was a family of makers, all engaged in creative work. To them, it might have been the most natural thing in the world.

“It wasn't just my dad; my mother also did tapestry weaving. My mother would knit sweaters for me. When I outgrew them, she would unravel the yarn and re-knit them in a bigger size. Actually, my older brother also loved making things and built items like telescopes back then.

"Given that environment, it's no surprise that my study desk was also made by my dad. I grew up thinking that parents just naturally made their own furniture. We never, not once, used anything bought from a store.”

It was this unique environment, so different from that of his peers, that turned Miyamoto's heart and mind toward the world of crafts so early in life.

School Assignments & an Encounter with an Old Friend

When he entered elementary and junior high school, classes like arts and crafts and home economics began. While everyone else fumbled with unfamiliar tools, Miyamoto quickly started to stand out.

"Back then, for summer homework, I would do things like build models or add a backrest to a folding chair. In high school, I chose crafts as an elective and made speaker boxes and a rocking chair. The teachers didn't give specific instructions on what to make, so I just created whatever interested me."

At the time, it seems Miyamoto was less focused on woodworking specifically and more interested in the broader world of craftsmanship. It was during this period that he met someone who would become a lifelong friend: product designer Teiyu Goto.

"Goto, the designer behind Sony's PlayStation and VAIO computers, is actually a childhood friend of mine. He loved making things too and always carried a notebook, sketching car designs whenever he had a spare moment. That was a huge inspiration for me in its own way."

Surrounded by friends who were also interested in design, Miyamoto became even more captivated by the allure of craftsmanship. Underlying all his creative work was an ethos he had absorbed from his family environment.

"This is something I always say, but I believe that if something was made by human hands, I can make it too. It’s easy to say you don't have the right tools or materials. In that case, you just have to make do with what you have. I suppose that habit of figuring things out and creating on my own is something I picked up as a child."

The childhood experience of watching his father build furniture for their home became the foundation of who Miyamoto is today.

"Partly because of that, I never wanted to have the same things as everyone else. I’ve made my own shoes and belts before. I could concentrate far better on crafting than on studying. I guess the joy and satisfaction of creating something and using it myself was a huge part of it."

The Spirit of "Creating for Someone Else"

For Miyamoto, a piece of work is not finished the moment it's physically complete. We asked him about the spirit behind his creations.

"I believe the essence of craft isn't just about making an object; it's about pouring your heart into creating something for someone else. That's something I definitely learned from my father and mother.

"They would put a lot of thought into a study desk for their child, figuring out how to make it more user-friendly. It’s the same as knitting a sweater. I grew up in an environment where making things for others was the norm, and I think that’s the most significant link to my craftsmanship today."

Miyamoto reflects, "My childhood environment is the origin of my craftsmanship." And so, before he knew it, he found himself becoming an apprentice to the man who would be his master, Kenkichi Kuroda.