A workshop in Iwate Prefecture has been making traditional Nambu ironware kettles for decades. After taking over the business from his master-craftsman father, Tayama Takahiro decided to rethink the work environment. To attract younger applicants, he replaced grueling schedules and long apprenticeships with 5-day workweeks and paid time off. And he designed a simple kettle that can be produced by less-experienced artisans. But there are bumps along the way and Takahiro must learn to adapt.
Stories about people, stories about life.
Hometown stories.
We'll do it again,
one more time.
No excuses.
You still don't get it.
Traditional Nambu ironware kettles have been made for hundreds of years.
These masterpieces of metalwork originated in Morioka in Iwate Prefecture.
Today's story takes a look at a small workshop in Iwate
that specializes in these pinnacles of craftsmanship.
- I'm clocking out now.
- Good night.
Get home safe.
They're trying to ensure that everyone enjoys good work-life balance, which is a bit non-traditional.
They work from 8 AM to 5 PM, five days a week.
That allows them to focus on personal obligations.
Planning to make new pieces?
I want to, but I've been busy.
I have to take care of my kids.
Parenting duties, I see...
Lots of things to deal with.
It's hard.
The company's president seems to be having a tough time.
Old-fashioned working styles can deter young people from entering this industry.
That required a complete rethinking of the work environment.
Iwate is the home of Nambu ironware.
A unique kettle design has been making a splash.
Each piece takes 8 months to complete.
It's my first time drinking water
boiled in an iron kettle.
It has a smooth, mellow taste.
It's probably infused with iron.
It's a beautiful color.
Like an apple.
Both the shape and flavor
are well-rounded.
Iwate is known for its excellent apples, which inspired this piece.
It was designed by Tayama Takahiro, a 39-year old artisan.
Apples come in cute shapes.
This one is good quality and
doesn't require much technique.
That's why we can offer it
at a reasonable price.
If we can make more affordable products
and increase demand,
I think it will give young artisans
more opportunities.
After graduating from university, Takahiro took a sales job at a food company in Tokyo.
Then, after the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, he wanted to contribute to his hometown.
He decided to go into the family business.
My father was already an artisan.
He'd just gone out on his own
and opened a studio.
He's very skilled.
I got into this thanks to him.
If I hadn't, it would've been
a wasted opportunity.
Right away, Takahiro discovered problems that would deter younger workers.
The environment was so different
from the typical modern workplace.
We decided to give people days off
on weekends and holidays.
We redesigned the job so that
they could work fixed hours,
and get paid days off.
And a more normal work environment.
Moreover...
Artisans had once relied on mental notes to guide them.
Now, instructions are written down in detail to improve efficiency.
At my old job, I had just one day off
and that was on a weekday.
I rarely had the chance
to hang out with my kids.
Now I can spend so much
more time with them.
They plan to offer compensation
equivalent to civil service jobs.
The future looked bright,
that's what drew me here.
The apple-shaped Nambu kettle was created in this updated work environment.
In February 2022, one of the craftsmen got into an accident.
He was driving on a snowy road in the company car when it flipped over.
It's a miracle he wasn't hurt.
One wrong move, and things
could've been much worse.
Unfortunately, the car was carrying dozens of casting molds.
These molds, made from sand and soil, are crucial to the kettle-making process.
Out of 47 molds, 25 were broken in the accident.
As he was recreating the molds, Takahiro came across something concerning.
This one's no good.
The iron wasn't poured well enough.
If you don't do each step properly,
it affects the quality.
Takahiro's father stepped in.
He was worried that the artisan's skills weren't up to par.
If they don't meet all the criteria,
they'll create too many lemons.
Just after 5 PM, the craftsmen started heading home.
Good night.
Get home safe.
Young workers are
busy with their families.
They get plenty of time off.
By making their own pieces,
they can acquire the skills
needed for this craft.
I've told them that,
but it's not working out...
My father worked with
artisans from the old days.
He started at the age of 15,
and only began painting kettles at 45.
It took 30 years for him to be
allowed to handle molten iron.
Kazuyasu's pieces are works of art.
The cherry blossom pattern etched on this kettle is breathtaking.
A few years ago, he was awarded the title of Contemporary Master Craftsman.
Even now, in his seventies, he continues to make new pieces.
He's always refining his skills
and making whatever he wants to make.
My father has a strong desire to create.
He works on weekdays, weekends,
sometimes even at 3 in the morning.
Takahiro worries that his new approach to work might not produce artisans like his father.
I tried new ideas,
structured it as a company.
I hired people to nurture
the next generation of artisans.
But I wonder if it's beneficial for them
to operate like white-collar workers.
Will it help the industry flourish?
These are some of the issues
I'm grappling with.
You still don't get it
after so many tries?
Miyata Koya, a 25-year old artisan, joined the studio in 2022.
He had long admired Kazuyasu's work.
Did you shave it?
How did you do it?
That's wrong!
You have to remove this part.
Don't shave this.
You have to remove it.
We re-use these fragments.
That's why you have to
take off big chunks.
We're going to use them again.
Scraps stuck to the kettle are reused for molds.
Newcomer Koya is learning directly from a master craftsman.
Originally from Iwate, Koya went to university in Tokyo.
He was interested in the craft of Nanbu kettles, so about a year ago, he decided to take the plunge.
I always enjoyed creating things,
and was interested in traditional crafts.
If I was going to get into it,
I wanted to learn from the best.
The flames are beautiful.
Sand, clay-water...
There's something primal about them.
I love it.
I enjoy smearing my face with them.
He takes detailed notes of everything he learns.
When making the knob for the lid,
I rotate it as it rests on this finger.
I rotate it with four fingers.
You can see the numbers here.
It's rare to learn directly from
a master craftsman like him,
so I'm grateful for his help.
I had to learn all my skills just
by observing senior artisans.
Maybe if someone had taught me
directly back then,
I could've picked things up
much more quickly.
Kazuyasu has some regrets about how he was trained long ago.
So he's trying to provide Koya with as much detail as possible.
No, no.
Don't place your hands like that!
You won't be able to exert enough strength.
Hold it properly, like this.
Shave it the way this was done.
Can you see the difference?
We don't shave haphazardly.
There's logic behind it.
If you do this step properly,
it'll make the next step much easier.
Koya is willing to sacrifice his leisure time to learn new techniques.
Takahiro senses great potential in him.
Learning quickly is key for those
with the desire to create.
We want to build a system
that can nurture people like him.
Takahiro was already planning his next move.
Visitors can watch the artisans
at work in the back.
He's opening a new studio in a developing park side area of Morioka,
where cafes and community spaces are being built.
Here, visitors can shop and observe the process of creation.
We can't take a half-baked approach.
It's either dirt cheap or top-notch quality.
Can't be both.
He believes that it's important for the artisans to learn from his father,
produce more kettles, and improve their skills.
My father could pass away at any time.
We need to have a system
in place for when that happens.
Done?
No, three more kettles left
and twelve lids.
He asks his staff if they're willing to sacrifice some personal time to hone their skills.
You want to make
your own original piece?
You haven't made one yet.
I haven't.
I'm not planning to create
one anytime soon.
Maybe once I have
more time to spare,
I can find more chances to create,
little by little...
I want to create,
but I have to take care of my kids.
I have to take my son
to his tennis matches and practice.
So my weekends are pretty full.
Parenting duties, I see...
Lots of things to deal with.
It's hard.
Takahiro might have been pushing the artisans too hard.
The workers have also raised concerns about his policies.
Takahiro opens up to newcomer Koya about his predicament.
I don't know what to do.
I'm trying to keep the communication
lines open with the workers.
May I say something out of line?
Be frank with me.
No clue what to do.
I think you need to interact with
us on a more personal level.
We all understand the company's
official policies and rules,
whether we agree with them or not.
But we don't know you as a person
or your motivations behind this approach.
That's what I think.
They're preparing to move to the new studio.
All the workers have assembled.
The new studio is ready,
and this is where we'll be working.
Big changes this year.
I want to decide together with you all
how we'll use this space.
After deep deliberation, Takahiro has decided to get everyone's input about the studio's future.
Let's see...
I haven't found a clear solution,
but I want everyone's input to create
an environment that fosters learning.
Even as the times change, some things stay the same.
This is Kazuyasu's latest piece, Kangetsu, or "cold moon."
It's a tribute to the moon in winter.
As a joke, I ask people if they've
seen the dark side of the moon.
When they say no, I tell them to
look at the back of this kettle.
Koya continues to learn.
This is the size.
He will soon make
his first original piece.
So many people have been
affected by the tsunami and pandemic.
This lotus is a harbinger of peace
to a world in despair.
You'd be good at making rice balls.