From the world of athletes to that of craftsmen – aiming for the top in both worlds.

Yuichi Hirose, the fourth-generation owner of Hirose Dyeworks, was active in the windsurfing world during his university days as a reinforcing member of the Olympic Games team. Hoping to continue competing a bit more when the time came to take over the family business, he says he maintained the same awareness as a craftsman that he had while an athlete.

“When I was windsurfing, I always practiced with a desire to be number one. As a craftsman, too, I’m not going to do it if I can’t become number one. Now that I’ve decided to do this, I’m aiming for the top spot in this world.”

Hirose Dyeworks commands a leading presence in Edo komon textiles, actively engaging in new product development and collaboration with designers in other industries while carrying forward the traditions and culture of Edo.
Hirose says that creating an environment is vital to consistently delivering a top performance.

“In sports or craftsmanship, moderation is important for going the distance. Working with stability every day is vital. If you work late because you’re busy, you won’t produce good results. If your spirit or purpose is even a little shaky because you’re fretting over whether your works will sell, that becomes immediately apparent in the works themselves. It’s of course important that the works sell, but when that alone becomes the purpose, things become strange. I believe that preparing the environment and thoroughly delving into the skill is the essential nature of crafts.”

Hirose stands again today in his workshop, aiming for the top and preparing the environment as always.