niime 百科

Encyclopedia of niime

In this ‘encyclopedia of niime’, we will introduce you to tamaki niime from the perspective of the staff working in the Lab.
Mana Ishizuka and Ryuta Fujimoto pursue creation with a sincere attitude while having repeated discussions with the “Weave team” and improving themselves through friendly rivalry. We will hear their thoughts.


Mana Ishizuka was born and raised in the neighbouring city, Tamba, Hyogo prefecture. She went to Nishiwaki High School Life Information Department where Banshu-ori was part of the school curriculum. After graduation, she studied dyeing and weaving at an art university in Kyoto. She joined tamaki niime as a fresh graduate four years ago when our Shop & Lab was still in Ueno-cho, Nishiwaki.

Ishizuka

Basically, I wanted to weave as a career, but I accepted an offer for a general position. It was because, to become a weaver at tamaki niime, I wanted to learn all about tamaki niime beforehand. I travelled for sales. I also did customer service as a store clerk. It was my request. But again, there weren’t many staff back then, so we all had to share in the work. Also, it was helpful if you were an all-around player. Probably because I was the first employee hired as a fresh graduate. And because senior workmen gave us opportunities in different fields. All in all, I decided to try if I could. It was like that.

Ryuta Fujimoto was born and raised in Okayama. He went to college in Tokyo, then later, studied fashion at Bunka Fashion College and worked at a trading company that specialised in textiles. Then, he joined tamaki niime as a staff member in March 2017, the year after our base moved to our current location: the ‘Navel of Japan’, the City of Nishiwaki.

Fujimoto

They had already been divided into the “Weaving” and “Knitting” sections when I joined tamaki niime. “Weaving” required someone capable of heavy lifting work, so I was the right fit for “Weaving”. That was how I started here.

Ishizuka

You mean you didn’t want to do weaving?

Fujimoto

I was hoping to be involved in weaving. The most significant factor that made me interested in this company was the shawl.

—— Could you explain that more in-depth?

Fujimoto

I studied fashion patternmaking and joined a trading company that specialises in textiles because I wanted to learn the macro of the fashion industry. While I was working there for the production management and sales departments, I started wishing to shift to creative work. I started researching a variety of leading textile producers and traditional handicrafts and happened to see a job offer that tamaki niime posted on Facebook. If I had seen just an ordinary hiring advertisement, I would not be interested, but the job description was very unique as the company itself is.

—— So, it was undeniably unconventional and different, wasn’t it?

Fujimoto

It said that they were looking for applicants who want to succeed globally for sales, or are aspiring to be a weaving master. I wondered what kind of people would work at a company that can talk about such “incredibly aggressive and dreamful” things. At least, with the people I worked with within the fashion industry, I had never seen people like that. They were working hard while suffering and saying, “this is the real fashion industry, right?” Therefore, the job posting was… rather than saying that the words are radical, it was something more like “an awakening.” I was like, “what in the world is this? This is amazing!” The posting made me interested.They just happened to have a showroom at a department store in Ueno, Tokyo, so I visited there. There was an exhibit just after entering the main entrance on the 1st floor, and I caught an eyeful of the shawls when the door opened. They were shining. Like glowing on their own. I unconsciously kept touching them for a while. Then, I found out that there were clothing items as well when I looked around. I felt like I was going back to being a teenager. That was because I felt excited about fashion back when I was in elementary school and as a teenager. I have always liked style. However, I just haven’t had that heart-pounding excitement that I used to have back then. But, the feeling I had when I saw the scarf wrap shawl was the one I had, and it made me want to be involved. Then soon after, I made a call to the phone number on the job posting. In February, I officially got hired, and I am here, now.

Ishizuka

I knew tamaki niime for a long time because I went to Nishiwaki High School, and I knew that there was a maestro.But, I had already decided to go to an art college in Kyoto, which is historically renowned for weaving and dyeing, to be a craftsman there. So I left town to go to the art college. However, when I was a senior in college, I was brainstorming ideas on what to make for the final project and collecting my identity to express my work and thought to look more into my hometown, Nishiwaki. Then, I said, “Yes, Ms Tamaki!” and visited their atelier. I gradually realised that it was the creative work I wanted to do. I could feel the powerful pull of her creation. The feeling I had for it is indescribable. I had a feeling like, “this must be it!”Before retirement, my grandfather worked for a Banshu-ori related company and advised me not to go for it, because Banshu-ori business had become obsolete. Therefore, I only had negative impressions, but I spoke out and said to myself. “No way! Banshu-ori? That’s cool!” (laugh) I received the acceptance letter from the company but didn’t need to start working until April. I visited the company in Nishiwaki from Kyoto every week. I simply fell in love with tamaki niime itself, in their creation, their artworks and the people.

—— Ms Ishizuka, you seem to have grown with tamaki niime and have witnessed the rapid growth that the company has made. Would you mind telling us your motivation and difficulties at work?

Ishizuka

Honestly, it was nothing but difficulties. I needed to reach a level of understanding of the sense of beauty that Tamaki has. I was not sure what was good or bad. It was clear to everyone what was good once I saw the shawl at completion. But, from a creator’s perspective, it was challenging to identify what makes it suitable and how. So, I wanted to start learning Tamaki-ism from scratch. That was very challenging and fun at the same time. Why our product is an only-one creation. The making process. Why we are picky about colours and why we choose them. I learned all of this by observing them.

—— Ms Tamaki seems to limit herself to the Lab nowadays. Is that correct?

Ishizuka

Because Ms Tamaki is our designer and also a corporate owner, she is required to make tamaki niime better. She has a lot more to consider than we do. We, as the staff, with an understanding of our brand identity, need to create our own workflow in the Lab. Since the number of employees has increased over time, she, as CEO, should not do all the things she has been doing. We take this change as a skill training opportunity. Just try it, and involve the processes of a product creation together.

—— When you started working, did you learn by helping Ms Tamaki’s creative work?

Ishizuka

Ms Tamaki basically lets me be free to create because she is a craftsman as well. If I had something I didn’t know, I ask her. That created communication. I also told her that I wanted to help. I guess many coincidences overlapped.

—— You mean that at the right time and the right place, Ms Ishizuka was there.

Fujimoto

That was not all, but definitely yes. She was young and passionate. I believe Ms Tamaki must have had planned to help train the next generation’s talents.

Ishizuka

You must have heard from Ms Tamaki from time to time that it is our fate to carry on what we have been doing to the next generation. Not retaining it as just our own creation. It is too good to end with a particular era as there is such a great environment and technology for innovations in Banshu.

—— I think it’s a company that can accept many aspects of passion that employees can possess.

Ishizuka

Basically, we would barely be told, “No”. She says, “go ahead”, so I will challenge all kinds of things. (laugh) I can’t explain it well, but she wouldn’t limit our possibilities. So, we don’t stop challenging ourselves.

—— That’s wonderful.

Ishizuka

I wish I could explain it better.

—— I seem to understand why it is hard to explain. It is probably a niime-ism, that is different from other existing approaches of company management. She has the management approach of a craftsman but also supports her team to approach new challenges.

Ishizuka

Improve one’s way of thinking…like they say, the younger generation doesn’t try to think, these days, so people stop thinking. I think that is probably why she gives high value to letting our team try it out ourselves and think.

—— What would you feel about that, Mr Fujimoto.

Fujimoto

When I was a freshman, our training had a more structured, straightforward process in each department, and we were trained to be specialists. So, my first training was “Washing”…

Ishizuka

At niime tamaki, we all learn it as a first step.

Fujimoto

It seems like our work ethics and how we work was observed while we were learning “Washing” including how well we can communicate.

—— Ms Tamaki likes “people watching”, doesn’t she.

Fujimoto

“You seem to do well in “Weaving.” “All right, I will “Weave.” That was how I started. In our “Weave team”, I had senpais, Mr Ishizuka and Mr Chaya. They mostly trained me in “Weaving”, but when I got a little better at it, they introduced me to promotional works as a side task. Promotional tasks have been done by myself.

Ishizuka

Hey, Fujimoto, you like talking, right? (laugh) I bet Ms Tamaki picked that up.

Fujimoto

She does not look like she is doing it, but she does observe those personal characteristics.

—— Seems like so. (laugh)

Fujimoto

She assigns the role that she finds our staff is capable of. She does it not only to me but to her (Ms Ishizuka) and others as well. She also connects the person to person when she finds they have the same ideas in mind. I guess we are allowed a lot of freedom to work.

—— Ms Tamaki and Mr Sakai said in the previous ‘encyclopedia of niime’ discussions that Mr Fujimoto is good because he “doesn’t wait to be told” but is proactive and searches for work on his own.

Fujimoto

I forgot when, but there was a time I just realised like “a-ha”, “oh, she seems like letting us do anything. Even me. Really?!” I kind of remember she did let me do something, and I was surprised by that. I am in charge of public relations. This is just one of those things. Once anyone says, “I want to try…”, then, she says, “go ahead.” So, I think to myself and move proactively. That is more enjoyable for me. When I sense that our company flows in a direction, then I research and find what I can do. So, I think anyone can do this by finding related information and human resources for the particular action they would make for our company. I just happened to be there and have the information network.

—— Did you have this in mind, sharing the information from the beginning?

Fujimoto

Yes. I want to gather the information that specifically relates to areas that our company is heading in. Of course, including areas with my interests. I research little by little and gather information, then I curate it. In this process, it gives me a clue, “this might go hot.” So I share that. That is it. What I have been doing is nothing too tricky.

Ishizuka

Well, not all of us can do what you do. So, some of us can think the way you do, and some of us can see from different points of view and do our best for tamaki niime. The way he chooses is just like that.

—— Absorbing necessary information, organising, publishing and then sharing them.

Fujimoto

I don’t think my strong point is specialising in creation. For example, sewing textiles and creating one beautiful product. That is not what I specialise in. The kind of skills and abilities I have are, I think, just at a decent level. Of course, I keep brushing up on those skills, but I think what I can do does not have to be limited to those creation related works.

—— I agree. Your company seems to have a flexible business model.

Fujimoto

I often think about what I can do best and “contribute” to this company. I believe what I can do better is connecting people from outside with our company. Talking, chatting, discussing. Those things. Of course, the creation – the “Weave team” is my foundation. While doing that, I try to do my best here, thinking about what position should I take and move. I always think of them.

Ishizuka

Is it like creating a new position at work by yourself?

Fujimoto

It is like searching for a place I can be. I guess I feel a sense of caution.New members must have been hired because they have some skills that our existing people do not. I think I have to have more knowledge about our company than they do, and each of us works the best we can. However, I want to establish something that no one else in our company can do. I can say that this feeling drives me and I want to acquire something concrete I can contribute to our company.I think that something for her (Ishizuka) is designing skills, and for Mr Chaya, it is weaving. As many of us are trying to be more than one thing, I’ve always been thinking about where I would establish a position in this company.

—— When I talked to Ms Tamaki the other day, she said that a qualification in human resources that she was looking for was a person who could objectively view oneself. I think Mr Fujimoto is precisely that kind of person. I believe that you are highly skilled in judging yourself very calmly when it comes to your own positioning. Or if you do this, and to be able to do what you can do best while catching the direction of tamaki niime.

Ishizuka

Being able to see yourself objectively means that you can view the entire company as a whole. If so, it enables you to identify what is missing in our company now.

—— That is very true. Are you aspiring to specialise in creation, including designing and weaving, Ms Ishizuka?

Ishizuka

I want to mainly focus on design. Rather than finding new opportunities, I guess that it is like finding new opportunities in creativity itself. It has been four years since I started working here, I must have four years of field experience and views that freshmen don’t have. As a more experienced team player, it is my duty to share them. It is the same as Tamaki and Sakai walking ahead of us, as their followers, we have to be reliable. It is wasteful that new team members just work without knowing the fun at work. For this purpose as well, I need to be an excellent sempai who can enjoy discussions with newcomers. Things, I think. I need to discuss those with them…”I am senior and higher than them.” I would not like those ideas and prefer to be in an equal position to newcomers. If we aim at the same goal, we all have to work together. Just doing the best on your own thing. This is not the best idea.

—— Good creation is based on a good discussion…

Ishizuka

I want to train and gain those people who can take aim at the goal together. This is my hope.

—— Are you actively suggesting new ideas for creation as well, Ms Ishizuka?

Ishizuka

I am still not there yet, really. I have tons to do. It’s a long journey.

—— Such as designing, is there any part that is mostly in charge with you in the “Weave team”?

Ishizuka

Basically, most of the designing and weaving.

Fujimoto

Production planning, designing, weaving, team business planning, as well as inventory controls. Most of all the works.

Ishizuka

That is because all the work and task workflow and matters are linked together. So, I cannot focus on just a single thing.

—— Yes.

Ishizuka

If any of them has fallen apart, of course, I can not do everything perfectly, there were, countless oops moments, but all becomes my experience, and that becomes a new foundation to make it better every year. Creating too much does not work, and I did that, too. (bitter smile) I was like “Oh no, we have plenty of them in stock!”

—— I see…it does seem complicated.

Ishizuka

Well, it means that it requires skill to observe them as a whole and manage. I am still under training for that.

—— I see.

Ishizuka

But, we are one team. Doing everything by myself is not really a good idea. We all need to be team players and observe our work. I took all of the responsibilities on my back. That was my workable point.

—— So, you mean that there was a challenging time.

Ishizuka

I finally realised that all of the tasks are “linked together”. Then, inevitably I had to manage everything, right? But, (until Futimoto joined us), only two people, including me, were working together. Mr Chaya was working on machine maintenance that I could not do. So, both of us were dividing our work without any issues. However, once he (Fujimoto) joined the “Weave team”, he instantly realised our work structure. He was the first one to recognise that each team member should share their knowledge as we divide our work. I was too busy working on my own work to notice that. So, he “poked his nose” into our workflow here and there.

Fujimoto

When I saw how the work is divided into mechanical tasks and designing tasks, I noticed she was doing charges such as inventory checks until late at night. And I thought those tasks could be done much quicker if that would be assigned to others who are busy with mechanical tasks or designing tasks.

Ishizuka

I didn’t know. Those were time-consuming tasks for sure. (laugh)

Fujimoto

I thought “this could be done more efficiently” and made a suggestion to her about it. But, I knew it took an extra effort to change the routine. If I chose the wrong words, of course, she would react like “what on earth are you talking about”. It was very challenging to communicate better and sensitively express my intention, “I want to change this, so please tell me more.”

—— Both of you have a passion for making your team better. You just have different points of view. It must be something like that…

Ishizuka

We both have the same goal in mind. We just had a different approach. That is why we had significant conflicts…

Ms Ishizuka, who entered the company as a fresh graduate, learned directly under Ms Tamaki and has been absorbing the unique essence of tamaki niime. She has been working hard to be a creative craftsman day by day. Fujimoto, who has work experience with other textile companies, and can calmly self-analyse, senses the direction of tamaki niime, while searching for his role there.Even with two different characteristics, they passionately consider tamaki niime’s creation, challenging each other in the same field, while honest discussions took place. And beyond that, an incredible story awaited …
The heated discussion that overflows with passion by Ishizuka x Fujimoto will be continued next time.

Original Japanese text by Seiji Koshikawa.
English translation by Adam & Michiko Whipple.