Exhibitors (Council Meeting No. 4 in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture)

Cool Japan-related image(Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture)

Hiroshi Oikawa
Managing Director
Oikawa Denim Co., Ltd.
Established in 1981, Oikawa Denim designs, manufactures, and markets denim clothing. It currently offers two original brands: "STUDIO ZERO" and SHIRO…0819." STUDIO ZERO is sold in six countries (UK, Germany, Sweden, Italy, Belgium, and Russia).
Tsutomu Kikuchi
Representative Director
TripodWorks Co., Ltd.
TripodWorks integrates corporate software with hardware. Integrating the two sides allows it to provide highly sophisticated and reliable IT services. Its product fields are corporate security solutions, development of advanced technologies (image processing, etc.), and cloud services.
Koichiro Kimura
President
Art-Craft International Co., Ltd.
Art-Craft International blends traditional techniques cultivated in a family business for 400 years with high technology. Creatively redefining beauty, it engages in domestic and international undertakings covering a broad range, from tableware made with the lacquer techniques of the family business to tie-ups with Gucci and Meissen.
Koichi Saura
President
Urakasumi Sake Brewery, Saura Co., Ltd.
Urakasumi Sake Brewery was founded in 1724. It is chair of the Miyagi Sake Brewers Association. It contributed to efforts to expand the international popularity of sake as the International Wine Challenge’s representative to the Sake Samurai Association from 2007 to 2012.
Sake Samurai Association: An organization formed by the Japan Sake Brewers Association Junior Council to convey Japan’s sake culture to the world International Wine Challenge (IWC): The world’s largest wine competition; a “Sake Category” was established in 2007.
Yasuhiro Saura
President
Tohoku Kogei Co., Ltd.
Established in 1933, Tohoku Kogei is the sole manufacturer of "Tamamushi lacquerware," a traditional craft designated by Miyagi Prefecture. Based on a philosophy of providing "not only ornamental but useful craftwork," Tohoku Kogei produces innovated products for domestic and international customers while preserving traditional methods. In addition to participating in a collaborative undertaking with Gucci and JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, it has won Miyagi Prefecture Prize of the Japan Gift Awards.
Ryotaro Sakurai
President
Life Bridge
Life Bridge provides training on methods for attracting overseas customers. For business concerned with inbound tourism, it organizes English-language customer service training workshops that are held in katakana only and provides translation services for menus and other materials. It has thorough knowledge of the tastes and preferences of overseas visitors.
Kazuyoshi Hakamada
Office of the Katakurajuku armor and helmets workshop
Katakurajuku is a manufacturing group that makes the black-lacquered armor with five-pieced cuirass that was preferred by Date Masamune and Kojuro Katakura during Japan’s Warring States period as well as other items out of thick paper. It also provides advice and production expertise concerning armor and helmets, participates in local armored warrior parades and events, and dispatches members to provide training on the making of armor and helmets.
Megumi Hikichi
President
WATALIS
WATALIS is a brand focused on “upcycling” vintage kimono fabric by remaking it into new products for sale to the public. Its products are individually handmade with careful attention to detail so as to retain the beautiful colored patterns of the kimono fabric. WATALIS has collaborated with a fine Swiss watchmaker and entered an exhibit in Ambiente 2014 in Germany.