Outside Craftsman. Part 1: Furniture Craftsman "WEND" Tomokazu Sakurai
The "Outside Craftsmen" project is a project to visit contemporary craftsmen who work in areas not related to commercial areas such as the city center or station fronts. The project is a visit to contemporary craftsmen (artisans) who are working in areas not related to commercial areas such as city centers and train stations. Because they are making things outside the city, in other words, in the suburbs or in remote areas, they must have an extraordinary commitment to their crafts. How do they balance their work, hobbies, and lifestyle? Something "hip," which is the thesis of Huinamu, must be hidden there.
The 1st Furniture Craftsman "WEND" Tomokazu Sakurai
A SOHO between the mountains and the sea; a real life furniture maker surrounded by furniture he makes himself.
Ninomiya in Kanagawa Prefecture is located about 90 minutes by car from Tokyo. The Seishon Bypass runs along the sea to the south, and the Odawara-Atsugi Road runs east-west to the north. Beyond the Ninomiya Interchange, mountains can be seen, and the area is somewhat tranquil, sandwiched between the sea and mountains with sloping nature. The area where the atelier of the furniture brand "WEND" is located is surrounded by residential areas with few commercial facilities, creating a relaxing atmosphere.
The one-story building, which has a floor space of 70 tsubos, was used by a shipping company after the supermarket closed down. A year ago, Sakurai rented the building as his atelier and home and launched his furniture brand, "Wend.
The atelier, which is located on the site of a former supermarket, has no signage, and from its exterior, one would never guess that it is a furniture workshop. Thank you for coming all the way from Tokyo to visit us," said Tomokazu Sakurai of Wend, who greeted us with a smile and gave us a quick tour of the place. Tomokazu Sakurai of Wend welcomed me with a smile and immediately showed me around.
First of all, tell us about this place.
SakuraiThis is Wend's studio and home. The site area is 200 square meters, and the building is 70 square meters. The studio also has a space of about 40 tsubo, which is large enough for a single furniture craftsman to work alone. The furniture is mainly made to order for individuals or contractors (Note: contract means a contract. We are mainly making custom furniture for individuals and contracts (Note: "contract" means a contract, i.e., special order furniture made in large quantities by contract). I would like to expand the variety of original furniture, but it is still a work in progress. This place is like a laboratory where I design and make my own furniture.
You moved here about a year ago, have you gotten used to it?
SakuraiI actually don't have much of a connection with the locals yet because I keep working silently from morning until 9pm. You can't see us from the outside, and I don't think they know what we are doing (laughs). (Laughs) But we are starting to spread out a little bit, and we are very grateful to the neighborhood bakery.
Can you tell us how you came to set up your studio here in Ninomiya as a furniture craftsman?
SakuraiI grew up in Okayama, learned skills at a local furniture training school, and worked for a furniture manufacturer in Osaka for seven and a half years when I got a job. I wanted to do it by myself someday and made a big decision to challenge myself in Tokyo anyway, so I came to Tokyo in 2017 with only my car and no idea where to go. However, when I started looking for a place to live in Tokyo, I found that rent was too expensive. I changed my mind and drove from Hachioji to Ninomiya, staying overnight by the sea, and ended up in Ninomiya. When I used to live in Kobe, I wanted to live in a peaceful place surrounded by the sea and mountains, yet next to a workshop, and when I saw this property, I thought, "This is it! When I saw this property, I thought, "This is it!
All the furniture in the living space is by Wendt. The furniture is actually being used and tested on a daily basis. The furniture is scheduled to be commercialized in the future, but not all of it is on the website yet, so this space is also open to the public as a showroom.
You also built the entire living space yourself.
SakuraiWhen I saw the building, I knew it would definitely improve. The workshop and the residence are in the same house, so I can save time. I can work as soon as I wake up. Now I live for work, so I don't take time off at all these days. I have never lived such a work-centered life in my life, but perhaps because I am living in an ideal space, my motivation has not waned, and I am enjoying my life every day. I think about work all year round, and I can't get it out of my head.
How about working in Ninomiya, far from the city center?
SakuraiI appreciate the proximity to the highway interchange. In the morning it takes 2-3 hours by car to get to the center of Tokyo, but if the road is free, it takes only 1 hour. The uphill to the city center is empty on holidays, so it is a good time to go. Besides, the sea, a park with beautiful rape blossoms, and mountains are close by, and Ninomiya is a very nice place.
You make it alone, and you also use social networking sites alone.
SakuraiNowadays, I get orders from people who see my Instagram, so I take pictures and upload them myself every day. If I wasn't on Instagram, I would be dead by now (laughs). When I became independent, I decided to put more effort into Instagram, so I bought a new camera. I finally created my own website recently, but the information is still insufficient, and I need to make it more complete.
Wendt furniture is just beautiful.
SakuraiMy master is a veteran chair craftsman with 50 years of work experience, so I am particularly particular about chairs. From the beginning to the finish, he consistently and anyway carefully makes them. The main woods are oak and white oak, and I use thin and thin furniture to form the outline and create a three-dimensional effect on top of it. I also like to combine different materials such as rattan (wicker) with wood.
SakuraiWe want our customers to feel the difference not only in the appearance of the design but also in the feel of the finished product. We spend a lot of time carefully polishing each piece to bring out the softness of the grain. This process of "passing the grain through the eyes" is what makes the difference. I also like to leave the taste of the wood itself (scratches). I don't like the wood to be just smooth.
It's the kind of furniture that makes you feel warm and fuzzy from the moment it's completed.
SakuraiThank you. I can tell a piece of furniture by looking at the back. You can tell if there is a lot of work that has gone into the parts you can't see. Wendt's furniture is orthodox in construction, but we don't cut any corners in these areas. It is not inexpensive, but if you know a little bit about furniture, you will understand the price. We intend to make pieces that will last a lifetime.
A chair from "WENDO. The back sloping seat has an appropriate depth when you sit on it, creating a sense of hold with your body.
The chair, which he says he is proud of, has a beautiful form and shows his extraordinary passion.
SakuraiChairs are attractive in the back. They are also beautiful when people are sitting on them. It has a curved form that is not linear. Actually, it takes a whole week to make one chair, which is not efficient, but I am in the mood to make chairs.
Wendt's furniture is made of oak and white oak, but the finishes are somewhat different, aren't they?
SakuraiAs for the wood, I like oak wood with a moderate and strong grain. I paint it with urethane. It is said that an oil finish (paint) is good because it allows the wood to breathe, but my opinion is slightly different. The more wood breathes, the more it shrinks and warps. Urethane coating is sufficient to age well and has the advantage of being resistant to water and moisture. Urethane is allowed to seep into the pores (wood grain), so the finish does not look like a so-called urethane coating. For these reasons, I recommend urethane coating.
There is a large amount of excess material at the plant. Are these disposed of?
SakuraiSince we use natural products, we thought it would be a shame to dispose of them. We take wood chips, which have deodorizing power, to the barn. When I moved here, the first thing I did was to visit a dairy farmer I learned about from the agricultural cooperative. The dairy farmer asked me, "How much is this? He said, "Of course, it's garbage, so I'll give it away for free. Of course, it is garbage, so I give it away for free. We hardly have anything to dispose of.
I want to make everything myself. I want to be a confident creator forever.
Listening to you, I get the impression that you are stoically devoted to manufacturing.
SakuraiI started this job because I wanted to make what I wanted to make and I had a strong desire to do so. It can be a little difficult at times, but the most important thing is to cherish my lifestyle. Rather than leaving the field and taking the management side, I want to create something from scratch myself, so I do it alone. I am not sure how long I will be able to do this because it is physical work, but I have no plans to take on an apprentice yet.
How do you see your future as a furniture maker?
SakuraiI think that the furniture made by so-called famous furniture designers is really great, but when it comes to practical furniture, I believe that I can design better furniture myself. I am confident in my craftsmanship. You should touch a lot of fixtures in various stores. The point of touch is important to determine the value of the furniture.
So one of these is the back side.
SakuraiYes, we can cut corners all we want, but we never do. We can cut corners all we want, but we will never do so. I believe that if we continue to work with this attitude, we will eventually see results, and in any case, I would like to create something that is second to none.
Finally, do you have a message for those who want to combine work and life away from the city center?
SakuraiI know it takes courage to emigrate, but rather than regretting what you should have done back then, let's do it first. If you decide to do it, it will be fun. I think it is important to have a strong feeling. I have my own visions and plans, but nothing ever goes as planned, and I think that is the nature of self-employment. No one knows what the future holds, and it is up to you to stay motivated. You can make it work (laughs).
