Takeshima Budogu is a locally rooted company founded in 1954. Although it is a retail store, it also has its own brand, "Bukotsu." We will tell you about the inspiration behind the development of the distinctive "Bukotsu" design, and the struggles faced by the managing director himself when he created the Kote kata (forms) (May 2017).

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Takeshima Budogu Co., Ltd.

President and CEO Mutsuyoshi Takeshima Masashi Takeshima, Executive Managing Director

Background of the company's founding

—Your company was founded in Kagoshima, right? Managing Director Takeshima : "That's right. My grandfather was a kendo craftsman who manufactured protective gear. My father then took over the business. After my grandfather passed away, we moved to Kanagawa and only did repairs. From there, we thought we'd try retail sales, and that's how we got to where we are today." —Did your predecessor run a factory? Managing Director Takeshima : "The previous president established a major factory in Kyushu together with his senior apprentice. They trained in Nagasaki and were brother and sister apprentices."

Background of the Bukotsu series

-Why did you decide to create the Bukotsu series? President Takeshima : "When I went to China, I spoke with the president of a Chinese factory and we thought it would be interesting to try making something like this. It's like what we now call a pitch. By leaving a gap, you can make the fabric softer and thicker. If you simply sew with a 3mm gap, it will be thin and stiff. I thought that if I left a gap, it would become thicker and softer. I don't think the concept of pitch existed at the time, but I think it's the same idea as pitch." —You didn't go to China with the intention of developing a new product? Managing Director Takeshima : "Rather than new product development, it was a factory inspection. I wanted to see what kind of factory it was, what kind of people were there, and what they were doing. They had asked me to come too." —It's common to see people stabbing the ball into the pitch these days. But back then, it must have been revolutionary. Managing Director Takeshima : "That's true. But I thought about whether to commercialize it for six months." -What were you worried about? Managing Director Takeshima : "It was the design. I wondered if such a rough design would sell (laughs). Up until now, there had only been uniform designs. If it was 3mm, it was 3mm, if it was 5mm, it was 5mm. I was worried about whether this kind of design would be accepted by kendo practitioners."

"Bukkotsu" stitching style

- Why did you choose the name "Bukkotsu"? Managing Director Takeshima : "The name was thought up by the president. It comes from its rugged and ugly appearance." —It's a name that seems like it would be popular among connoisseurs. President Takeshima : "I'm relieved that it was received that way." - Were there any other issues you had to deal with before actually commercializing the product? President Takeshima : "We gave about 10 samples to the athletes at the National Athletic Meet. These highly skilled teachers had never used machine stitching before." -What was the reaction? Managing Director Takeshima : "People who wanted to use something different from others were very enthusiastic about it. Also, we could see from the monitor that it didn't hurt. Even if you hit our surface, it doesn't hurt as much as other surfaces. That's when we realized that the bumps absorb the impact (laughs)." —I actually use it myself, and it certainly doesn't hurt. President Takeshima : "Our priority is to make the fabric soft and thick. Compared to other companies' thin, 3mm thick fabrics with no pitch, ours has better shock absorption." —Are the materials you use thicker? President Takeshima : "It's not that we made it particularly thick. The width of the stitching means that the area isn't tight, so it ends up being thick."

President Takeshima giving an explanation

Design Attention

-Have you tried stitch widths other than 3mm and 6mm? Managing Director Takeshima : "If the gap is too wide, the fabric will tear. 3mm or 6mm is the limit." -Have you tried other stitch widths? Like 4mm or 8mm. Managing Director Takeshima : "That was a no-go because it looked tacky. We need something sharp. We value design." -When people buy rugged items, do they prioritize functionality or design? Managing Director Takeshima : "Both."

The only thing that changes is the material

- Will your company be developing new products other than Bukkotsu in the future? President Takeshima : "I'm doing my best to keep things quiet, but my daily work is busy." —Other companies are producing a wide variety of armor and materials. To create something new, you need ideas, right? President Takeshima : "That's true. But, my mother, who was the founder's partner, told me that the shape of the kote and masks will not change. The only thing that will change is the material."

Developing a rugged gauntlet

There are four types of rugged kote

Managing Director Takeshima : "As I said earlier, when I saw the face mask futon, I worried about whether it was okay to make it into a product for about six months." —The design was too rugged. Managing Director Takeshima : "First we made the menfuton, then customers asked for the kote." —So you started out with the masks, right? Managing Director Takeshima : "We started with the men's futon, then the kote futon. The kote futon was the easiest. However, we had to develop a way to grip the head. This was difficult." —The small futon allows you to make the most of the essence. Managing Director Takeshima : "However, this time we had to focus on the grip. The head part is not interesting if it's normal, so we thought about it and tried various things." President Takeshima : "The shape of the grip varies greatly from person to person, so we try changing the material. Even if we think something is great, customers' opinions are mixed. So we end up making many different types, using different shapes and materials." —Are the functions all different? Managing Director Takeshima : "That's true. Some people want something classic, while others want something unique. The kote takes the most time. I'm still undecided." President Takeshima : "There's no clear conclusion about Kote. It's different for each person. Even if you think it's good, other people think differently."

The managing director himself creates the gauntlet mold

—What type is this? Kote type?

Rugged Kotegata

Managing Director Takeshima : "It would be bad if this was copied, so please camouflage it (laughs). In the end, because we wanted to be particular about it, we ended up having to make a kote mold. Basically, only manufacturing companies have kote molds." —Did the managing director create the mold himself? Managing Director Takeshima : "That's true. I've never done it before though (laughs)." -Did you think that you couldn't manufacture the ideal gauntlets without creating a mold? "When I asked the craftsmen, they told me not to tamper with the molds because it would make things look weird. They said it was impossible," said Takeshima . —It's a unique grip. President Takeshima : "The old kote was perfect for gripping from the side. It was what we call a 'shitty grip'. It was made to make that easy. Our Bukotsu is made so that the grip is straight." —So when you grip it, you're in the correct stance. Managing Director Takeshima : "That's right."

Original products that can only be purchased in-store

Chairman Takeshima is skilled with his hands

President Takeshima : "The chairman is very dexterous. If a customer requests it, he'll make it." Chairman Takeshima : "Every fabric and design is unique. It's fun when I'm making something with the customer in mind." President Takeshima : "Since each item is unique, it's sometimes a drawback that it can't be mass-produced, but many people come to see the chairman's unique items." -It's perfect as a gift. Chairman Takeshima : "There are many people like that. I would be happy if this becomes an opportunity for them to come to our company." —Thank you for today.

Front row from left: Chairman Takeshima, President Takeshima, Managing Director Takeshima

Click here for the product page of Takeshima Budougu, the company we interviewed this time! interviewer ◎ Representative Director: Go Ueshima Born in Sendai in 1987. While in the Sendai High School Kendo Club, he studied under Mitsunobu Sato and made it to the top eight of the Inter-High School Championships. After graduating from university, he worked as the business development manager for a restaurant chain with 200 stores across the U.S. He worked in sales at a foreign internet advertising company and as the head of the sales department and president's office at Innova Co., Ltd., before founding Bushizo Inc. in January 2017. ◎ Director Yusuke Kudo Born in Hokkaido in 1984. Graduated from Rikkyo University's Faculty of Law. While in school, he launched a free magazine and provided marketing support for an apparel brand. In 2008, he joined Yahoo Japan Corporation, where he worked in sales of advertising products such as search advertising and display advertising. In January 2017, he founded Bushizo Inc. He began practicing kendo at the age of six and continues to practice it to this day.