Shared by friends and collaborators of Japan House London, 'Words & Thoughts' is a collection of words, characters or phrases in Japanese which are particularly poignant to them or for our time.
Mizuochi Ryoichi is a Japanese razor craftsman from the Sanjo Seisakusho workshop in Sanjo, Niigata Prefecture. Recognised as a Master of Traditional Crafts by the Japanese government, Mizuochi contributed to Japan House London’s popular ‘BIOLOGY OF METAL METAL CRAFTSMANSHIP IN TSUBAME-SANJO’ exhibition in 2018. He is one of the last remaining razor craftsmen in Japan.
Mizuochi Ryoichi chose: 美 ('bi'/'utsuku shii': beauty)
"Good products are inherently beautiful. My sensei, the master blacksmith who taught me my trade, used to say that “the width of one hair can make a huge difference to the beauty of a shape”. When I make Japanese razors, I keep to his teachings, and have never compromised even on a hair’s breadth in my pursuit of this goal. Beautiful blades are good, sharp blades. I will always cherish this approach, and constantly strive to make products with a focus on “beauty”."
よい製品には、美しさがあります。私に鍛冶技術を教えてくれた師匠からは、「毛筋(髪の毛)一本分違うだけで、姿形の美しさが大きく変わる」とよく言われておりました。和剃刀の製造においても、その教えを守り、髪の毛一本分を妥協することなく、美しさにこだわってものづくりを行ってきました。美しい刃物は、優れた切れ味を持つ、よい刃物です。このことを大切にし、これからも変わらずに“美しさ”にこだわった製品を作り続けていきたいと思っています。