Ms. Kuniko ASANO

Kyoto's Kinkakuji temple, or "Golden Pavilion" must be one of the most impressive sights for foreign visitors, evoking their sense of romanticism with its solemn glitter. In Japan, the traditional art of gold leaf craftwork that was used to create this beautiful temple still exists today. Gold leaf is used in a number of different fields including screen making, cuisine containers and various small products. Kanazawa city in Ishikawa prefecture is the center of the gold leaf industry and the former headquarters of Toshiie MAEDA, a feudal lord. MAEDA had been highly trusted by Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI, who unified Japan for the first time, and is also famous for a beautiful golden tea ceremony room he built. Kanazawa is an ancient city called "Kyoto of Hokuriku."

Hakuichi Corporation is a continuously growing business manufacturing and selling traditional Kanazawa gold leaf in this ancient city. People will be quick to praise the beauty of the crafts created there and will be surprised at the reasonable prices.

Kyoto-born Kuniko ASANO is the founder of Hakuichi Corporation. While working at a gold leaf shop in Kyoto, Kuniko was proposed to by the 6th son of a Kanazawa gold leaf dealer who often visited the shop. She moved to Kanazawa and later founded Hakuichi Corporation. Describing the founding of the company, Kuniko says "Kanazawa produces 99% of gold leaf in Japan and it had all been sold in that form. Therefore there were no gold leaf products unique to Kanazawa. That's why I wanted to create unique Kanazawa gold leaf products and sell them throughout Japan. To achieve this, it was essential to do both manufacturing and sales."

Kuniko launched the business alone in 1975. She began by creating products for daily living such as saucers and plates.

Offering what the creators themselves would buy
However, the local people did not readily accept her idea to create a Kanazawa brand and she was treated as an outsider. Packing the products she had made into large suitcases, Kuniko visited many department stores around Japan to try to sell her products. Although she earnestly explained the attractiveness of her crafts to retailers, no one wanted to deal with her in the beginning. She had to do her best because unless she took orders, she could not cover her travel expenses.

Finally her passion and efforts paid off as more and more stores started to sell her crafts. At present the company has grown to the point where there are almost 100 employees, four stores in Kanazawa and one in Aoyama, Tokyo and Gifu respectively. The Aoyama store holds a "Leaf class" twice a month. Attendees to this course can create original and unique products using their own belongings such as glassware, cellular phones and other small products.

Hakuichi's business not only involves dealing in crafts, but also developing many other fields utilizing gold leaf. One of them is a patented face oil blotting paper. Kuniko improved the process in which gold leaf is sandwiched between two surfaces and beaten to enlarge its size, as she knew the paper was used by Maiko to absorb excess skin oil. The company is now aggressively advancing into the interior decor field where gold leaf is used. As an indication of their progress, Hakuichi Corporation's products are now being used as interior finishing in many stores.

"The highlight of business for me is that customers enjoy my products so much that they are willing to pay for them. It is a supreme joy," Kuniko says. Her employees are responsible for everything from planning to sales. "I always ask my staff, 'Do you want to buy this product at that price?'" Kuniko's philosophy is to offer products that the creators themselves would buy. Kuniko's next goal is to take the world of gold leaf from Japan to the world. Her dream will surely shine brighter.

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