The foundation of Japan's umbrella industry began to sprout in the early Meiji era, and in Tokyo, technology and traditions were nurtured, mainly in the Joto district. Maehara Koei Shoten, a family business that has been making "masterpiece" umbrellas for three generations, was located in Misuji, Taito Ward, an area that exudes the atmosphere of old Tokyo.

The first floor houses the Maehara Koei Shoten showroom, selling a wide selection of high-quality men's and women's umbrellas, from ready-made to custom-made items. The workshop is located on the upper floor, where the fabric is cut and sewn, the frame is stretched over it, the handle is attached, and the umbrellas are shipped out.

Maehara Kōei Shoten – A masterpiece of craftsmanship, more elaborate than even the finest European umbrellas.

Founded in 1948, Maehara Koei Shoten, born 70 years ago in the downtown area of Tokyo, considers the four "people" in the Japanese character for "umbrella" to represent the number of craftsmen responsible for the four stages of umbrella making. First, there is "weaving the fabric," then "assembling the frame," then "processing," and finally, the "handle."

High-quality, handcrafted umbrellas are typically made using a complete division of labor system. Each umbrella consists of approximately 200 parts and involves over 100 steps in the manufacturing process. Specialized companies manufacture the fabric (weavers) and the frame (frame makers), and here, the woven fabric and assembled frame are taken over and assembled into umbrellas. In fact, there are independent workshops for this processing, and Maehara Koei Shoten also relied on outsourcing until a few years ago. However, since most of the craftsmen who support umbrella making are now in their late 70s to 80s, they have switched to a policy of training personnel in-house.

Ikko Tanaka ● Born in 1980. After graduating from Osaka University of Arts, he worked for several companies before joining Maehara Koei Shoten in 2013 as their first umbrella craftsman.

Kazuyuki Tanaka, the first employee hired through the craftsman recruitment program, was captivated by the umbrellas of Maehara Koei Shoten, which embody the essence of masterful craftsmanship, and jumped into this industry from a different field. He had always been interested in manufacturing, but was a complete novice when it came to umbrellas. So, after joining the company, he spent about a year and a half diligently visiting veteran umbrella craftsmen, gradually learning their techniques.

"About two years after starting my apprenticeship, I began to be entrusted with the production of products. The difficulty of umbrella making lies in the fact that, due to the characteristics of the fabric, no two umbrellas are exactly alike, even when following the same process. But because it's all done by hand, it's interesting because you can control it with your own senses and experience," says Tanaka.

Located in Asakusa, Tokyo, this company manufactures and sells umbrellas made in Japan. Driven by the desire to create "umbrellas that make you look forward to rainy days," they continue to produce umbrellas in small batches with meticulous attention to materials and quality. Their umbrellas are particularly renowned for their nearly circular shape when opened.
Umbrella: 36,720 yen

While a typical umbrella has eight ribs, Maehara Kōei Shōten is known for its 16-rib umbrellas, which boast a beautiful form when opened. The more ribs an umbrella has, the more precision is required in its construction, making it more difficult to make. In mass production, many layers of fabric are stacked during cutting to increase efficiency, but Maehara Kōei Shōten prioritizes precision and uses a maximum of four layers. Furthermore, with 16 ribs, a 1mm deviation in sewing affects 16 points, resulting in a 16mm deviation in the end—a world where even the slightest error is unacceptable. Finally, the handle, which has been meticulously bent and painted by a craftsman, is attached, and Maehara Kōei Shōten has a particular focus on this part as well. Cotton thread is wrapped around the central shaft, acting as a substitute for screw threads, which firmly stabilizes the handle and prevents the adhesive from overflowing. It takes a little over two hours to finish one umbrella. He says he can only manage six bottles a day.

While umbrellas are tools to protect you from the rain, it's equally important that they possess a beauty that makes the user want to cherish them and keep them for a long time. This pride is what underpins the umbrella making here.

NEXT: An umbrella that embodies the condensed craftsmanship, where even the slightest error is unacceptable.