VOL.

194
JULY
2024

JAPANESE SMALL AND MEDIUMENTERPRISES LEADING THE WORLDCONTENTS

VOL. 194, JULY 2024

18
12

14
8
FEATURES
6

Japanese Small and Medium
Enterprises Spreading Their
Wings to the World: Outstanding New

16

Technologies Developed by One-of-a-Kind
Companies and Their Potential
Interview with ARAI Tamio, Professor Emeritus,
University of Tokyo

10

World-leading Precision Polishing
Technology, Even Used for Space
Development
Introducing technologies developed by TDC
Corporation enabling precision polishing ofdiverse materials to realize mirror-like surfaces
with surface roughness below 1 nanometer (onebillionth of a meter)

12

A Drone That Takes Clear Images
in Tight Indoor Spaces
Introducing a palm-sized drone developed
by Liberaware Co., Ltd., equipped with a highsensitivity built-in camera for capturing imagery
for inspection purpose

14High-Precision Robot Control
Software without Need for TimeConsuming Manual Adjustments
Introducing CREWBO, affordable robot control
software developed by Chitose Robotics Inc.,
capable of performing high-precision workwithout the need for minute adjustments

2

HIGHLIGHTING JAPAN JULY 2024

One of the World’s Lightest
Fabrics Woven from Ultra-Fine
Threads Measuring 1/40th of aMillimeter
Introducing an ultra-lightweight, ultra-thintextile developed by Amaike LLC, known outside
Japan as Super Organza, woven from extrafine threads approximately 1/40th of 1 mm inthickness

18

Heat Resistant Barcode Labels
Enable Management of HighTemperature Production
Processes
Introducing HEATPROOF® heat-resistant labels
developed by YStech Co. Ltd., which enableproduction control using barcodes and othermeans even in high-temperature environments

20

A Giant Acrylic Aquarium Createdwith Four Exceptional Techniques
Introducing technologies developed by
NIPPURA Co., Ltd. for making the most of
the characteristics of acrylic plates, the easeof processing and transparency, to develop
techniques for creating huge aquariums

THEME FOR JULY:Japanese Small andMedium Enterprises
Leading the World

28

22

Innovative Drying Equipment
Unique in the World
Introducing the CD Dryer® (Compact Disk
Dryer), a compact and heat-efficient drying
device developed by Nishimura Works Co., Ltd.
that causes moisture to evaporate using bothsides of thin disks as heat transfer surfaces

ALSO
24

Many Japanese small and medium enterprises(SMEs) are developing world-leading technologies. Many of these companies are discovering
potential needs from an SME perspective andmaking their presence felt in low-volume product and niche markets. These one-of-a-kindcompanies and startups are using advanced
technology to meet the customer’s needs ofaround the world. This issue of Highlighting
Japan introduces a number of Japanese SMEs
that have unique technological capabilities
they are proud to offer to the world. Included
are companies offering precision polishingtechnology used in space development, apalm-sized lightweight drone with an expanding range of applications from facility inspections to disaster damage situation checks, andone of the world's lightest ultra-thin textile
materials.

POLICY-RELATED NEWS
Report on the Tenth Pacific Islands Leaders
Meeting (PALM 10)28

DISCOVERING JAPAN THROUGH THE
EYES OF JAPANESE INFLUENCERS
Japanese Wedding Attire — Gorgeous
Beauty and Deep, Rich Traditions

30

TREASURES OF JAPANESE CULTURE
The Charms of Japanese Monsho Crests:
Simple Designs Infused with Traditional
BeautyA single CREWBO cancontrol four robots fromdifferent manufacturers.
Here, a needle threading
operation is realized.
COPYRIGHT © 2024 CABINET OFFICE OF JAPANThe views expressed in this magazine by the interviewees
and contributors do not necessarily represent the views of
the Cabinet Office or the Government of Japan. No article
or any part thereof may be reproduced without the express
permission of the Cabinet Office. Copyright inquiries should
be made through a form available at:www.gov-online.go.jp/eng/mailform/inquiry.html
WHERE TO FIND US
Tokyo Narita Airport terminals 1 JR East Travel Service
Center (Tokyo Narita Airport) JR Tokyo Station Tourist
Information Center Tokyo Tourist Information Center(Haneda Airport, Tokyo Metropolitan Government
Building, Keisei Ueno Station) Niigata Airport Kansai
Tourist Information Center (Kansai Int’l Airport)
Fukuoka Airport Tourist Information Prefectural
Central Libraries
PRODUCTIONFBI Communications, Inc.
MANAGING EDITORFUKUDA Yasuhiro
EDITORSIMAMURA Keiko, KATO Naruho, KIMURA Tetsuro,
KUROSAWA Akane, HARA Erika
CONTRIBUTORS
Kaaisan, SAKURAI Yuko, MURAKAMI Kayo, MOTEGI Shunsuke

BACK COVER

DESIGNAZUMA Terutaka, SAWATARI Rumi

THE BEAUTY OF JAPANESE SWORDSLong sword signed Sanjou (celebrated Mikazuki
Munechika)

EDITORS’ NOTEJapanese names in this publication are written in Japaneseorder: family name first, personal name last.

Vol.194 HIGHLIGHTING JAPAN3

FEATURES

Photo: Liberaware
Photo: NIPPURA

Photo: TDC

Photos: KOMATSU MATERE Co., Ltd.
Photo: YStech Co.,Ltd.

Photo: NISHIMURA WORKS Co., Ltd.

Japanese Small andMedium Enterprises
Leading the World

Above left: The CD Dryer, a conductive heat transfer drying device by NISHIMURA WORKS Co., Ltd. Above right: Components featuring mirror
surfaces realized with original ultra-precision polishing technology
Middle left: This ultra-lightweight and extremely thin fabric, developed by Amaike LLC, is known in Japan as ‘Tennyo no Hagoromo’ (featheredrobe of a heavenly maiden) and internationally as ‘Amaike Super Organza.’ Middle right: A palm-sized indoor inspection drone
Below left: Heat resistant barcode label with QR codes used by Godo Steel, Ltd. Osaka Works Below right: The Kuroshio Sea tank at Okinawa
Churaumi Aquarium features a large acrylic panel for viewing.

4

HIGHLIGHTING JAPAN JULY 2024

JAPANESE SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES LEADING THE WORLDM

any Japanese small and medium
enterprises (SMEs) are developingworld-leading technologies. Manyof these companies are discovering potential needs from an SME perspective andmaking their presence felt in low-volume productand niche markets. These one-of-a-kind companies and startups are using advanced technology
to meet the customer’s needs of around the world.
This issue of Highlighting Japan introduces a numberof Japanese SMEs that have unique technologicalcapabilities they are proud to offer to the world.
Included are companies offering precision polishing technology used in space development, a palmsized lightweight drone with an expanding range
of applications from facility inspections to disasterdamage situation checks, and one of the world's
lightest ultra-thin textile materials.

Hokkaido

AMAIKE LLC

TDC
p10 CORPORATION

p16 Nanao City, Ishikawa
Prefecture

Rifu Town, Miyagi
Prefecture

p20 NIPPURA CO., LTD.

LIBERAWARE
p12 CO., LTD.

Miki Town, Kagawa Prefecture

Chiba City, Chiba
Prefecture

Honshup14 CHITOSE ROBOTICS INC.
Bunkyo City, Tokyo

Shikoku
p18 YSTECH CO.,LTD.

KyushuSuita City, Osaka Prefecture

NISHIMURA WORKS
p22 CO., LTD.
Fukuoka City, Fukuoka
Prefecture

Vol.194 HIGHLIGHTING JAPAN5

Japanese Small and Medium Enterprises
Spreading Their Wings to the World:
Outstanding New Technologies Developed by
One-of-a-Kind Companies and Their PotentialJapan is home to many small and medium
ogy, and public testing and research institutions. Also,
enterprises (SMEs) that, while small in scale,taking approaches like crowdfunding4 to raise funds
have been developing world-leadfrom a broad base of contributors offers
ing technologies. We interviewed ARAI
the added benefit of making it possible to
Tamio, Emeritus Professor at the Unibuild networks of supporters as well. The
versity of Tokyo — who also serves asenvironment for motivated businesses isselection committee chair for awards1
improving more and more in Japan.
that recognize outstanding technoloOne-of-a-kind companies and startgies and products developed by suchups are taking advantage of such framebusinesses — about the current stateworks to engage in ongoing research andof Japanese SMEs, notable new techdevelopment. This has enabled some of
nologies they have developed, and their
them to keep pace with current trends
ARAI Tamio
potential.
and successfully create unique, originalEmeritus Professor,
University of Tokyo
technologies and products.
Japan has many small and medium
enterprises (SMEs) 2 that have been developing
What are the characteristics unique to Japaneseunique, original technologies and products. What
SMEs that enable them to develop outstanding techare the actual technological development out of
nological?
Japanese SMEs, as well as the socio-economic backFirst of all, where the ownership and management
ground that support this development?
are often the same, they tend to have simpler orgaIn Japan, 99.7% of businesses are actually SMEs. They
nizational structures than large corporations. Thisvary widely in scale as well as corporate structure.
makes it more likely that the top-level managements’
While some are very small with less than 20 employskills and ambition to grow are reflected in front-line
ees, others have close to 300 employees and solid
operations, and if the top management has excellent
organizational structures. Also, while some companies
qualities, they can be a major driving force for technoare preliminary subcontractors to large corporations,logical development.
others are creating unique, original technologies
Another characteristic of many of SMEs is that theyand products. With insufficient funds and humanhave a presence in small-lot production and niche
resources in research and development, compared tomarkets5 by identifying latent needs from a perspeclarge corporations, they tended to experience chaltive unique to small and medium enterprises. In spelenges in developing new technologies in a timely
cialized fields, production and services tend to havemanner. Therefore, not a few of them had to see theminefficient, so large corporations tend to avoid them.
behind market changes.
In fields like this, harmoniously integrating diverse
However, in recent years, frameworks for open
technologies by combining inventions, designs, andinnovation3 have been established, providing easier
improvements specialized for the field can enable
access to external resources for SMEs in working on
the creation of technologies with high degrees of pertechnologies and products that would be challenging
fection that satisfy market demands. We often see
for them to develop all on their own. These resources
examples of one-of-a-kind companies have come out
include universities, the National Institute of Technolwith new technologies in this way, working in limited

6

HIGHLIGHTING JAPAN JULY 2024

JAPANESE SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES LEADING THE WORLDCREWBO, industrial robot control software developed by Chitose Robotics
Inc.

On-chip Droplet Selector,
a microorganism
screening systemdeveloped by On-chip
Biotechnologies Co., Ltd.

phones, digital cameras, and IoT equipment used
for collecting and transmitting data at points of contact between the Internet and the physical world. It
achieves parallel processing performance surpassingthat of GPUs7 and features low power consumption.
AiOnIc is expected to make significant contributions
in developing IoT networks, including applications
in self-driving vehicles, hazard-sensing systems, andagricultural and livestock management, with chips
installed in Internet-connected terminals.
A very interesting example in the robotics field is
CREWBO, industrial robot control software developedby Chitose Robotics Inc. that enables robot-arm control in real time with high precision using cameras.
The “visual feedback” control technology used in thisproduct will contribute to increased productivity in
manufacturing and logistics sites in the future as itcomes to be used in robotics more. (see “High-Precision Robot Control Software without Need for TimeConsuming Manual Adjustments”)
Also, MITAKA KOHKI Co., Ltd. has received highPhoto: Chitose Robotics

Photo: Chitose Robotics

Could you introduce a few examples of technologies developed by Japanese SMEs that would attract
notice worldwide?
One that is attracting attention in the biotechnology
field is the ‘On-chip Droplet Selector’ microorganism
screening system developed by On-chip Biotechnologies Co., Ltd. Many production processes for medicinal, pharmaceutical, and food products require theuse of microorganisms. Detecting microorganisms
and cells that are beneficial to humans’ health or useful in countermeasures against climate change fromamong the vast number of unknown microorganisms
in existence, however, requires a great deal of timeand human resources. This microorganism screening
system separate water droplets containing microorganisms and cells into individual microdroplets ofa few tens of micrometers, encapsulate them, andculture and analyze them within those microdroplets.
It can also further separate and dispense6 intended
droplets one by one. This system can considerably
shorten the time required to discover useful microorganisms.
An example from the semiconductor field is
AiOnIc, a high-performance, low-power AI chipdeveloped by ArchiTek Corporation. This semiconductor chip is specifically designed for processing inedge devices, which are types of devices such as smart-

Photo: On-chip Biotechnologies

fields. One more aspect of such companies is that,with the addition of their top-managements’ skills andambition — a topic I mentioned earlier — they can be
guided to success relatively easily.

An arm robot equipped with CREWBO the camera information-based visualfeedback control system.

Vol.194 HIGHLIGHTING JAPAN

7

Photo: MITAKA KOHKI Co., Ltd.

acclaim for its Medical Imaging Projection System(MIPS), a high-precision optical measuring device thecompany jointly developed with i-PRO Co., Ltd. and
the Kyoto University Faculty of Medicine. MIPS uses
projection mapping technology to project surgicalguidance information onto patients’ body surfaces orinternal organs directly in real time. The system canprovide increased surgical accuracy, operability, andsafety during surgeries, and shortens operation time.
A noteworthy case from the service sector is amonthly subscription-based clothing rental service
offered by airCloset, Inc., taking a forward-looking
approach to DX8 promotion for a company in the fashion industry. Primarily targeting working women,
the service delivers several pieces of clothing selectedby professional stylists each month, to subscribers’
homes, at reasonable rates starting at 7,800 yen permonth. This year, the company has been actively
adopting information technology (IT) as well, working
with a university lab to jointly develop an interactive
styling proposal system using general-purpose generative AI.
If Japanese SMEs are to expand their business further with a global perspective, what are some chal-

8

HIGHLIGHTING JAPAN JULY 2024

Photo: airCloset

MIPS, a surgical assistance device developed by MITAKA KOHKI Co., Ltd.

airCloset, Inc. is an early adopterof DX technology within the
fashion industry.

lenges they will need to overcome and expectationsof what they might achieve?
Expanding globally requires more than simply having
a unique, original product. Acquiring relevant intellectual property rights is vital as well.
It is also said that Japanese SMEs are lagging behindin terms of internationalization and DX adoption. In

JAPANESE SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES LEADING THE WORLD

our current global society, new fun and convenientsystems can spread around the world in a matter ofdays, thanks to the spread of various social media thatmake full use of photos and videos. Considering whatvalue one’s company’s well-developed technologies
and products might provide to users and identifying markets where the company’s technologies andexpertise are likely to be accepted can lead to further
leaps forward.
Moreover, to make a successful international
expansion, it is important to secure and cultivate necessary human resources. This is to be able to respondto demands for language abilities enabling discussions
with other businesses and related public institutions
from foreign countries, to establish frameworks forhandling maintenance issues following the sales of
products, and to properly understand partner countries’ business practices, for example. Additionally,
strategic public relations can be realized by combining
an evidence-based approach with IT utilization. It is
important to ensure that selling points of the company’s products and services are clearly and accurately
communicated to users abroad who have related
needs.
What do you think about the potential of Japanese
SMEs?
One-of-a-kind companies are working to create products that are the best in Japan, or the best in the world,by attempting to respond specifically to users’ needs.
Such ambitious objectives generate enthusiasm andlead to successful outcomes. If Japanese SMEs withadvanced technological abilities maintain such awareness, along with a perspective focused on how theirtechnologies and products will be evaluated globally, I
think they can expect to be able to make considerable
expansions of their businesses overseas in the future.
While the social conditions differ from our current

era, in the past, Japanese SMEs that made great strides
on the world stage. Two that achieved worldwide
name recognition are Sony and Honda, both established shortly after World War II, are among thosethat have achieved global recognition. Another example from the past approximately 40 years is UNIQLO(FAST RETAILING CO., LTD.). Each of these companies
was motivated by the ambition and enthusiasm of its
founders to develop products and services in demand.
They not only have outstanding products to offer; theyalso have world-leading appeal in their service provision, including distribution and advertising.
Today, frameworks for providing support to SMEs
expanding internationally have been established byorganizations including SME SUPPORT JAPAN (Organization for Small & Medium Enterprises and Regional
Innovation, Japan), JETRO (Japan External Trade
Organization), and JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency). Financial institutions are providing
support as well, making barriers to overseas expansions lower than ever. In addition, with cross-border
e-commerce becoming easier to engage in and otherfactors, there are now increasingly diverse methods ofexpanding internationally. Cross-border e-commerce(electronic trading of products across national borders) based in Japan enjoys a high degree of international credibility. This makes it possible to capture
large shares of niche markets worldwide. It is important by taking approaches such as partnering withother countries. And also, obtaining support fromfinancial institutions and support organizations are
moving forward. Japanese SMEs have earned high levels of trust worldwide in terms of quality and delivery
times. If they properly grasp the needs and demandsof the world, they will be able to sell their products andservices at high prices. I believe that Japanese SMEs
have tremendous potential to expand their businessinternationally.

1. The SME Excellent New Technology/New Product Awards. The awards are held annually by The
Resona Foundation For Small And Medium Enterprise Promotion and the Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun,
Ltd. with objectives of promoting technologies developed by SMEs and contributing to thedevelopment of Japanese industries. The awards were established in 1988. In April 2024, the 36th
awards were held.
2. Under Japanese law (Small and Medium-sized Enterprise Basic Act), SMEs are defined ascompanies in the manufacturing, construction, transportation, and other industries with total
capital or investments of 300 million yen or less, or 300 or less regular employees. Similarly, in theservice industry, SMEs are defined as companies with total capital or investments of 50 million yen
or less, or 100 or less regular employees.
3. A method of creating innovative value in developing technologies and products, relying not only
on the company’s own management resources and research and development, but utilizing
knowledge and technology from external sources as well, including other companies, universities,

and research institutions.
4. An approach in which a broad base of unspecified people offer donations or funding in small
amounts through the Internet for certain organizations or projects.
5. Literally a “gap”; a small-scale in-between space in the market with special potential that large
corporations tend to avoid.
6. To output certain volumes of sample liquids using a pipette or similar dropper.
7. Abbreviation of Graphics Processing Unit. A type of processor (semiconductor chip). Originallya device specifically designed to perform real-time image processing in applications such as
computer gaming, providing high-speed processing, unlike CPUs. GPUs are indispensable
particularly in the AI field.
8. Abbreviation of Digital Transformation. Refers to companies’ utilization of data and digitaltechnology to transform their products, business, operations, etc. to gain or strengthen theircompetitive advantage. (Remarks: “Trans-” is often abbreviated as X)

Vol.194 HIGHLIGHTING JAPAN

9

FEATURES

Photo: TDC

Photo: ISHIZAWA Yoji

Photo: TDC

World-leading Precision
Polishing Technology, Even
Used for Space Development

Components featuring mirror surfaces
realized with original ultra-precision
polishing technology

Photo: TDC

Polishing equipment

Photo: ISHIZAWA Yoji

Ultra-precision polishing can be applied to any
material, from metal to ceramics and glass.

Workers use high-precision measurement
equipment to measure surface roughness
immediately after polishing.

TDC achieved precision
polishing of long-format foil
over 100 m in length throughits development of originalpolishing machinery.

One company in Japan has the technology enabling precision polishing under 1 nanometer(“nm”1 hereinafter) for any type of material and any shape. This is TDC Corporation. The company has received much praise both in Japan and around the world for this technology, which
has been adopted for use in both domestic and international space projects.
(Text: SAKURAI Yuko)
10

HIGHLIGHTING JAPAN JULY 2024

JAPANESE SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES LEADING THE WORLD

Photo: TDC

Photo: ISHIZAWA Yoji

capabilities. An on-site precision
measurement room where a controlled temperature of 20°C is
maintained throughout the year
provides an environment inwhich changes as minor as several
technologies are
atoms being removed can imme- TDC’s
used in a part of sample
diately be measured and evalu- return missions for space
exploration projects.
ated in their own facilities.
“While surface changes realized with nano-level processing are invisible to be seen
with the naked eye, precision measurement can makeeven the smallest variations visible. This enables efficient ultra-high-precision processing. And such data
evaluated with top-class equipment also helps in building relationships of mutual trust with customers.”
TDC Corporation is also set apart by its friendly work
environment. Company employees are of a wide range of ages,
from their late-teens into their70s, and are gender balanced wellwith a male-to-female ratio ofaround 6:4. The job turnover rateis also extremely low. The organization of the company has no
and CEO
official positions either, and is flat President
AKABANE Yuko with ainstead, encouraging lively com- female employee. The
has a male-tomunication between fellow work- company
female ratio of around 6:4.
ers, no concerns of overly longwork hours, and high productivity. The work environment has
also helped individual employees
acquire skills and increase theirtechnical abilities. At present,
TDC Corporation has dealings
with approximately 4,000 comHead Office in Rifu Town,
panies in 19 countries.
Miyagi Prefecture
Recently, the company’s technologies have even been adopted for use in spacedevelopment projects. The company says that it has
polished the sample containers for sample return
missions such as JAXA’s3 Hayabusa2 and MMX (Martian Moons eXploration) missions.
“It is our pleasure to be of service to our customers.
Our client’s issues are the source of our growth. We willcontinue to take on such challenges accordingly.”

Photo: ISHIZAWA YojiM

any components of precision equipmentused in the semiconductor, medical, aerospace and other fields require surfaces polished to levels of smoothness with surface roughness
less than 1 nm (one billionth of 1 m). We interviewed
President and CEO AKABANE Yuko of TDC Corporation, which developed fully original technology
capable of meeting such demands in the field of ultraprecision polishing.
One strength that sets TDC apart is the suitability of
its ultra-precision polishing for application to any typeof material, including metal, ceramics, and resin. This
technology, capable of achieving surface roughness Ra
values2 below 1 nm to realize mirror-like surfaces in adiverse range of materials, differs from other methods
such as surface-grinding or precision-cutting.
“In between the polishing plate installed in thepolishing device and the material being polished, we
insert a polishing solution made of a combination ofabrasive grains (general term for powdered materials used for cutting, grinding, polishing, etc.) andlubricating liquid (general term for the liquid used toprovide moderate lubrication during polishing). As
the two are rubbed together, the abrasive grains are
made to float freely across the surface of the material
to polish it. We use materials including diamonds andceramics for the abrasive grains, and their size is tiny
— on the nano-level. Mechanical and chemical actions
occurring with the material being processed and theabrasive grains enables nano-level polishing.”
The company has taken on challenging requests
from clients requiring ultra-precision processing at thenano level with special materials, complicated shapes,
and so on. Consequently, the company finds solutions
to what once seemed impossible, while engaging in
repeated trial and error to improve machining processes. Through maintaining this spirit of challenge,
TDC has found the way to repeated successes.
“While our focus is on customers in fields ofadvanced technologies, we work with any market scale,even undertaking development for a customer. Still, we
strive to make information concerning these new technologies we develop available worldwide through our
website. This is because we understand that there may
be others out there who face challenges demanding thesame technological solutions.”
Along with its precision machining technologies,
TDC maintains a strong commitment to precision measurement as well. World-leading measurement equipment provides support for the company’s technological

1. International unit of length. 1 nanometer (nm) is one billionth of a meter.
2. Surface roughness expresses the degree of unevenness (roughness) in a surface after it has
been processed, based on various criteria. Ra represents one formula for calculating suchmeasurements, expressing surface roughness in the height direction.
3. An abbreviation of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, a Japanese governmental organization.

Vol.194 HIGHLIGHTING JAPAN11

A palm-sized indoor
inspection drone

Flexible lightweightpolycarbonate material isused for IBIS2’s body.

A Drone That Takes Clear
Images in Tight Indoor Spaces
Liberaware Co., Ltd., based in Chiba City, Japan, has developed and is marketing a palm-sizeddrone that uses a built-in camera to capture images of tight indoor spaces. The drone’s features
include its small size, stable flight in indoor spaces, and the use of a high-sensitivity camera tocapture clear images.
(Text: MOTEGI Shunsuke)

12

HIGHLIGHTING JAPAN JULY 2024

Photo: Liberaware

FEATURESJAPANESE SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES LEADING THE WORLD

Photo: Liberaware

Above: Two built-in headlights
are turned on during a ceilingspace inspection.
Below: Stable flight is possible
even in limited spaces such asduct interiors.

L

iberaware Co., Ltd. has developed the IBIS2
ultra-small inspection drone for narrow andlimited spaces. It’s palm-sized at about 20 cm2
and lightweight at a mere 243 g.
MUKAIYAMA Takuya, public relations representative in the company’s Smart Industrial Safety Dept.,says proudly, “It’s one of the world’s smallest drones
for industrial use. It weighs about the same as a peach,and it can enter a 30-cm access hole and can eveninspect the interior of a 50-cm diameter duct.”This tiny, lightweight drone can fly into tight spaces
and capture clear images with its highly sensitive
built-in camera. In environments that radio waves
can’t penetrate, you can install a special antenna
inside the space and have a person outside operate thedrone, which can fly for up to 11 minutes on battery
power.
The drone takes over inspection duties for narrow,dark, and dangerous facilities, such as ceiling spaces
and duct interiors, and can be operated remotely froma safe location. East Japan Railway Company is currently using IBIS2 to inspect ceiling spaces in its station facilities.
“Even where it’s possible for a worker to enter aceiling space through an access door, there is the riskof breaking through and destroying the ceiling. On
one hand, looking over a ceiling space through anaccess door and checking the surroundings will limit
the scope of the inspection. However, a drone enables
you to run a wide range of inspections with less effort,”
MUKAIYAMA explains.
This drone is advantageous for indoor inspections
due to its small size and light weight, as well as its
flight stability.
“Small drones usually stop moving when they hit
the side of a space during flight, but you don’t haveto worry about this with our drones, because they are
equipped with attitude control technology that allows
them keep flying horizontally,” says MUKAIYAMA.
Thus, another feature of this drone is its side crashinnovation already in place—it can sustain flight evenafter impact.
Another strength is the camera built into the bodyof the IBIS2. Since the photo-taking environment isoften dark—as with a ceiling space—the camera must
be sensitive enough to capture clear images even insuch an environment. To meet this need, the company
developed its own high-sensitivity, wide-angle camerathat incorporates technology from the Sony Group, aworld leader in image sensor1 technology for security
cameras. This camera is built into the front of thedrone body and captures images in the direction of
movement.
The use of drones for indoor inspections has been
expanding in recent years. For example, MUKAIYAMA
stresses that drones can be used to search for missing persons in a disaster, or to survey the damage
situation inside a damaged house. “Our drones arebeing used not only to inspect familiar infrastructure
facilities, but also to survey damage inside collapsedbuildings hit by the January 2024 Noto Peninsula
earthquake, and in a growing variety of other places
that humans can’t safely enter. We hope you’ll remember our drones whenever you may have a difficulty,
perhaps related to an inspection inside a facility.”  
1. The image sensor is the “eye” of a digital camera. Its role is to convert light coming through thecamera lens into electrical signals and then transmit the data. Security camera image sensors use
cutting edge imaging technology to capture images in dark places and other harsh environments.

Vol.194 HIGHLIGHTING JAPAN

13

FEATURES

Photo: Chitose Robotics

High-Precision Robot Control
Software without Need for TimeConsuming Manual Adjustments

An arm robot equipped with the camera information-based CREWBO visual feedback control system.

Many companies are considering introducing
robots to reduce labor and streamline processes when manufacturing certain productsin factories. However, having to spend a great
deal of manpower to coordinate the actual
operation of such industrial robots when they
are built into the manufacturing system has
been a major challenge. One Japanese company has solved this challenge by developing CREWBO, a robot control software thatenables the construction of a high- precision
robotic system. On top of that, the cost of introduction of this robotic system is reasonable.
We interviewed the developer about this technology, which is getting worldwide attention.
(Text: SAKURAI Yuko)
14

HIGHLIGHTING JAPAN JULY 2024Various manufacturing industries in Japan
have seen the introduction of robots into the
production process. However, robots have so
far only been able to perform certain set operations.
In assembling components for industrial products,
for example, humans have had to make adjustments
to ensure that the robot fingers that take over the tasksof human hands will accurately reach the exact target
position. It is crucial to set the position and angle ofthe base of the robot arm precisely. This is because
slightest difference will result in the robot’s fingers
missing their mark and unable to grasp the target. It
was therefore necessary for humans to spend a greatamount of time performing calibration (adjustingbasic coordinates) and teaching (instructing movements).
“If a robot, which is supposed to cover for labor
shortages, requires adjustments that involve signifi-A robotthreads theeye of theneedle.
Photos: Chitose Robotics

Photo: Chitose Robotics

JAPANESE SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES LEADING THE WORLDNISHIDA Ryosuke, president of
Chitose Robotics Inc

Placing fried chicken in individual containers. There’s no need to rewrite
the program for different sizes and dimensions, even when grasping soft
foods.

where it is contributing to factory floor automationand productivity enhancement.
NISHIDA confidently declares, “Going forward, we
will continue to provide high-quality, vastly unique
technology.” We have hopeful expectations for the
future of this up-and-coming company.
Photo: Chitose Robotics

cant labor and costs, then we have a contradiction.”With this thought in mind, NISHIDA Ryosuke, president of Chitose Robotics Inc., developed an innovative
robot control technology that enables high-precision
operation without the need for minute adjustments.
Says NISHIDA, “When humans grasp something,
we have a rough idea of where it is, and then we control our movements with high precision as we move
our own hands. I thought that robot control should
also be possible based on uncertain information, justlike that of humans.”
CREWBO is a control software developed byNISHIDA that realizes a visual feedback control systemthat instantly feeds back image information capturedby multiple cameras to the robot, and continuously
moves the robot toward its goal. A robot equippedwith this software can automatically follow a moving object or grasp an irregularly shaped one. Even
if the robot’s position deviates somewhat, there is no
problem because it will analyze multiple image data tofollow along its path. In fact, this software eliminates
the need for adjustment costs that had been necessary
until now.
“Many of Japan's manufacturing industries aregoing through a severe labor shortage,” says NISHIDA.
“By providing robot labor, we hope to maintain thevitality and scale of our markets. We set the price at
1,100,000 yen for the minimum components (control
PC with software, 2 cameras, etc.), so that the robot
can be widely used at SME-scale manufacturing sites.”
Right now, CREWBO is in use at automobile, electrical, and food manufacturing sites, as well as distribution in Japan, Europe, the United States, and Asia,

Photo: Chitose Robotics

A single CREWBO can control
four robots from different
manufacturers. Here, a needle
threading operation is realized.

An automobile manufacturing site. Performing position-indeterminate
work (automatically following a moving object or grasping an irregularly
shaped object) on an assembly line.

Vol.194 HIGHLIGHTING JAPAN15

FEATURES

Photos: KOMATSU MATERE Co., Ltd.

One of the World’s
Lightest Fabrics
Woven from UltraFine Threads
Measuring 1/40thof a Millimeter

Ultra-fine thread, approximately
one-fifth the thickness of a human
hair, is so delicate that it can be cut
off by static electricity, making it
extremely challenging to weave into
fabric. Amaike LLC spent several
years developing the weaving technology for this ultra-fine thread. This
thin, lightweight, and shiny fabrichas captivated fashion brands both
domestically and internationally andis widely used as material for clothing, stage costumes, and more.
(Text: SAKURAI Yuko)

Photo: KOMATSU MATERE Co., Ltd 1

This ultra-lightweight and extremely
thin fabric, developed by Amaike LLC, is
known in Japan as ‘Tennyo no Hagoromo’(feathered robe of a heavenly maiden) andinternationally as ‘Amaike Super Organza.’

16

HIGHLIGHTING JAPAN JULY 2024

JAPANESE SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES LEADING THE WORLD

Photos: KOMATSU MATERE Co., Ltd.

Vol.194 HIGHLIGHTING JAPAN

Photo: KOMATSU MATERE Co., Ltd.

T

his extremely thin fabric,
to specialized contractors. However,which moves softly with air,because the thread was too specialis known in Japan as ‘Tenized, it could not be handled effecnyo no Hagoromo’ (means ‘feathtively by the contractors. As such,
ered robe of a heavenly maiden’ indyeing and sewing techniques had toJapanese) and internationally as
be developed in-house. Adjustments
2‘Amaike Super Organza .’ Woven
to dye types, moisture levels, andfrom ultra-fine threads about onefabric quantities were made throughfifth the thickness of a human hairrepeated trial and error. For the sew(approximately 1/40th of a miling threads, a thread suitable forlimeter), this fabric is incredibly
ultra-thin fabrics was developed tolight, weighing only five grams per
avoid visible seams, and adjustments
square meter (100 cm x 100 cm).
to the sewing machines were carried
We spoke with AMAIKE Yuki ofout. As a result, by around 2010, inteAmaike LLC, who developed thegrated manufacturing from weaving
weaving technology for these ultra- Above: Process of winding the warp threads forto dyeing and sewing was achieved.
theweaving
machine.
10,000warp
threadsarefine threads.
“After receiving positive feedback
needed for a single piece of fabric.
“This thread was originally Below: Using tweezers-like tools to handle andfrom showing our products to interdeveloped for use in plasma TVs3, position the threads, the weft threads are woven
national brands, we began exhibiting
into the warp threads.
but it was so thin that it wouldat overseas trade shows. This led to an
break easily, making it difficult to weave. Our comincrease in international clients. The unique movement
pany, known for its expertise in developing weavingand shine of the fabric have been highly praised, and intechniques for challenging new materials, received anrecent years, our fabrics have been used by well-known
inquiry from a thread manufacturer about realizing
European fashion brands, in costumes for the Paris
successful weaving with this thread. With our state-ofOpera, and for figure skaters,” says AMAIKE.
the-art weaving machines already in place, we began
In fact, the company is currently suffering fromworking on developing the weaving technology needed
the aftereffects of the major earthquake that struck infor this thread,” says AMAIKE.
January 2024 (the Noto Peninsula Earthquake). The
It was determined that the main cause of the ultraearthquake damaged the factory and equipment, causfine thread breaking was static electricity generated bying production and shipments to stop temporarily.
the friction during weaving. To overcome this, the temAlthough production hasperature and humidity in the weaving area were careresumed, repairs to the facfully managed to reduce static electricity. At the same
tory are not yet complete.
time, various thread densities and weaving techniques
Nevertheless, the company
were experimented with, and repeated prototyping
must continue to move forand evaluation were conducted. The weaving machinesward with reconstruction, so
were also upgraded, and their parts modified to handle
it is seeking support through
AMAIKE smiling as hethe ultra-fine thread more effectively.
crowdfunding services4.
talks in front of a display of“In 2006, after several years of such effort, we suc“We will continue to development fabric samples.
ceeded in weaving ultra-thin fabrics and expanded
develop new products utiour facilities to begin production. However, about alizing our unique fabrics, engaging in communication
year later, the client went bankrupt. As a result, wewith our customers, and aim to bring them joy,” says
decided to target the fashion industry and undertake
AMAIKE confidently.
product development andsales in-house,” explains
Left page (P16)
1. Amaike LLC is a group company of KOMATSU MATERE Co., Ltd.
Left and middle: A scarf withAMAIKE.
2. Organza is a thin, lightweight, and transparent fabric with a crisp texture. In contrast, Amaike
Super Organza, also known as Tennyo no Hagoromo, features even greater shine and softness.
a transparent and shiny
Since dyeing and sew3. Introduced in the late 1990s, plasma display televisions were known for their slim profile and highappearance. Amaike’s products
resolution. Although they were considered the mainstream choice for large TVs, by the late 2000s,
can be found at locations such as
ing are necessary for fashthe shift towards larger LCD displays, due to factors such as cost and energy efficiency, led to LCD
Haneda Airport.
displays becoming the dominant technology.
ionapplications,wetried
Right: Creating a subtle, shining
4. Currently featured on the crowdfunding platform ‘Makuake,’ which supports new products andeffect with two-color dyeing.
to outsource these tasks
experiences, are scarves and pocket squares from the Tennyo no Hagoromo collection.

17

Photo: YStech Co.,Ltd.

FEATURES

Heat resistant barcode label with
QR codes used by Godo Steel, Ltd.
Osaka Works

Heat Resistant Barcode Labels Enable
Management of High-Temperature
Production Processes
HEATPROOF labels provide manufacturers with the ability to use barcodes and other labelingto control production processes that reach temperatures as high as 1,000℃. These products,
which boast a 100% share of the global market for labels that can be applied directly to extremely
hot materials, are currently in use in 36 countries around the world. (Text: SAKURAI Yuko )18

HIGHLIGHTING JAPAN JULY 2024

scratch developing the machine we needed. Since we
had no experience in equipment manufacturing or
installation, producing the machinery in-house wasactually more challenging than developing the heatresistant labels. We repeatedly tested the product at
our customer’s plant overseas. We spent a great dealof time and money to achieve this, but this experience
was helpful when it came to subsequent development.”
In 2004, the company had successfully developed
Photo: ISHIZAWA Yoji

Today it is common for factories around theworld manufacturing various products to use
barcodes and other labelling methods（refer to
the column）to help manage the production process.
Despite the need for similar methods to help manage
metal and ceramic manufacturing, using ordinary
barcode labels has not been feasible in these situations due to the extremely high temperatures involvedin manufacturing and processing. HEATPROOF heat
resistant barcode labels from YStech Co.,Ltd. solve
this problem. We spoke with OKAYAMA Taichi, Director and Sales Manager, about these groundbreaking
labels.
“The cause of developing this product came about
20 years ago when an aluminum smelter in Canada
asked us for a label that could be applied directly toaluminum heated to 500℃. No such label existed at
the time, so we took up the challenge of developing
one. We repeated trial after trial, selecting new baseand ink materials, formulating and processing each ofthese materials. At the time, there was no equipment
capable of automatically applying labels to hot objects,
so we decided to develop the required equipment as
well. We hired a design engineer and started from

Heat resistant barcode labels can be applied directly to high-temperaturematerials, enabling consistent control during heat treatment processes.

Photo: ISHIZAWA Yoji

Photo: ISHIZAWA Yoji

JAPANESE SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES LEADING THE WORLDYStech Co., Ltd. - Head Office(Suita City, Osaka Prefecture)

conditions. Today, weoffer products that canwithstand temperatures
up to 1,200℃ as well. We
are the only company inthe world with technology that enables labels Inside of a thermal transfer printer.
The white roll in the foreground is
to be directly applied to label material, and the black rollobjects at such high tem- in the upper left is the ink ribbon.
Both are heat resistant, preventing
peratures.”the ink from burning off even when
The recent global exposed to high temperatures.
trend is toward stronger
traceability2, requiringthat companies are able
to trace raw materials
from procurement toproduction and disposal.
Using HEATPROOF not
only facilitates tracebarcode labels can beability, but also shortens HEATPROOF
printed on commercial thermal
production processing transfer printers.
times and reduces hazardous operations byeliminating the need for humans to be in hot environments and near hot objects. Recognized for theseadvantages, HEATPROOF is currently in use in 36
countries and regions around the world.
“We will continue to work in each region to raiseawareness of our products and promote the use of
HEATPROOF labels for barcode management,” says
OKAYAMA. With an increasing number of customers
adopting their products, YStech anticipates strong
growth in the future.

Photo: ISHIZAWA Yoji

barcode labels able to withstand high temperatures up
to 500℃, and the machinery needed to apply them.
This system not only facilitates production process
management, but is also helpful in managing shipments. For certain customers and products, YStechlabels also serve as shipping labels. Conventional
shipping labels could not be applied to metal products
until the extremely hot material had cooled down.
Waiting prolonged periods between processing andapplying labels can result in major issues, such as
applying labels to the wrong products, or shipping
products to incorrect destinations. These mistakes
can now be prevented by applying labels during hightemperature processing or immediately after casting. Additionally, unlike handwritten labels, printed
labels are not, of course, as readily misread. Moreover,barcode information can be printed on heat-resistantlabels using commercially available thermal transfer
printers¹. Do note, however, that when printing on thecompany’s heat resistant labels, it is recommended touse ink ribbons designed by YStech, which provide ink
that does not burn off when exposed to high temperatures and does not fade when left outdoors for up to ayear.
As these labels were adopted by more and moremanufacturing plants, YStech noticed more diverse
needs among their clients. Some customers neededlabels that could be used at even higher temperatures; others needed labels that could be heat-treatedafter being applied at room temperature; still others
needed to apply labels to more specialized metals andnon-metallic materials.
“Over the past 20 years, we have continued torespond to the needs of various companies by developing products with even greater heat resistance andproducts that can be used under a range of different

1. A printer that employs a printing method in which ink is transferred via a heated printhead thatpresses an ink ribbon against paper
2. The system for tracking and documenting the processing of goods through all stages fromproduction to consumption

BARCODES
A barcode represents information such as the alphabet and numbers using a combination of parallel vertical black lines (bars)
and white space. Data is represented by varying line width and spacing, and these labels are used for most manufactured
products and commodities. Specialized devices called barcode readers or barcode scanners recognize barcode informationand convert it into digital data that can be imported onto computers. While conventional barcodes (1D codes) store information in only one horizontal direction, QR codes and other 2D codes are bidirectional, storing information both vertically andhorizontally, to allow large amounts of information to be contained within a small print area.

Vol.194 HIGHLIGHTING JAPAN

19

FEATURES

A Giant Acrylic Aquarium Createdwith Four Exceptional Techniques
NIPPURA Co., Ltd., based in Kagawa Prefecture, makes the most of the characteristics of acrylic
plates, the ease of processing and transparency, to develop techniques for creating huge aquariums. And the company is using the techniques to expand its business both domestically andinternationally. They have repeatedly set records for the world’s largest exhibition aquariums
in terms of water volume.
(Text: MOTEGI Shunsuke)Osuch thickness, acrylic panels tend to exhibit a yellowish tint due to their natural color, but these panels
maintain their transparency without losing clarity.
One reason for this is in the material preparation.
President and Representative Director of NIPPURA,SHIKIYAMA Yasuhiro, explains, “We commission the
production of the raw acrylic panels to a major comprehensive chemical manufacturer. To achieve transparency like crystal glass, we deliberately add special
colors at this stage.”
Furthermore, ensuring safety and durability ishighly important. To prevent incidents like cracks
in public facilities or premature aging compared to
Photo: NIPPURA

ften referred to as “one of the world’s
l e a d i n g a q u a r i u m n a t i o n s 1 ,” Ja p a nboasts numerous notable aquariums,
with Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium in Okinawa
Prefecture standing out as a top recommendation.
One of its highlights is The Kuroshio Sea (10m deep,
35m wide, 27m long). This massive tank featuresapproximately 70 species of fish, including several
meters-long whale sharks and manta rays. The aquarium holds an impressive 7,500 tons of water.
This acrylic aquarium is a flagship project in Japan
designed and constructed by NIPPURA Co., Ltd. The
acrylic panels are an impressive 60cm thick. WithThe Kuroshio Sea tank at Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium features a large acrylic panel for viewing.

20

HIGHLIGHTING JAPAN JULY 2024

Photos: NIPPRA

JAPANESE SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES LEADING THE WORLD

Left: The process of bonding acrylic
panels as well as the following stages
occur at the actual site.
Right: The polishing process, using ahand polisher.

the quality of special-order products.
The fourth step, heat treatment, involves applying
vibrations to the molecules of acrylic resin and adhesives to strengthen their bonds. This process significantly enhances the transparency and strengthof the panels. By heating the acrylic resin until justbefore softening, the vibrations between molecules
are maximized, and returning to room temperatureensures a highly uniform molecular bonding state.
These exceptional techniques have gained international recognition, with a track record spanningover 400 projects across 63 countries in design andconstruction.
As SHIKIYAMA passionately states, “Our acrylic
aquariums represent Japan’s finest products. Moving
forward, we will continue to uphold our dedicationand cherish our pride in craftsmanship.”
1. There is a research report stating that Japan has the highest number of aquariums per square
kilometer in the world. In addition to aquariums certified under Japan’s Museum Act, there are
numerous related facilities of various sizes, highlighting the advanced breeding techniques in the
country.
Photo: NIPPURA

buildings, acrylic aquariums must meet these two
performance criteria, even on a massive scale.
NIPPURA achieves this through four exceptional
techniques: cutting, bonding, polishing, and heat
treatment.
The first technique, cutting, involves machining
the raw acrylic panels to achieve a uniform thickness.
When specifying the finished accuracy to the manufacturer commissioned for panel production, costs
can escalate. To control costs, NIPPURA manages theprocess of ensuring uniform thickness in-house.
The second technique is bonding. The standard
sizes for panels are 3.5m × 8.5m, available in thicknesses of 30mm and 40mm. These are laminatedor joined together using specially developed highstrength adhesives produced in-house.
The third step is extremely important for enhancing transparency: polishing. In this process, employees rely on their senses of sight and touch to manuallypolish the surfaces. It was concluded after trial anderror that manual labor is best suited for ensuring

Giant aquarium at King Abdulaziz International Airport, designed and constructed by NIPPURA.

Vol.194 HIGHLIGHTING JAPAN21

FEATURES

Innovative Drying Equipment
Unique in the World

Photo: NISHIMURA WORKS Co., Ltd.

Photo: NISHIMURA WORKS Co., Ltd.

Among the waste generated during the manufacturing process, some materials have value and can besold for profit. By monetizing these valuable
materials, the amount of waste is reduced.
Supporting the realization of such a circular
economy1 is the innovative Compact Disk
(CD) Dryer® by NISHIMURA WORKS
Co., Ltd., based in Saga Prefecture.
(Text: MOTEGI Shunsuke)

Head Office of NISHIMURA WORKS Co.,
Ltd. (Ogi City, Saga Prefecture)

The CD Dryer, a conductive
heat transfer drying device by
NISHIMURA WORKS Co., Ltd.

K

An example of a driedproduct produced by the CD
Dryer, which is also used in
powder manufacturing.

22

HIGHLIGHTING JAPAN JULY 2024

Photo: NISHIMURA WORKS Co., Ltd.

yushu, located in the southwestern part ofJapan, is renowned for its shochu (Japanesedistilled spirit), a popular distilled spirit.
After distillation, a liquid containing organic matter2,
known as “shochu lees,” is produced. The CD Dryer
by NISHIMURA WORKS was originally developed toevaporate the moisture from shochu lees, allowing thedried product to be sold as fertilizer and feed, thereby
generating revenue. We interviewed IZUMI Akira,Director and General Manager of the Sales Division, tolearn more about the development of this innovative

drying equipment.
“Production began in 1987. At that time, shochu
lees were disposed of through ocean dumping, which
was cost-free, so the CD Dryer was not used by shochu manufacturers. However, about 20 years later,
the adoption of the London Protocol strengthened
restrictions on ocean dumping of waste, leading toincreased demand from shochu manufacturers for the
CD Dryer. The equipment gained recognition for its
capability to significantly reduce waste by evaporating
the moisture from shochu lees,” says IZUMI.
With the changing times, the purpose of using the
CD Dryer evolved significantly in the shochu industry
from monetizing valuable materials to reducing disposal volumes. In addition, it has supported a range
of applications, including metal recovery from waste
liquids at rare metal recycling plants and the production of powdered feed3, leading to numerous successful implementations.
“For example, a company engaged in rare metal
recovery was discharging around 10 tons of coppercontaining wastewater daily and spending 90 million yen annually on disposal costs after dewatering.

Photo: NISHIMURA WORKS Co., Ltd.

ダブルドラムドライヤー
CDLEADING
ドライヤー
JAPANESE
SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES
THE WORLD
ダブルドラムドライヤー
CD
ドライヤー

Double Drum Dryer

CD DryerHeat Transfer Area 24.0m2
Plane Area 7.68m2

Heat Transfer Area 24.0m2
Plane Area 3.0m2

3.2m

2.3m

The process of pouring the target liquid onto the rotating disk.
1.3m

Photo: NISHIMURA WORKS Co., Ltd.

1.2m

1.2m

Plane Area is 40% of adoble drum dryer

CD Dryer Advantagesl Small sizel Low Initial costl Low Running costs

The CD Dryer model with 12 disks arranged inside the unit.

l Simple Operationl Easy to cleanl Simple to Maintain

On the left is a typical drying device. The CD Dryer utilizes both sides of multiple
disks as the heat transfer surface for heating the target material. This design allows
for the same heat transfer area to be achieved with a smaller installation footprint.

However, by introducing the CD Dryer, they were able
to extract copper from the wastewater, reducing disposal costs by 60 million yen per year and generating 5
million yen annually from copper sales. Notably, overthe past three years, the equipment’s adoption has
increased significantly overseas, expanding to morethan 10 countries, primarily in Asia,” explains IZUMI.
The drying technology is characterized by its innovative design. “Using heat conduction4 to indirectly
heat the material and evaporate moisture is a common approach, but the specific method employed
here is born from a unique concept. The system utilizes metal disks, approximately 1 meter in diameter and 2 cm thick, which are central to the process.
These disks rotate up to 20 times per minute insidethe device. The disks are heated internally by steam totemperatures exceeding 100°C on the surface. Whenthe target liquid is poured onto the rotating disk, themoisture evaporates, leaving the dried material on thesurface, which can then be collected. This method is
unparalleled worldwide, with patents granted for both
the disk’s structure and the heat source used.”
The key feature of this technology is the use of bothsides of the thin disks for heating the target liquid. By
arranging up to 16 disks in a line, the device increases
the heating surface area, resulting in a more compact
and thermally efficient system compared to traditional equipment.
“This drying equipment is the result of our researchand development based on the idea that it functions asa heat exchanger5. By improving thermal efficiency,
we have also achieved strengths in energy savings
and reduced operational costs. Our company philosophy is ‘Challenge and Create.’ Since our founding, wehave focused on the challenge of creating industrial
machinery that does not yet exist in the world,” says
IZUMI.
This company philosophy led to the creation of theinnovative drying equipment utilizing disks.
1. A circular economy system aims to continuously create new value while consistently recycling
resources (including products and components).
2. Compounds that contain carbon.
3. A process that improves handling and preservation by converting raw materials into powder or
granules.
4. The phenomenon where heat transfers through an object from a high-temperature area to a lowtemperature area.
5. A device that promotes efficient heat transfer by utilizing the property of heat moving from high to
low temperatures.

Vol.194 HIGHLIGHTING JAPAN

23

Series

POLICY-RELATED NEWSGroup photo at the PALM10

Report on the Tenth Pacific Islands Leaders
Meeting (PALM10)
The Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM) provides a platform for Japan and Pacific Island countries and regions
to engage in candid discussions at the leadership level. The summit aims to contribute to regional stability and prosperity while enhancing mutual partnerships. The PALM10 was held in Tokyo from July 16 to 18, 2024. This reporthighlights the key discussions and outcomes of the meeting.

Pacific Island countries and regions in the three sub-regionsof Micronesia, Melanesia, and Polynesia, are importantto Japan due to their friendly disposition, as well as oursharing common value and principle, close coordinationin various areas and activities at the international arena.
PALM was first held in 1997 with the aim of strengthening
Japan’s relations with these countries. Since then, it has
been hosted in Japan every three years. Pacific Island
countries face challenges such as limited and dispersed land,
isolation from international markets, small populations
and economies, and being surrounded by vast oceans. In
addition, they are also vulnerable to environmental changes
such as natural disasters and climate change. The PALM
meetings address these various issues by seeking solutions
together and discussing ways to achieve stability andprosperity in the Pacific Island region at the leadership level.
For the 10th Summit, leaders and other representatives
from Japan, 14 Pacific Island countries, two French
24

HIGHLIGHTING JAPAN JULY 2024

overseas territories, Australia, and New Zealand—totaling
19 countries and regions (see the map on P27)—gathered,along with the Secretary-General of the Pacific Islands
Forum (PIF)1. The previous summit was held online due tothe COVID-19 pandemic, making this the first in-person
meeting in six years.
At the opening session of the Leaders Meeting heldon July 18, the co-chairs, Mr. KISHIDA Fumio, Prime
Minister of Japan, and Hon. Mark Brown, Prime Ministerof the Cook Islands, the PIF Chair for this year, delivered
the opening remarks. Following this, discussions wereorganized into three sessions and a Working Lunch,focusing on the seven areas outlined in the PIF’s “2050Strategy for Blue Pacific Continent2.” At the conclusion of
the sessions, the leaders adopted the “10th Pacific Islands
Leaders Meeting (PALM10) Japan-Pacific Islands Forum
Leaders’ Declaration” and the accompanying “PALM10
Joint Action Plan” as the outcomes of the discussions3.

History of PALM
3rd
Okinawa

1st
Tokyo
1997

2000
2nd
Miyazaki

2003

5th
Hokkaido
2006
4th
Okinawa

2009

6th
Okinawa2010

2012

1st MinisterialInterim Meeting(MIM)

Since the 1960s, numerous independent nations haveemerged in the Pacific Island region. Japan had alreadyestablished close relationships with these countries,
including through people-to-people exchanges, even
before their independence. For Japan today, Pacific Island
countries are key international partners and important

7th
Fukushima
2013
MIM

2015

8th
Fukushima
2017
MIM

2018

9th
Video conference
2020
MIM

2021

2024

At Fiji
The very first MIM
in the PacificIsland region

sources , as well as overseas shipping routes of natural
resources(such as fisheries and energy). Through thetriannual PALM meetings and the Ministerial Interim
Meetings held between them, Japan and the Pacific Island
countries have deepened their ties, “KIZUNA”.

PALM10 Meeting Schedule
July 16

Welcome reception hosted by Chief Cabinet Secretary HAYASHI Yoshimasa and Mrs. HAYASHI.
Bilateral meetings (Japan with Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Niue, and Papua New Guinea).
Courtesy call on Prime Minister KISHIDA by the PIF Secretary-General.

July 17Banquet hosted by Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio and Mrs. KISHIDA.
Bilateral meetings (Japan with Palau, Marshall Islands, Fiji, Samoa, Cook Islands, Tonga, and the Solomon Islands).
Courtesy call on Prime Minister KISHIDA by representatives from New Zealand and the Commonwealth of Australia.

July 18

Leaders Meeting (Sessions 1-3, Working Lunch), and joint press conference.
Bilateral meetings (Japan with the Federated States of Micronesia and Nauru), and the Partners’ Program.
Courtesy call on Prime Minister KISHIDA by the representative from French Polynesia.

Related events included a luncheon hosted by the JapanPacific Island Countries Parliamentary Friendship League,
the 3rd meeting of the Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting andGovernors (PALM&G), an event co-hosted by the Ministryof Foreign Affairs and Japan International Cooperation
Agency (JICA) titled “KIZUNA between Pacific Island
Countries (PICs) and Japan through People-to-People

Exchange,” and an event co-hosted by the Ministry ofForeign Affairs, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
and (Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) titled“the 4th Japan-Pacific Island Countries Economic Forum”.
The Emperor and Empress hosted afternoon tea at theImperial Palace, inviting leaders and representatives that
attended at the PALM10 on this occasion.

Overview of each session
Session 1: Vision for the PALM Partnership towards 2050, Striding forward Together
Prime Minister KISHIDA noted that Japan successfully
implemented robust development cooperation and peopleto-people exchanges and human resource development for
7,500 individuals, exceeding the target set under the “Japan’s
Pacific Bond (KIZUNA) Policy” announced at PALM9. Heemphasized that it is of utmost importance that each of thesecooperative efforts serves as a source of strength for PacificIsland countries and regions. The leaders of the Pacific Island
countries and regions expressed their appreciation for thepioneering role of PALM, gratitude for Japan delivering its
commitments from PALM9, and their willingness to continue
further developing cooperation with Japan.

Session 2: “Climate Change and Disasters” and “Ocean and Environment”
Prime Minister KISHIDA stated that Japan and the PacificIsland countries and regions fully share the sense of crisis
regarding climate change, described as “the single greatest
existential threat” to the region. He announced the “PacificClimate Resilience Initiative” as an “All Japan” initiative
mobilizing Japan’s technology, know-how, and financial

resources, which consists of three pillars, (1) strengthening
disaster risk reduction and response capacity, (2) promoting
decarbonization, and (3) supporting Pacific-led efforts. The
leaders of the Pacific Island countries and regions welcomed
Japan’s efforts and expressed their willingness to continue
cooperation with Japan.

Session 3: “People-Centered Development,” “Resources and Economic Development,” and“Technology and Connectivity”
Prime Minister KISHIDA stated that to protect andstrengthen “human dignity,” Japan would continue topromote cooperation in the fields of education and health,and further expand people-to-people exchanges through thecurrent human exchange and human resource development
programs between Japan and the region and a recently

decided human resource development program for young
government officials from Pacific Island countries. The
leaders of the Pacific Island countries and regions welcomed
Japan’s efforts and expressed their expectations for further
cooperation with Japan in finance, trade, investment, andinfrastructure development.
Vol.194 HIGHLIGHTING JAPAN25

Working Lunch Agendas: Cooperation in International Fora, “Peace and Security” andWay Forward from PALM10
Japan and the Pacific Island countries and regions
reaffirmed their shared values and principles and concurredon the importance of a free and open international order
based on the rule of law. Additionally, Prime Minister
KISHIDA expressed Japan’s commitment to promoting
robust development cooperation and people-to-people
exchanges and human resource development for more than
6,500 people over the next three years. He also proposed
holding the Sixth Ministerial Interim Meeting before
PALM11.
In conclusion, the leaders reaffirmed their commitment
to striding forward together towards realizing a sharedvision for the future between Japan and the PacificIsland countries and regions. They also renewed theirdetermination to further strengthen their mutual KIZUNA(bonds). The PALM10 summit was then adjourned.

Prime Minister of Japan KISHIDA Fumio and Prime Minister of
the Cook Islands Hon. Mark Brown, who served as co-chairs,
exchange a firm handshake.

Note: This article has been prepared based on publicly released materials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with their approval.
1. The forum is a platform for dialogue among leaders of Oceania countries and aims for regional cooperation. It includes 16 countries and two territories: Cook
Islands, Commonwealth of Australia, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua
New Guinea, Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu (some country names have been abbreviated.
2. In 2022, the Pacific Island countries and regions developed a common strategy for the future, which encompasses seven key areas: (1) Political Leadership andRegionalism, (2) People-Centered Development, (3) Peace and Security, (4) Resources and Economic Development, (5) Climate Change and Disasters, (6) Ocean
and Environment, and (7) Technology and Connectivity. This strategy reflects the collective concerns and priorities of the Pacific Island countries and regions.
3. The Leaders’ Declaration and Joint Action Plan can be referenced on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website:
https://www.mofa.go.jp/a_o/ocn/pagewe_000001_00022.html

Official Logo for PALM10
The letters “PALM10” in the logo show elements of leave and water, and the designof the “0” (zero) represents PALM partners, the 19 countries and regions. Also, theupper part of the logo symbolizes the Pacific Islands and the lower part consists of theimage of waves which represents the image of a “palm”. Following a selection processfrom logo design submissions, the design by graphic designer ISHIDA Hironobu waschosen.

A scene from the Leaders Meeting held on July 18.

26

HIGHLIGHTING JAPAN JULY 2024

The banquet hosted by Prime Minister KISHIDA and Mrs.
KISHIDA on July 17 featured dishes prepared with local
ingredients from the Noto region of Ishikawa Prefecture,reflecting Japan’s commitment to backing disaster recovery.

Later in the evening, the guests experienced a traditional
Japanese “summer festival,” embodying the spirit of people-topeople exchanges.
Photos: Courtesy of Cabinet Public Affairs Office

PALM10 Countries and Regions(①② chair countries)①Japan⑫Republicof Palau⑭Republic of the
Marshall Islands④Federated Statesof Micronesia⑦Republicof Kiribati⑬Independent State of
Papua New Guinea⑧Republicof Nauru⑯SolomonIslands③Australia

Micronesia
equator⑦Republicof Kiribati⑱Tuvalu⑦Republicof Kiribati②Cook Islands⑮Independent
State of Samoa⑲Republic
Melanesia of Vanuatu⑪Niue⑤Republicof Fiji⑰Kingdom⑨New Caledoniaof Tonga(France)⑥French Polynesia(France)

Polynesia⑩New ZealandPrepared based on material from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Vol.194 HIGHLIGHTING JAPAN27

Series

DISCOVERING JAPAN THROUGH THE EYES OF JAPANESE INFLUENCERS

Japanese Wedding
Attire — Gorgeous
Beauty and Deep,Rich Traditions
KaaisanKaaisan is a Kyoto-based creator who promotes Japanese culture in English day-by-day. In this month’s issue, Kaaisan talks
about Japan’s wedding attire.
Bride in traditional Japanese wedding
attire shiromuku. The uchikake, which
is worn as the outermost layer of thekimono, is also white.
Photo: PIXTA

Did you know that one of the accessories of the traditional Japanesebridal attire is a smallish short sword?
This is a leftover from a society where
samurai warriors were prominent.
As you can see, even an aspect of
wedding costume can reveal traditions, aesthetics, and beliefs that havebeen passed down from generation to
generation in Japan. Welcome to thegorgeous, rich, and complex world ofJapanese wedding attire.

Bride’s attireS

imilar to the imageof Western wedding
dresses, in Japan white isconsidered a sacred andpure color, and an outfit called shiromuku (literally “pure white”), which
consists of a white kimono, white obi(sash), and white accessories is themost classic bridal attire. Recently, it
has become fashionable to wear a colorful kimono under the white kimono
or, conversely, to choose a vibrantly
colored and patterned uchikake, agown-like garment with a long hemthat is worn as the outermost layer of
the kimono.

28

HIGHLIGHTING JAPAN JULY 2024

Just as a veil is worn over a wedding
dress, the bride in Japan wears a white
hat (wataboshi) or a kind of headdress(tsunokakushi) to cover her head. In
fact, the hairstyle hidden under suchheadgears is also unique. The bunkintakashimada1 hairstyle, which was
popular among women in the late 19th
century, has become a standard forbrides. But today, it is common to wear
a wig with this hairstyle.
A smallish short sword for protection called a “kaiken” and an accessory pouch are tucked into the folds
of bride’s her robe. Both are believed
to have been carried by women of thesamurai class around the 17th century, and they were incorporated into
the traditional bridal attire as accessories beginning in the 19th century.
The accessory pouch was likely used
to carry a handkerchief, medicine,cosmetics, etc.
The patterns on wedding kimonos
are not purely decorative. They arechosen for their auspicious nature,
which has been passed down as partof ancient beliefs and traditions. Suchpatterns include cranes, a symbol of
longevity and vitality, and seigaiha(literally “blue ocean waves”),2 a symbol of permanent peace.

Groom’s attireThetraditional
wedding
attire for the groom is calledkuromonpuku (or “ black
haori and hakama with five
crests”). This formal outfit consists ofa black kimono, hakama pants withstriped pattern, and a black haori(overcoat). The overcoat has a kamon(family crest) embroidered on fiveplaces. This crest is a symbol of thefamily lineage and social status inherited from his ancestors.

Attendees’ attireIn modern Japan, Western-style
attire has become the norm forattendees, with many men wearing suits and a growing numberof women wearing classical and formal day dresses, although white is
avoided. However, female relativesof the couple are more likely to wear
kimonos. The mothers of the groom
and the bride wear kuro-tomesode,a type of black kimono with shorter
sleeves and elaborate designs on theKaaisanCreator of English-language short film introductions to Japan. She manages an online community for likeminded people interested in Japanese culture and worldview to meet and learn together. She also plans andorganizes various events on an irregular basis.
Kaaisan

Bunkin takashimada, thestandard hairstyle for brides
wearing traditional Japanese
attire.

Photo: PIXTABride wearing
an uchikake ofvibrant colors andpatterns. You cancatch a glimpse of
the kaiken smallish
short sword and theaccessory pouchtucked into thefolds of her robe.

Photo: Kaaisan

lower half only. Married women wear
iro-tomesode, a colored kimono withshorter sleeves and no designs on theupper half. Unmarried women wear
furisode, a colored kimono with elaborate designs on both the top and bottom, and long sleeves that reach down
to their feet.

Originally, many Japaneseweddings were held athome, but since the 20th
century it has becomecommon to hold weddings outside

the home, in wedding halls or shrines.
Also, due to the new custom of taking commemorative wedding photos
on occasions separate from the actual
wedding ceremony, there are more
opportunities to see people in various Western and Japanese wedding
attire on the streets of Japan today. If
you are traveling in Japan and comeacross such couples, be sure to quietly
congratulate them with the Japanesephrase “Omedeto” (unless they are in
the middle of their severe wedding
ceremony).

Iro-uchikake (colored uchikake) withcrane patterns, a symbol of longevity andvitality.
Photo: Kaaisan

The groom (right) is wearing
kuromonpuku, a traditional wedding
outfit. The bride is wearing shiromuku.

Photo: Kaaisan

The type of clothing of attendance at a wedding varies
depending on their blood relationship with the bride andgroom, etc. (The photo is an example from an actual wedding
ceremony.)
The woman on the far left is wearing a furisode (long-sleeved
kimono), usually reserved for young, unmarried women. The
second woman from the left is wearing iro-tomesode (coloredkimono with shorter sleeves), typically worn by married
women. The third person from the left is the father of thegroom or the bride. He is dressed in a Western-style morningcoat. The man next to him is the groom. He is wearing a
traditional wedding outfit called kuromonpuku. The second
person from the right is the bride, who is dressed in a gorgeous patterned uchikake. The person on the far right is the mother of thegroom or the bride. She is wearing a kuro-tomesode (black formal kimono with shorter sleeves).
Photo: Kaaisan

1. One of the traditional Japanese hairstyles. There are different theories about its origin. In modern Japan, it
is a typical hairstyle for brides wearing traditional Japanese attire (see photo).
2. A traditional fan-shaped geometric pattern representing ocean waves, which has been used in Japan sinceancient times. The endlessly repeating wave pattern is an expression of hope for a peaceful life and longlasting happiness.

(An example of a
Seigaiha pattern)

Vol.194 HIGHLIGHTING JAPAN

29

Series

TREASURES OF JAPANESE CULTURE

Geimon crest created by KATSURA Fukuryu for use as a Rakugo
storyteller. The design features a dragon, which appears in hisstage name, a maple leaf inspired by the national flag of his homecountry, Canada, and a hanabishi diamond-shaped flower motif inthe center — the crest of the Katsura School.
Photo: Katsura Fukuryu Office

KATSURA Fukuryu wearing a kimono
adorned with his own crest

Photo: Katsura Fukuryu Office

The Charms of Japanese Monsho Crests:
Simple Designs Infused with Traditional Beauty
Rakugo storyteller KATSURA Fukuryu, originally from Canada, designed a crest of his very own, featuringmotifs based on his stage name, when he was still performing as an amateur. In this issue, he shares his thoughtson the appeal of Japanese crests, including kamon family crests and geimon 1 artistic performers’ crests.

I

KATSURA Fukuryu

n Japan, most families havecrests (kamon) that have been
handed down from generation
to generation. You can see themfeatured on kimonos worn by members of the extended family on ceremonial occasions like weddings andfunerals, for example. While the family crests found in the West are often
colorful and complex, with images oflions, unicorns, and so on, Japanesekamon tend to feature simple black-30

HIGHLIGHTING JAPAN JULY 2024

and-white designs. Many have motifs
based on flowers, plants, birds, themoon, and so on, with easily recognizable forms. There are said to beover 30,000 designs, and it seems
really fascinating that each of themhas some significance related to thefamily’s roots.
Each school of Rakugo actually
has its own crest, called a geimon,
too. These crests are handed downfrom teachers to generations of theirdisciples and displayed on their own
kimono, as well. In my case, though,I was familiar with that culture fromthe time I was an amateur Rakugo
storyteller, so when I had my kimono
made, I designed my own geimon
crest for it.
At the time, I was using the stage
name Duke Canada, picking out kanji
characters for it that could be readwith similar pronunciations: Ryuku
Kanada, written as “龍来彼方゛.” Thefirst two characters mean “dragon”
and “come,” and the last two together
would ordinarily be read as kanata,meaning a distant direction or foreign

KATSURA Fukuryu
He is a Rakugo2 storyteller originally from Canada. In October 2016, he joined the KATSURA Fukudanji Ichimon (House),and became the 11th disciple of KATSURA Fukudanji. He is based in the Kansai region³, and performs at Yose (Rakugo
theaters) throughout Japan. With the goal of showing the charm of Rakugo to the world, he has appeared in shows in Las
Vegas, San Francisco, and Hawaii in the United States, as well as in Canada and the Philippines.
KATSURA Fukuryu

Tenugui hand towel decorated with a variety of different
Japanese kamon family crests. Each features a simple design
consisting of a motif based on items like a flower, plant, bird, or
the moon in the small circular space of the crest.

Photo: PIXTA

land. By voicing the T as a D, I madeit refer to Canada specifically, so all
together, the name suggests “A dragon
from Canada.” The dragon here also
relates to my family’s Scottish origins
and the lizard featured in my ancestors’ family crest. I designed my own
geimon crest based on this name that
I made up. The way the dragon holds
its tail in its mouth to form a circular
arc expresses the concept of eternity.
I also placed a maple leaf, as featured
on the Canadian flag as well, in the
middle of it. While it was challenging
to incorporate these humorous andcomplicated double meanings with asimple design, it was also fun.
Later, I became a disciple of Rakugo
master KATSURA Fukudanji, seeking to become a professional Rakugo
storyteller. Then, I was given thestage name KATSURA Fukuryu, with
Fukuryu written as “福龍,” combining
fuku (good fortune) from my teacher’sname with ryu (dragon) from my original amateur stage name. The geimon
crest for our school of Rakugo features

Kamon crests can also be seen adorning yane-gawara roof tiles
used in Japanese structures, including castles, temples, shrines,
and houses built with traditional techniques. Shown in thephoto is a kiri-mon4 crest.

a hanabishi pattern with a flower petal
pattern arranged around a diamondshape. My teacher took a liking to
my original crest design, though, andI was given approval to use a crest
combining my original design withthe official crest of the Rakugo school
after I became an apprentice. So, at
this point, I revised my original design
to include a hanabishi flower patternin the middle of the maple leaf. WhenI perform together with others from
our Rakugo school, I wear a kimono
featuring the hanabishi crest to show
unity with the group. When I give
solo performances, however, I wear akimono adorned with my own original crest.
When you live in Japan, you might
notice various crests all around thecities and streets. These include not
only kamon family crests, but a variety of other crests as well, associatedwith prefectures, schools, companies,
and so on. I like how, even without
Japanese language skills, you canseem to imagine something about

Photo: PIXTABlossoms and leaves of the kiri(paulownia or empress tree), the basis of
the kiri-mon crest’s design

Photo: PIXTA

their significance by considering the
motifs they use.
For anyone thinking it would be
fun to design an original kamon crestof their own, I might recommend
considering designs that express
something about your home country
or your family’s roots. It can be challenging to create designs that incorporate multiple motifs in a small roundspace, but you will be sure to end up
with a totally unique crest.

1. In Japan, monsho (crests) are also referred to as mon.
2. Rakugo: Traditional storytelling art of Japan created over 400 years ago. For a more detailed discussion, see the May 2024 issue of "HIGHLIGHTINGJapan."(⇨https://www.gov-online.go.jp/hlj/en/may_2024/may_2024-11.html)
3. Kansai region: The area roughly around Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, and their neighboring prefectures
4. Typical example of a Japanese kamon family crest, featuring a design with a motif based on the blossoms and leaves of the kiri (paulownia or empress tree)

Vol.194 HIGHLIGHTING JAPAN31

The Beauty of Japanese Swords

Long sword signed Sanjou(celebrated Mikazuki Munechika)

The sword’s maker, Munechika, was a well-known swordsmith thought
to have lived in Kyoto’s Sanjo district. He used two different inscriptions:“Munechika” and “Sanjo.” The Mikazuki Munechika is inscribed “Sanjo.”(Dimensions: approx. 80-cm blade length with approx. 2.7-cm curve)
Photo: ColBase (https://colbase.nich.go.jp/)

T

he celebrated Mikazuki Munechika long sword (tachi) signed “Sanjo,” a National Treasure, is thought to havebeen crafted between the 10th and 12th centuries. Its maker, Munechika, was a famous swordsmith known as
Sanjo Munechika, as a Muromachi-period (1392–1573) work listing swords and swordsmiths describes him
as a resident of the Sanjo district of Kyoto around the beginning of Emperor Ichijo’s reign (986–1011 as the
66th emperor of Japan). He used two different inscriptions: “Munechika” and “Sanjo.”
This blade is representative of those with the Sanjo signature and was regarded as one of the “Five Famous Swords ofJapan” (Japanese: tenka goken) during the Muromachi period. Its distinctive form bespeaks the old style of Japanese sword
making: a strong curvature from the tang through the lower half of the blade (koshi), but almost no curvature in the upper
half (saki). The crescent-moon-shaped pattern (mikazuki) of the tempering gives the work its name, “Crescent-Moon Munechika” (Mikazuki Munechika).1
The sword was left to Kodai-in — the primarywife of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the Sengoku militarycommander who united all of Japan — and next toTokugawa Hidetada (Reign of Shogun:1605–1623),
the second shogun of the Edo shogunate, after which
The Mikazuki Munechika features a particularly minute and complex hamon
it was passed down through the Tokugawa shogun temper pattern. The pattern, consisting of several white lines curved like afamily. Today, it is in the Tokyo National Museum’s crescent moon (mikazuki), gives the sword its name.
Photo: ColBase (https://colbase.nich.go.jp/)
collection.
1. Quoted from the explanatory text on the e-Museum website (from “This blade is” to “(Mikazuki Munechika.)”(https://emuseum.nich.go.jp/top?langId=en&webView=)
Reference: Terms used in this text
Muromachi period: In this article, the Muromachi period is defined as from 1392 (the year when the Northern and Southern Courts were united) onwards.
Generally considered to refer to the roughly 240-year period from 1336 to 1573 when the Ashikaga clan had a shogunate established in Kyoto, although various
interpretations exist.
Tenka goken: Five specific swords considered to be the greatest masterpieces among all the many Japanese swords ever craftedNakago (tang): The portion of a sword blade that fits into the handle (tsuka)
Hamon (temper patterns): White, wave-like patterns applied to Japanese sword blades during tempering or hardening (yaki-ire), a stage in the sword-making
process in which the sword steel is rapidly cooled from a high-temperature state to increase its hardness. The patterns appear in a variety of different forms
depending on the era or school of sword-making. They are one of the highlights of Japanese swords’ features that reveal swordsmiths’ individual characters.

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