A company of long standing that nurtures young artisans

Masugi was established in 1713 in front of the gates of Kyoto’s Honno-ji Temple, and boasts a three hundred year-old history. The story of the founder of the company sharing his rice with his friends during the great Kyoho famine has been passed down, and it is said that the name of the company – Masugi – comes from “masu”, the word for a container for measuring rice, and the character “gi” from the term “giri-ninjo” (duty and humanity). This shows that Masugi’s roots lie in sharing both joys and sorrows and providing rescue and assistance in times of disaster no matter how hard the times.

Mika NakazawaMasugi product development section (bag craftsperson)

Entered the company in 2013. Creates mainly luxury bags (utilizing reptile skins), and is charged with the creation of in-house brand samples and repairs. She has received technical guidance from a veteran artisan with forty three years of experience under their belt, and polishes these skills that can’t be found anywhere else every day.