“Necessity” and “Creativity” of a Tatami Room

When building our new offices, I ordered that a tatami room be built while I did not need a president’s office.

I believe people in charge thought something around, “It’s just the president’s taste. It can’t be helped.”

Why a tatami room? At that time I could not say anything as assertive as, “Because it’s necessary, dummy!” However, I have now become able to speak of that necessity. In an environment where thirty to forty people work, first off, there needs to be a place where workers can lay down to relax.

A long time ago, when I rented an office space, which was nearly empty during the afternoons, in Sugamo, one time I entered the office and was surprised to find a person lying right there on the floor. It was an adviser, Mr. Sawao.

Mr. Sawao was a successful account executive that was on a level competitive with companies even such as Dentsu Inc., and he provided us with concrete instruction on the basics of marketing. He read books and was very busy. I was impressed by how he constantly spit out new words. A napping room was something that a person like him needed.

After a nap, you are refreshed and your capacity to think increases. Working is also “thinking.” In our world, there are people who work late night shifts and those who work in shifts resembling that of taxi cab drivers. I have even heard that when Microsoft was started they carried out work with concentration by bringing in sleeping bags.

Working in short sprints may be better if the work becomes interesting. I am sure that in order to “think”, you do not have to work as if you work on a government office, whose schedule is from AM9:00 to PM5:00, excluding weekends and holidays.

Moreover, if there are thirty to forty people continuously working, there needs to be a place where someone can rest in case they do not feel well. In fact, when I had lower back pains, I was able to complete my work because there was a tatami that I could lay down on. Furthermore, for single persons, it is sometimes safer to sleep at the office than to drive back home to an empty house late at night.

Therefore, a Japanese style room, even if only 6 mats, is necessary:

• for the elderly to take naps.
• when younger people stayed overnight for work.
• for use as an infirmary.

When we decided to build a tatami room, Mr. Miura, another adviser, said, “How about asking Mr. Ohbuchi with help on the tatami room only? He used to work at an amazing place...”

Mr. Ohbuchi and Mr. Miura are both regulars at “Goshiki” (Open to everyone; held on the second Friday evening of every month; 1,000 yen entry), a pan-industry social event where people speak about their futures. Apparently, Mr. Ohbuchi paints old houses in need of rebuilding, to make a living. Just the other day he was rejoicing after getting incremental business from a walk-in customer.

He had a one-page article in the culture column of the Nikkei (Nihon Keizai Shimbun) a few years ago, but I had only figured him to be good at drawing. I found myself astonished when he actually brought me the project book for the room. “So much thought was put into a single 6-mat room!”

For example, since Kawaguchi is known for casting metals, he came to the idea of building the alcove space typical to Japanese rooms with cast metal.

When I first came to Kawaguchi, the river was dirty, and I felt out of place. However, after living there for a while, I came to notice that the river had carp and other small fish, crabs, and ducks and egrets even came. I became able to enjoy those things comfortably. Before I knew it I had taken out a loan to plant my roots right there in Kawaguchi.

Now I had to propose a way to increase the brand power of Kawaguchi. I believe that the brand power of “made in Japan” helps companies like AIRBUS and Boeing take note of Komy as a reliable producer of quality products.

Moreover, people can sit up straight and proper with one’s legs folded in the seiza literally translated as “to sit properly”) form when in tatami rooms.

Seiza is fundamental in the Shoka-sonjuku (a famous private school in the Edo era), tea ceremonies, flower arrangement, and even the reading of sutras by Buddhist monks.

I believe that Seiza has a tranquilizing effect, allowing you to think deeply.

It appeared that Mr. Ohbuchi ordered first-rate artisans for the tatami mats, walls, ceiling, and furniture.

As unsophisticated as I am, I could not understand any of the room’s explanations. It was like casting pearls before swine. However, Mr. Ohbuchi and the first-rate artisans had constructed the 6-mat tatami room as a creative space that would:

• Impress images of “Komy,” “Kawaguchi,” and “Japan” on visiting customers
• Allow us to relax and develop future plans

Every artisan must have a story behind developing each of their skills. I believe that through this opportunity we will be able to learn about “how to contemplate and build beautiful things.”

I also asked Daiwa House Industry Co.., Ltd. to design our building structure because of their reputation and recognition in construction throughout the world. They responded timely manner our change requests and they finished the project under the tight schedule as promised with hardly any problems. Their system is solid and response is fast. There is much to be learned through even a single safety measure that they have provided in this building.

It seems that all of Komy’s employees will grow significantly from these two encounters. I am grateful to everyone involved.