Coming back to this atelier feels surreal. Two years have passed since my first visit and this time around I hoped to be more helpful than my last attempt. Even as skills progress over the years I still wonder on how I could continue to improve. What I will learn in the next few days wasn’t just about improving my skills but to enjoy the long road ahead.

Niwa’s journey started in a small craft shop down in Kichijoji. At the time he was working in business administration and would pursue hobbies on his time off. During his visit he would frequently see customers coming in and out noticing they all shared a deep sense of enthusiasm. He too had passion for motorbikes, tailoring, photography, etc and this one was just starting to peak his interest. One day he visited the shop and noticed the owner stitching a leather jacket. I can only imagine his eyes lighting up full of curiosity. It was the moment when he decided to pursue leather crafting.

Over the next few years he would apprentice there. The commutes were long and some days he would even catch up on work, saddle stitching on the train. It was there he learnt fundamentals of leather crafting. Information was scarce back then so he paid his respects of learning through time. Years later he would set up his own business, pursuing the craft to its highest standards.

I’ve always admired his work, not just for the technical qualities but for the whimsical charm he seems to carry along with his craftsmanship. Colourful schemes and playful details weren’t always the trend. Back in the days the market was focused on traditional colours with spartan aesthetics. Like a true outlier this didn’t hold him back, pursuing his own style of craftsmanship which undeniably inspired many crafters around the world.

Handle insert.

When I arrived, my enthusiasm got the better of me. I wanted to get better so I asked Niwa not to be lenient for any mistakes. He just smiled and said “ok”. Despite how much I’ve improved over the years; working with Niwa made me quickly realise that there is still a long way to go. I was tasked to shape a handle insert which I worked hard to finish within an hour. With further inspection Niwa would direct me to focus on the small yet important details. The contours, gradients, symmetry all had to be on point and can easily be missed without real focus. Six hours later and with a lot of guidance, the bag insert was done to standards.

It was a refreshing moment. To just slow down and realize that there is still so much room for improvement if I just focused on the details. Nothing is rushed out of this workshop. Despite his long list of orders everything is made with care and respect. Time seems to flow by here. It wasn’t just about the work for him, it’s the music, the art and meaning behind things.

Our conversation would lead towards the importance of a good journey. At first my mind was fixated to help while improving my skills. Yet slowly I would learn it’s merely a natural process and a good journey is what will help you get there. One day, a long time ago, I came across a picture of the randoseru Niwa made for his daughter. This was a pivotal moment for me. There it was, what I perceived as a masterpiece of leather crafting. Shown not through just techniques but also his passion for the craft and care for his daughter. Presenting this bag to her was a memorable moment in his journey.

Over the next few days I would continue to learn and watch him work. His sense of discipline is admirable and every night he would perform a thorough reset on the workplace. A similar mindset to the respect chefs have for mise en place. He openly admits that he still finds many things to be difficult. But a combination of practice and good discipline will allow any crafter to tackle these challenges with confidence.

One of those routines and perhaps the most important is to keep tools sharp. There was never a moment where I felt hindered when using his knives. Everything cuts without effort allowing the mind to purely focus on the task at hand. Flaws would only show up due to lack of technical skills and from there I could learn to adjust for improvements.

I noticed there were a few changes around the workshop. A few travel trinkets, books and most noticeably a new cabinet full of personalized tools. Like a kid in a candy shop I perused the items and found that many were imbued with little personalisations. It was clear this was more than just a profession for him but a lifelong pursuit of passion. His book collection grew too and I would always be amazed with the bizarre yet interesting titles you can find in Japan. Workwear history, sagemono (tobacco pouch), book of zippers, history of stationary, the titles in his library are diverse and full of interesting reads. It’s no wonder he continues to come up with the most clever designs and combinations.

While I perused the collection I asked about his recent travel overseas and his eyes lit up immediately. He was so happy to share about the experiences and things he learnt while teaching in the states. Meeting the community of crafters seemed to have sparked his curiosity to travel again. He’s currently working hard catching up on orders and preparing lessons for the international classes.

During my stay, Niwa had planned to visit the Leder Ogawa factory known for their line of shell cordovan. I still remember my first experience with shell and I saw it as the epitome of leathers. Extremely durable yet so elegant. I was more than curious to know more about the production process of this unique leather.

Cordovan comes from a very specific area from the hind of a horse. It lies underneath the surface and requires careful handling in order to get the perfect layer of fiber. The smell in the factory is sublime and I’ve never seen so many shell cordovans in one place. Their finish were vibrant and had excellent consistency in colours. One type of finish called the oil cordovan really caught my eye, it was extremely supple with beautiful marbling and character throughout the piece.

I’m happy to say that our host Tobita san and Ogawa san are also passionate about their work. Tobita san was happy to go through the process and is very detail oriented when it comes to quality. Some shells exhibits dry spots in the form of cracking. These are essentially areas outside the cordovan range that have been left on the piece. Leder Ogawa has a very strict quality control and does not tolerate this practice. Their cordovans are very clean showing almost little to no signs of dry excess.

Upon returning to the atelier we saw Sono and Soyo playing outside with their friends. They would still occasionally drop by to check on their father’s work. These two have grown up so quick and their enthusiasm hasn’t changed. Not wanting to be left out they’ve made their own signature works too.

Time had flown by and before I know it, it was time to go back. I felt calm yet excited to dive right back into work. Visiting Niwa Leathers had always come full of surprises and I can’t thank the family enough for their generosity and time. I came here hoping to improve my skills but what I learnt along the way meant so much more.

http://www.niwaleathers.com/

https://leder.co.jp/EN/