KARIMOKU Profile
QUALITY COMES FIRST
Under our company policy: ’Quality Comes First’, Karimoku’s purpose is to improve the quality of furniture as well as to improve the standard of the living environment.
The Karimoku Group, which is comprised of four material factories, nine manufacturers and one marketing firm, integrates all processes from the procurement and processing of materials to product design, product development, wholesaling and aftersales service. Our approximately 4,000 products have been designed, manufactured and made available to consumers via furniture specialists, department stores and other stores throughout Japan. We are highly regarded among consumers in Japan to the extent that ‘Karimoku’ has become synonymous with quality.
It has become a dream as well as a status symbol amongst consumers to some day own Karimoku furniture. The production facilities, production output, logistics network and after-sales service network
of Karimoku make it one of the largest Japanese companies in the field of wooden household furniture.
True to our credo of, ‘if using a 100-year old tree, create furniture worthy of its age’, Karimoku constantly pursues the creation of furniture that will be forever loved by customers.
KARIMOKU60
"Karimoku 60" gives new life to classic Japanese furniture design from the 1960s.
"Karimoku 60" is a furniture brand made by Karimoku, the Japanese traditional furniture manufacturer. Designed for broad consumer appeal and later discontinued, this classic line has been re-created and reintroduced to our standard product line, which has been in production for 40 years, from the 1960s to the present. Now, Karimoku 60 furniture brings new appeal to interior choices for contemporary living.
Before 1960, Karimoku was active in producing wooden products, such as piano keyboards and television parts. Then, the company decided to build handcrafted furniture in Japan for Japanese consumers. Making the most of advanced wood processing technology, the company produced and sold furniture domestically for the first time. At that time, the Japanese tradition of removing shoes and sitting on the floor was rapidly giving way to the Western custom of sitting on chairs. The Karimoku chair became a symbol of Japan's desire for a new, modern lifestyle, and Karimoku products gained popularity throughout the country. Later, much of this early furniture was discontinued as the company and emerging competitors made new products to meet growing consumer demands. Now, Karimoku reasserts our passion for manufacturing and reproduces these discontinued models.
The design development process behind Karimoku 60 furniture is simple. We looked at our product catalogs from our beginning to the present time, choosing classic beautiful designs that remain fresh and current today. This reflects our conviction that good design from 40 years ago is good today and will still be good in 40 more years. However, since technology has advanced greatly over 40 years, we have improved internal springs, materials, and structures while retaining essential design and styling. We believe in the power of history to shape good design - surpassing famous designers and world-class brands.
From the 1960s to the present time, new trends have constantly swept through Japan's furniture industry. Many new products created to suit consumer tastes were briefly marketed;at the same time, other products were routinely dropped. It was a difficult time for manufacturers to make the most of original ideas, desires, and plans. But throughout this period, Karimoku has produced classic furniture with universal commercial value, unaffected by changing trends.
Our constant commitment to classic design will continue to inspire Karimoku in the present and the future.
WHY 1960s?
It was an extraordinary period for Japan. As the economic privations of the 1940s were left behind, a new period of prosperity and plentiful consumer choices emerged. Products made
in the 1960s set high standards for simplicity, universality, and quality, and Japanese manufacturers drew on their creative imagination to develop world-class brands, long before the arrival of U.S .marketing expertise in the 1980s. Moreover, the international design movement introduced dramatic improvements in industrial technology and economy. Design in the 1960s focused on functionality, creating remarkably beautiful products with superb shapes and colors - museum-quality styling for enhanced quality of life.
KARIMOKU HISTORY
1940 : Succeeded to the family business that is a timber merchant running from
the Edo period, Shohei KatoI(The founder of the Karimoku Group)established a woodworking plant in Kariya (Aichi).
1947: Kariya Mokuzai Kogyo co., Ltd. was established to produce a variety of wood products,including a wooden frame for a sewing machine table, as well as television and piano parts.
Karimoku technology for processing Japan's fine-quality wood materials led to the company's creation of furniture for domestic use.
1969: Karimoku Inc was founded to expand furniture sales, and group companies were later set up to enlarge operations in different kinds of production.
The Karimoku Group now includes 11 companies that manage specialized, separate operations, including raw wood selection, timber processing into lumber material, and various types of furniture production.
2007: 67 years after establishment, Karimoku is known as J apan's "comprehensive furniture manufacturer" - a trusted leader in the domestic wood furniture industry.
Under our company policy: ’Quality Comes First’, Karimoku’s purpose is to improve the quality of furniture as well as to improve the standard of the living environment.
The Karimoku Group, which is comprised of four material factories, nine manufacturers and one marketing firm, integrates all processes from the procurement and processing of materials to product design, product development, wholesaling and aftersales service. Our approximately 4,000 products have been designed, manufactured and made available to consumers via furniture specialists, department stores and other stores throughout Japan. We are highly regarded among consumers in Japan to the extent that ‘Karimoku’ has become synonymous with quality.
It has become a dream as well as a status symbol amongst consumers to some day own Karimoku furniture. The production facilities, production output, logistics network and after-sales service network
of Karimoku make it one of the largest Japanese companies in the field of wooden household furniture.
True to our credo of, ‘if using a 100-year old tree, create furniture worthy of its age’, Karimoku constantly pursues the creation of furniture that will be forever loved by customers.
KARIMOKU60
"Karimoku 60" gives new life to classic Japanese furniture design from the 1960s.
"Karimoku 60" is a furniture brand made by Karimoku, the Japanese traditional furniture manufacturer. Designed for broad consumer appeal and later discontinued, this classic line has been re-created and reintroduced to our standard product line, which has been in production for 40 years, from the 1960s to the present. Now, Karimoku 60 furniture brings new appeal to interior choices for contemporary living.
Before 1960, Karimoku was active in producing wooden products, such as piano keyboards and television parts. Then, the company decided to build handcrafted furniture in Japan for Japanese consumers. Making the most of advanced wood processing technology, the company produced and sold furniture domestically for the first time. At that time, the Japanese tradition of removing shoes and sitting on the floor was rapidly giving way to the Western custom of sitting on chairs. The Karimoku chair became a symbol of Japan's desire for a new, modern lifestyle, and Karimoku products gained popularity throughout the country. Later, much of this early furniture was discontinued as the company and emerging competitors made new products to meet growing consumer demands. Now, Karimoku reasserts our passion for manufacturing and reproduces these discontinued models.
The design development process behind Karimoku 60 furniture is simple. We looked at our product catalogs from our beginning to the present time, choosing classic beautiful designs that remain fresh and current today. This reflects our conviction that good design from 40 years ago is good today and will still be good in 40 more years. However, since technology has advanced greatly over 40 years, we have improved internal springs, materials, and structures while retaining essential design and styling. We believe in the power of history to shape good design - surpassing famous designers and world-class brands.
From the 1960s to the present time, new trends have constantly swept through Japan's furniture industry. Many new products created to suit consumer tastes were briefly marketed;at the same time, other products were routinely dropped. It was a difficult time for manufacturers to make the most of original ideas, desires, and plans. But throughout this period, Karimoku has produced classic furniture with universal commercial value, unaffected by changing trends.
Our constant commitment to classic design will continue to inspire Karimoku in the present and the future.
WHY 1960s?
It was an extraordinary period for Japan. As the economic privations of the 1940s were left behind, a new period of prosperity and plentiful consumer choices emerged. Products made
in the 1960s set high standards for simplicity, universality, and quality, and Japanese manufacturers drew on their creative imagination to develop world-class brands, long before the arrival of U.S .marketing expertise in the 1980s. Moreover, the international design movement introduced dramatic improvements in industrial technology and economy. Design in the 1960s focused on functionality, creating remarkably beautiful products with superb shapes and colors - museum-quality styling for enhanced quality of life.
KARIMOKU HISTORY
1940 : Succeeded to the family business that is a timber merchant running from
the Edo period, Shohei KatoI(The founder of the Karimoku Group)established a woodworking plant in Kariya (Aichi).
1947: Kariya Mokuzai Kogyo co., Ltd. was established to produce a variety of wood products,including a wooden frame for a sewing machine table, as well as television and piano parts.
Karimoku technology for processing Japan's fine-quality wood materials led to the company's creation of furniture for domestic use.
1969: Karimoku Inc was founded to expand furniture sales, and group companies were later set up to enlarge operations in different kinds of production.
The Karimoku Group now includes 11 companies that manage specialized, separate operations, including raw wood selection, timber processing into lumber material, and various types of furniture production.
2007: 67 years after establishment, Karimoku is known as J apan's "comprehensive furniture manufacturer" - a trusted leader in the domestic wood furniture industry.
