Trading in Information — Throughout Marubeni and Across the Globe

Trading in Information — Throughout Marubeni and Across the Globe
Quarterly Newsletter · Summer 2006 · Vol. 88
2
■ COVER STORY
Depato – The Japanese Way of Shopping
6
■ HOT OFF THE PRESSES
The Latest News and Updates
9
■ A WORLD OF MARUBENI
Marubeni Europe, Bucharest Office
Marubeni Citizen-Cincom Inc., New Jersey
11
■ JAPAN UP CLOSE
Washi – Not Just Paper Thin
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shosha
No.88 Summer 2006
Depato –
The Japanese Way
of Shopping
Japanese department stores still provide a sparkling
range of clothes and accessories, but that’s certainly not
all. By creating spaces where a variety of different
interests can come together, they have transformed
themselves into centers of the community.
Elevator attendant
[Cover Story]
A Fine Summer Evening
wo Japanese friends, Keiko and Miki, sat at a table in
the warm gloaming of summer dusk. They sipped cool
mugs of beer and watched the sun set behind the city’s skyline. As they chatted, nearby children played on a lawn surrounding a burbling fountain. A group of local retirees
tended a garden of bonsai (Japanese miniature trees).
This wasn’t a park or festival ground, however. It was a
rooftop. Although Keiko and Miki each had very different
goals for spending their day, they found a place where both
could converge — a Japanese department store.
* Photographs taken with the cooperation of Takashimaya Co., Ltd.
T
A Hundred Items
Keiko’s goal for the day was simply to shop for clothes and
maybe a purse. People like her were, of course, the original
target customers for Japanese department stores. “Department store” literally means a single store with many
departments, each devoted to selling items that previously
had to be shopped for in separate stores. The world’s first
department store was Bon Marche in Paris, which had
evolved into the format by 1852. The first Japanese department store was Mitsukoshi, opening in 1904. The Japanese
word for “department store” was originally hyakkaten,
meaning “store of a hundred items,” but in recent times, the
borrowed English word, depato, has become far more common. Today, there are 285 depato in Japan, with annual
sales of 8 trillion yen. The current sales leader is
Takashimaya Co. Ltd.
Roaming Through the Store
Keiko entered the depato on the first floor and moved past
the smiling uniformed attendants selling cosmetics and
jewelry. She entered the elevator, but didn’t push the buttons herself. Instead, this was done by a woman in a bright
matching vest, dress, and hat, who also chirped a greeting
and called out which floors the elevator arrived at.
As Keiko wandered from floor to floor, each was divided
into what were almost miniature shops. Each brand had its
own space, where it displayed only its own products, with
cheerful clerks always ready to provide assistance. When
she bought a dress, her clerk wrapped it for her as a matter
of course. Even the tiniest of purchases in depato are placed
inside numerous bags and wrappings — sometimes nearly
swamping the product itself!
Promotional Events
Keiko was originally drawn to the store by a seasonal sale.
As in other countries, Japanese department stores eagerly
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shosha
No.88 Summer 2006
trumpet a variety of calendar events to attract customers,
with a few being especially connected to them.
For example, White Day (March 14) was invented by
Japanese confectioners to accompany Valentine’s Day. On
Valentine’s Day in Japan, women usually give sweets or
other gifts to men, so the idea behind White Day was to have
a holiday when men could reciprocate. Depato quickly got
on the bandwagon as well, and now fill their stores with
White Day reminders almost as soon as Valentine’s Day is
over. (Though Valentine’s Day is certainly not ignored
either!)
Around the New Year holidays, many depato offer
fukubukuro (lucky bags). Customers buy these bags without knowing what is inside, with the understanding that
the total value of the contents will be more than if they were
bought individually. Most fukubukuro are relatively inex-
From left: 1. The historic structure of a depato. 2. Attendants having their daily morning meeting.
pensive, but some run up to one million yen and more. People have been known to line up for more than a day to buy
fukubukuro, and sometimes set up a vigorous street market
for trading items outside the stores.
Depato also frequently hold events celebrating the specialties of different regions of Japan, such as seafood from
Hokkaido or lacquerware from Wakayama. These can be
excellent chances for people to experience parts of the
country that they might never visit themselves.
same depato to which Keiko was going.
In fact, many of the larger department stores in Japan feature high-quality museums. These are not merely vanity
rooms or trite displays for bored shoppers — some of the
best artists in Japan present their creations in depato museums. Though the number of these museums has declined
since the bursting of Japan’s economic bubble in the 1990s,
many are still thriving. In addition to art, other exhibitions
may feature history, science, and more. Temporary shops
catering to fans of a particular exhibit often set up nearby.
Quality Dining
After touring the museum, Miki felt like a delicious sitdown dinner. She didn’t have to leave the depato, however.
Instead, she went to its restaurant floor. As opposed to the
fast food that often fills “food courts” in many Western
department stores, depato usually feature a broad range of
dining options, from exquisite gourmet meals (where bills
of over 10 thousand yen per person are not uncommon) to
budget family eateries. Miki strolled past restaurants offering ramen noodles and tempura (lightly fried vegetables
and seafood), as well as cuisine from Italy, India, and China.
The End of a Good Day
After successfully completing their objectives for the
afternoon, Keiko and Miki met on the roof of the department store as planned. In addition to the beer garden, park,
Improving the Mind
Miki, on the other hand, had no desire to go shopping on
this day. As a fan of artistic ceramics, her goal was to see
some fine traditional pottery. She could have hunted all
through the city for tiny back-alley galleries, but instead,
she discovered that there would be an exhibition at the
A tiny rooftop shrine.
[Cover Story]
5
From left: 1. Browsing the food in a depato basement.
2. The ubiquitous careful wrapping of items. 3. A display of restaurant options.
4. Ceramics on exhibit at a depato museum.
and bonsai mentioned earlier, the roofs of other depato
might offer such features as playground equipment or
small amusement rides for children, concerts by up-andcoming musicians, pet exercise areas, small shrines to protect the building, and more.
Before leaving, Miki also wanted to buy some groceries.
In the basements of many depato are supermarkets selling
all manners of food, from the usual items on any supermarket shelf to bakeries, butchers, and fresh boxed meals.
Department store basements developed in this direction to
take advantage of the funsui koka (fountain effect) — enticing customers into the store with daily food needs, then
hoping that some of them would drift up to other floors.
Finally, the two friends got on a train to head home. Making this easier was the fact that their train’s starting point
was right in the basement of the depato itself, since the
store and the train company were one and the same.
Although many department stores originally began as dealers of kimono fabrics (such as Takashimaya, Mitsukoshi,
Daimaru, etc.), others developed from train companies
(such as Seibu, Tokyu, Keio, Kintetsu, etc.), growing out of
stores that had been set up in the naturally convenient location of train stations.
Keiko and Miki rode the train out of the depato’s walls
and into the humming city beyond. They would be back
before long, however, to this modern heart of Japanese community life.
Shoppers unwind above a depato.
Did You Know ?
Marubeni and Depato
Marubeni’s history has long mirrored and
intertwined with Japanese department stores.
Founded by 15-year-old Chubei Ito in 1858,
the company began as many depato did — in the
kimono fabrics trade.
Ito originally traded fabrics in the Osaka, Senshu, and
Kishu regions, and in 1872, opened his own store in
Osaka, calling it Benichu (beni meaning “crimson”, and
chu meaning “sincerity” and also part of his own first
name, Chubei). In 1883, Ito created a logo for the store
in which the Japanese writing for beni was surrounded
by a circle, and from this came the name, Marubeni
(round crimson). In 1955, Marubeni merged with the
Trading Department of the Takashimaya department
store chain. Kyoto
Marubeni, founded in
1977, has a particularly
strong connection to
depato. Recognizing the
growing demand for
clothing featuring classic
Japanese fabrics, Kyoto
Marubeni sealed a number
of agreements with depato
to sell yukata (traditional
Japanese robes) across
Japan.
Model: Moe Oshikiri Photo: Shion Isaka
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No.88 Summer 2006
A Fresh Look for
Marubeni Headquarters
A Guangxi Tianchang Investment Co., Ltd. loading berth
Vietnamese Coal
in Southern China
Marubeni and Marubeni Hong Kong
& South China Ltd. have put together a
deal to help dramatically raise the
amount of anthracite coal shipped
from Vinacomin (Vietnam) to Guangxi
Tianchang Investment Co., Ltd. (China).
Vinacomin produces the coal in Vietnam, then ships it to the facilities of
Guangxi Tianchang Investment Co.,
Ltd. in the Chinese city of Qinzhou
(Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region). With the help of Marubeni and
Marubeni Hong Kong & South China
Ltd., the projected amount of coal
shipped in 2006 will be 1 million tons,
rising to 2 million tons in 2007, and 3
to 5 million tons per year from 2008 to
2015. With this deal, Marubeni hopes
to gain an even stronger foothold in
the growing economies of southern
China and other ASEAN areas.
Renovations to the outer walls of
Marubeni’s Tokyo headquarters were
completed on March 31, 2006. Since
the building’s construction in 1972,
the relentless hand of time had caused
wear and tear to outside tiles, in addition to a gradual change in color. Renovations began in July, 2005. Planning and construction supervision
were performed by MHS Planners,
Architects & Engineers, while the construction itself was undertaken by
Taisei Corporation. Modifications included removing concrete panels and
replacing them with natural Solar
White granite from the United States.
A special film was also added to outer
window glass, to better conserve
energy.
The renovated Marubeni headquarters
[Hot Off The Presses — The Latest News and Updates]
7
South Korean windmills
Breezing Into South Korean
Wind Power
Marubeni has two projects planned
for reducing greenhouse gases in
South Korea through wind power production, both of which have now been
approved by the United Nations. Over
the next ten years, these projects plan
to acquire emission credits equivalent
to 2.1 million tons of carbon dioxide.
The partners in both projects are
Unison (a major Korean manufacturer
of bridge construction equipment),
local governments, and Marubeni.
Marubeni has an approximately 30%
stake in the projects. The projects
have a total capacity of 138MW, and
are expected to produce around
360GWh per year.
Marubeni’s “G” PLAN
Begins
An Undersea Link Between
Europe and Asia
Having strengthened its revenue
base and financial standing with the
“V” PLAN, Marubeni is now launching
a new two-year (FY2006 / FY2007)
management plan — the “G” PLAN. “G”
PLAN’s name is derived from the twin
G’s of “Glory” and “Growth.” Through
“G” PLAN, Marubeni will shift to an
offensive strategy, expanding its business domain, enhancing and diversifying its functions as a general trading
corporation, and aggressively investing in strategic fields. Sustainable
growth will be accomplished, with
diverse human resources working in
positive and vital ways. At the same
time, Marubeni’s firm defensive positions will be steadily maintained
through refinement of its management.
The dream of a railway tunnel under
the Bosphorus Strait of Turkey, linking the nation’s Asian and European
sides, continues to near completion.
Marubeni cooperated with Alstom
Transport (France) and Dogus Construction (Turkey) to offer the best bid
for the second stage of construction —
815 million euros (approximately 110
billion yen). The second stage will be
performed over a 63-kilometer section, and includes adding a third
track, setting up power distribution
facilities, improving electricity, signal, and communications facilities,
renovating station buildings, and
building rail yards. This underground
rail link is expected to not only relieve
Istanbul’s notorious traffic congestion, but also be beneficial to the local
environment.
An artist’s conception of the Turkish undersea rail link
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shosha
No.88 Summer 2006
[Hot Off The Presses — The Latest News and Updates]
Increasing Feed and
Livestock in France
Establishing Roots
in Thai Ethanol
Above and below: The pilot ethanol plant
Marubeni is joining with other businesses and organizations to help construct an ethanol plant in Thailand.
Marubeni, Tsukishima Kikai Co., Ltd.,
and Sapporo Breweries Ltd. will be
setting up the plant for the Japanese
government’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). The major Thai sugar
producer, the Thai Roong Ruang
Group, has also become involved, and
through its resources, 36 thousand
kiloliters of ethanol could be created
each year. Produced from harvested
plant matter, ethanol does not increase the world’s overall quantity of
greenhouse gases when burned, and
is therefore excellent for fighting
global warming and reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
On April 25, 2006, Marubeni
reached a collaborative agreement
with Groupe GLON, one of the top suppliers of compound feed and livestock
products in France. The agreement
covers five basic areas: 1. Joint work
for creating feed materials. 2. Techniques for compound feed production.
3. Techniques for feeding livestock. 4.
Safety of final products. 5. Environmental matters. Both companies are
highly committed to making safety a
major concern. This is the first time
that an agreement of this kind has
been put together between a Japanese
trading company and a European
company. Groupe GLON is a French
general food producing group, with 60
companies relating to agriculture,
livestock, and food.
Mr. Tetsuro Sakamoto (left), Corporate Senior Vice
President and Chief Operating Officer of Marubeni’s
Agri-Marine Products Division, and Mr. Alain Glon,
President of Groupe GLON
[A World Of Marubeni]
Life in the Fast Lane
Marubeni Europe, Bucharest Office
wo thousand years ago, the
Roman Empire conquered and
Latinized the region of Dacia. Today,
this region is known as Romania, the
last genuinely Latin-flavored country
in Eastern Europe.
Frequently coveted for its rich and
fertile territory, Romania has seen
more than its share of warfare over
the centuries. However, the heaviest
blow in its modern history was World
War II, which left it with a communist
system of government imposed by the
victorious Soviet Union. After a painful half-century of communist oppression, Romania’s 23 million citizens
decided to leave behind their hideous
memories and scars in 1989, and
build a new life for the coming generations.
Bucharest is the heart of the country, with almost 3 million inhabitants.
As soon as you enter it, you can feel
the vivid life returning to a city once
known as “Little Paris.” Fresh buildings are continually rising up among
the older ones. Both gourmet and popular restaurants have filled the
streets, creating a festive atmosphere
throughout the seasons. High technology is available almost everywhere,
while the open markets are bursting
with abundant organic foods. Brandnew limousines slide along next to
Dacias (the almost-forgotten former
“national” car, now licensed by
T
Renault). Traffic becomes busier every
day, especially downtown, but public
transportation is also becoming more
extensive and efficient.
With every step you take, it is impossible to ignore the contrast between
old and new throughout the metropolis. There is so much to do here, but
after all, being creative means staying
alive at full throttle — and Bucharest
truly has its fast lane, day and night.
The young generation masters its way
with confidence and audacity, being
the main driving force in developing
the economy, with the aim of catching
up to Western Europe in every manner possible.
Not many people in the world are as
hospitable as Romanians, making living here enjoyable in spite of the various difficulties with infrastructure
and services. This has been the testimony of all Japanese dealing with the
Bucharest Office since its beginning
back in 1975.
Before 1989, Marubeni was active
mostly in Romania’s metal and chemical fields. These days, by skillfully
using its versatility through a consolidated team of managers having more
than 10 years of experience with the
company, Marubeni has successfully
involved itself in infrastructure projects such as railways and transportation, along with commodity-oriented
businesses like medical equipment
a
b
c
9
d
e
a National Music Museum b Parliament Palace c Romanian Arch of Triumph
d Romanian Athenaeum e Military National Club
suppliers for major hospitals in
Bucharest and across the country.
In 2007, Romania will join the European Union (EU), reinforcing the legal
environment for sizeable private investments structured on mid to long terms.
There is a vast demand for investment
in the infrastructure and power/environmental fields. Massive efforts need
to be taken in these sectors, and by contributing through Japanese technologies and management assistance,
Marubeni could add significantly to this
development process.
We look forward to making your
visit here a fruitful one, by taking
every opportunity to intensify and
expand our presence in this great city
and nation.
Catalin Iorga
Author
MARUBENI EUROPE, BUCHAREST OFFICE
Address: 1-5 G-ral David Praporgescu, 1st Floor, app.2, 020965,
Bucharest
Telephone: 40-021-319-2817
Fax: 40-021-319-2810
Established: 1975
Employees: 5
Main Businesses: Infrastructure, machinery, chemicals, general
merchandise
Main Business Location: Romania
10
shosha
Vibrant Machinery for a Vibrant City
Marubeni Citizen-Cincom Inc.,
New Jersey
ello, my name is John Antignani
and I am Executive Vice President of Marubeni Citizen-Cincom
Inc. (MCC). MCC was established in
1984 to import and provide sales,
marketing, and service for Citizen
Numerically Controlled Machinery
(CINCOM) in North America. I have
been with MCC since the very beginning, and before that I worked for
Marubeni America Corp. in the
Machine Tool Division.
The corporate headquarters for
MCC is located in Allendale, New Jersey. There are two branch offices: one
in Elk Grove Village, Illinois and the
other in Fountain Valley, California.
Our Allendale office is located just
across the Hudson River from New
York City, very close to Marubeni
America’s corporate headquarters.
We can enjoy magnificent views of the
New York City skyline. Unfortunately,
we could also see the smoke flowing
over the river into New Jersey on
9/11. Northern New Jersey is a great
place to live, because you are close
enough to visit New York City, but still
return to your home in a beautiful
suburban area. Our office in Allendale
is less than 30 minutes by car to central Manhattan.
I’m sure I don’t need to tell you
about New York City. From Allendale,
you can drive to Manhattan in the
evening and enjoy a fabulous Broad-
H
[A World Of Marubeni]
No.88 Summer 2006
way show or visit great museums.
Because New York City was the primary port of entry for many immigrants in the early 1900s, it has a very
colorful mixture of foods and cultures.
You can get fantastic Italian food in
Little Italy or Chinese food in Chinatown, as well as any other ethnic food
you can imagine. It is also a good possibility that you will see some famous
personalities dining in the same
restaurants with you. I have had the
pleasure of seeing Paul McCartney,
Sarah Jessica Parker, and others.
According to an article in Metalworking Insiders’ Report, Citizen has
more than 45% of the U.S. market. We
are currently selling our products
through a network of 26 distributors.
Each of the distributors is under the
responsibility of one of our regional
offices. Mostly, our distributors are
small privately-owned companies
who are very aggressive about selling
our products.
By meeting the needs and challenges of our customers, MCC has
enjoyed a steady growth pattern since
its beginning, and has been successful in delivering more than 5,000 Cincom units to customers in North
America.
In January, 2006, we purchased our
largest distributor, Brookdale Associates, and started Citizen Machinery
America. This new acquisition gives
a
b
c
d
e
f
a Central Park b Chinatown c The Empire State Building d New York City at
night eThe Statue of Liberty f Broadway
us greater engineering capability, and
also creates many new business
opportunities to provide value-added
accessories and tooling, making us
more competitive and expanding the
Cincom market in North America.
This will give MCC a stronger position
in the U.S. market and set us apart
from our competitors.
In order to further expand our territory, MCC will soon establish MCC
Brazil. South America offers many
opportunities in its rapidly growing
medical and dental implant industries.
There are also many possibilities with
South American automotive plants.
I realize that Swiss-Type Turning
Centers are not as well understood or
recognized as the computers, textiles,
or other consumer products which are
handled by Marubeni. I hope, however, that my explanation has in some
small way increased your understanding of what we are doing at Marubeni
Citizen-Cincom Inc.
John Antignani
Executive Vice President
Marubeni Citizen-Cincom Inc.
Address: 40 Boroline Road, Allendale, NJ 07401, USA
Telephone: 1-201-818-0100
Fax: 1-201-818-1877
Established: November, 1984
Employees: 37 (as of December, 2004)
Main Business: Import and sale of CNC Lathes, made by Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
Main Business Location: North America
[ Japan Up Close]
11
Washi – Not Just Paper Thin
From Fields to Sheets
oft light glows over the surface like cool white gold.
You touch the thin crisp material and are surprised at
its strength, seemingly at odds with its gentle radiance.
This is the traditional Japanese paper known as washi.
The creation of fine sheets of washi begins in Japan’s
chilly autumn fields and hillsides. Local villagers step
through flat expanses of kozo (a type of mulberry), or up
slopes to gather mitsumata, which is cultivated among
cypresses and cedars. The third main base ingredient for
washi, gampi, has never been successfully domesticated,
and must be searched for months later in the spring wilderness. The durability of kozo makes it the ideal choice for
utilitarian products such as fans and umbrellas. Pure mitsumata paper is often used for luxurious stationary. Gampi,
the rarest and highest-quality of washi ingredients, is often
used for calligraphy paper or in the making of gold leaf.
Once these plants have been harvested, they are stripped
of their bark. The hard wood of kozo and mitsumata must be
steamed before it is stripped, while gampi bark (rich with
the water and sap of spring) is easily removed. Only the
white inner bark is used to make washi.
This is the point at which the chefs appear, and like chefs
of haute cuisine, these chefs of paper must subtly intuit
how their ingredients will cook. After running the strips of
bark through cold water, they boil them in alkali for one to
eight hours. When the chefs’ expertise tells them that the
S
Beautiful sheets of washi are a delight to both the sight and touch.
time is perfect, the fibers are removed from the pots and
bleached by letting cold running water drift over them.
Members of the village then pick out any leftover imperfections and beat the pure
remaining fibers into a
hearty pulp.
Next, vegetable mucilage
(a viscous blend of protein
and polysaccharides) is added to the pulp, and both
are stirred into clear bracing water. The plants from
which the mucilage is derived vary, depending on the
customs and inclinations of
each washi maker. A master sheet-maker takes a flat
frame of bamboo mesh and
deftly tosses it through the
liquid mash, so that a thin
layer of pulp coats the
frame’s bottom. Excess material is swiftly flicked of the
back. This process is untiringly repeated, until the sharp
eye of the sheet-maker determines that the thickness is
perfect. It takes anywhere from two to ten years to acquire
these skills.
After being pressed, the gleaming white sheets of washi
are arranged throughout the villages’ yards. If a stranger
arrived in a washi-making village during production time,
he might imagine it was a tremendous consumer of solar
power from all the huge bright rectangles.
Finally, other highly-experienced experts cut and inspect
the sheets. Those sheets with the most defects are recycled
into pulp to make new ones. The others are deemed ready
for sale, with prices depending on the number of imperfections. Dyes can also be added at various points throughout
the paper-making process, to create exquisite colored
washi. From there, the washi finds homes on screens,
lamps, fans, walls, and many more locations, its beautiful
filtered light soothing the spirits of people throughout
Japan and the world.
12
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[ Japan Up Close]
No.88 Summer 2006
Washi – Not Just Paper Thin
Paper World
Shoji
ashi (traditional Japanese paper) originally spread
through Japan due to the government’s efforts to promote Buddhism in the sixth century. Washi was extremely
useful for spreading the new religion to the masses via a
recent Chinese import — writing. However, it wasn’t long
before people began finding other uses for this gorgeous
material.
Fans
The folding handheld fan (sensu)
was invented in Japan. One of the
reasons for this was the durability
and lightness of washi, which allowed fans to withstand repeated
foldings, yet remain convenient to
carry.
Wagasa
The Future
Avant-garde interior decorators have
recently been putting together washicentered décors. A simple sheet of washi can add a sense of harmony on top
of tables and cabinets. It also gives
lampshades and vases a soothing mellowness. Some people have found that
washi makes excellent wallpaper, not
only for its exquisite tones, but also
because it can be easily removed with
ordinary water.
The Kanto festival in Akita prefecture
QUESTIONNAIRE
What do you think? Please let us
know how we are doing by filling
in a short questionnaire online at
http://www.liaison-kikaku.co.jp/
shosha88/form.html, or send
your questionnaire answers to
[email protected] by
the end of September 2006. Five
lucky contributors will receive a
gift featured in “Japan Up Close”.
Umbrellas
As with folding fans, washi’s
strength and low weight made it
ideal for umbrellas. Traditional Japanese umbrellas (wagasa) are
made by stretching washi over a
bamboo frame, then waterproofing
it with lacquer and sesame oil.
Washi is also used to make parasols, and brilliantly-colored specialty umbrellas for dances.
Screens
Sliding screen doors (shoji) are
divided into small wooden frames, with the entire door then
covered by a sheet of washi. Over time, shoji makers
learned how to subtly vary washi’s thickness to produce dif-
Publisher: Marubeni Corporation
Corporate Communications Dept.,
Tokyo Head Office, C.P.O. Box 595
Tokyo 100-8088, Japan.
Editorial and Design: Liaison Planning Inc.
4-2, Ohtemachi 1-choume
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8088 Japan.
Emphasis Inc., 3-25-2 Toranomon, Minato-ku
Tokyo 105-0001, Japan.
© 2006 Marubeni Corporation.
All rights reserved.
Printed in Japan
Lanterns
Japanese paper lanterns (chochin) range in size from gargantuan versions several meters tall that hang from temple
entrances, to tiny ones that can be held in a single hand.
Graceful strings of chochin floating beneath cherry blossoms inspire a sense of peace, while bright banners of
chochin during a parade fill the heart with excitement.
ferent shades of light. Similar to shoji
are fusuma, in which a single doorsized wooden frame is covered by a
sheet of washi. The more delicate nature
of fusuma can make them impractical
for rugged use, but also allows them to
be covered by beautiful paintings.
Reproduction in whole or in part without
written permission is prohibited. The material
contained herein has been reviewed by
Marubeni Corporation, but the opinions
expressed in the cover story and “Japan Up Close”
sections do not necessarily represent those of
Marubeni Corporation. Please direct your
questions, comments, and suggestions regarding
Shosha to [email protected]. Learn
more about Marubeni Corporation at the company
website, www.marubeni.com.
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