I thought, 'They make amazing things.'

—Could you tell us how you came to handle DANESE products?

I knew of the brand's existence from design yearbooks and other books, but I first encountered their products about 20 years ago. It was around 1988 or 1989, perhaps during the major renovation of Kintetsu Department Store in Osaka, or when Loft opened in Umeda.

Things like these were displayed in the stationery section. I didn't know the company, but I thought, 'They make amazing things.' Coincidentally, there was an importer's warehouse near my parents' house back then. Even then, while working for a company, I would travel to regional areas to collect old design books.

Around 1996, I started a kind of dealer business, importing Bruno Munari books and Arnolfo di Cambio glasses for personal import, and selling them to select shops in Tokyo. Later, after getting into trouble when my side business was discovered (laughs), I quit my job in July 2000 and declared myself a bookseller.

The 2001 Milan Salone Was a Turning Point

I started wholesaling new books, and in October, I went to visit dealers in Germany and acquaintances in Milan.
While in Milan, I had some free time and stopped by the Artemide showroom. I was reading 'Domus' or 'Casa Brutus' and learned that DANESE was under the umbrella of Artemide, so I asked about its current status.
They introduced me to the export manager for DANESE. When I immediately expressed my interest in handling the brand, it turned out that their distribution in Japan was in limbo. They agreed to a contract, but only for a three-month period until Cassina Interdecs (now Cassina IXC) began their distribution.

After returning, I got to work, and received a considerable volume of orders, selling quite well. Then, during the Milan Salone in April 2001, I visited DANESE and spoke with the president and manager. They offered me the opportunity to continue handling the brand if I could meet a set sales target.
Since I met that target, I didn't sign with Cassina. Afterward, I acquired all of Cassina's existing inventory at the time and signed a full contract in 2002.

To be continued