Quality That Transcends: Its Value

Throughout my life and business endeavors, I've always felt I was stretching myself, building my inner strength. When the offer to become a LOUIS XIII ambassador came, I felt it was beyond my station, yet I accepted with a heightened sense of honor and responsibility.

While the scale and history are incomparable, I find a commonality between my own ventures and the creation of LOUIS XIII in their ability to possess a quality that can "transcend." It's about having a quality that one can proudly stand behind. When we started "Soup Stock Tokyo," I felt we had created an exceptionally high-quality soup. Then, I wanted to find a way to sell it that matched its quality. We focused on the packaging, store design, and staff training—creating the perfect "vessel" for this soup.
When you invest significant time and effort into creation and then strive for an exquisite presentation, it becomes difficult to sell at an extremely low price. However, when we tried it, many people accepted it. If the seller has confidence in the quality, the recipient will understand. It made me realize that it's okay to "transcend." With its ornate bottle and Baccarat crystal, LOUIS XIII might seem excessive in a way. Indeed, with other spirits, this might create a disjointed impression, mismatched with the contents. But for LOUIS XIII, it doesn't feel overdone. Because the contents match the presentation, it can stand as a "transcendent" entity. In a society where diverse values intermingle and absolute truths are hard to discern, such an entity is incredibly precious.

A Spirit That Serves as a Measure of Values

I recall seeing a bottle at my parents' home when I was young, but I didn't actually taste LOUIS XIII until I became an ambassador. I'll never forget the shock of that first sip. I had some prior knowledge about the years of production and the materials used, but the taste surpassed it all. It was so different that ordinary brandy felt like water. The rich, complex aromas that gradually spread through my palate from the initial attack... It communicated so much that I had to take it in slowly, lest my capacity be overwhelmed.

I once heard a story about Japanese individuals interned in Siberia during World War II who divided a single grain of rice into three parts to eat. Even a third, they said, released a distinct sweetness as they chewed. Since then, when savoring something with all my senses, I often check for the presence of sweetness. LOUIS XIII also has a sweetness underlying its rich aroma. Like that third of a grain of rice, it's a spirit to be savored slowly, bit by bit. The brilliance of LOUIS XIII lies in its complexity, yet it is genuinely delicious for anyone who drinks it. It's complex, but not so difficult that the taste is incomprehensible. I believe this is why it continues to shine through the ages.

For example, at "Soup Stock Tokyo," various people are involved in bringing a single bowl of soup to life, from menu development to logistics and sales, like passing a baton. When a product is recognized as being made with care, the staff who ultimately serve it to customers, and the customers themselves, stand a little taller. We always say this within the company, and LOUIS XIII is a spirit whose baton carries an overwhelming sense of weight and presence. When I visit Paris, I'm struck by the beauty of the old streets that have remained unchanged for 100 or 200 years. Tokyo, on the other hand, endlessly creates and demolishes new things without restraint. While much of it is hard to look at, wonderful things can also emerge. The key is balance; either extreme would lead to a poorer world. The taste of LOUIS XIII, created through immense time and effort, can be considered the finest "measuring stick" that teaches us the value of tradition. In a world of mixed values, it is a "measuring stick" with quality and history that can be declared absolute, beyond individual preference.

A Project to Discover One's Own Standards

My company is also planning to launch a project this autumn to help people discover their own "measuring sticks." The Japanese concept of "kawaii," now a global phenomenon, is often used to express everything. But what is my own "kawaii"? Through our apparel brand "my panda," which offers a wide variety of colors and patterns, we want people to find their own standards. We aim to create a brand that serves as a "measuring stick" for this word, which has become a global language. Having a firm grasp of one's own "measuring stick" enriches communication with others. I hope to convey a "measuring stick" like LOUIS XIII, which informs one's thoughts and position, from Tokyo, where new things are constantly emerging.



Masamichi Toyama
President of Smiles Co., Ltd. Born in Tokyo in 1962. After graduating from Keio University, he joined Mitsubishi Corporation. Following a secondment to KFC Japan in 1997, he opened the first "Soup Stock Tokyo" store in 1999. In 2000, he established Smiles Co., Ltd. as Mitsubishi Corporation's first in-house venture company. In 2008, he acquired 100% of the shares and currently oversees the planning and operation of "Soup Stock Tokyo," the tie brand "giraffe," and the select recycle shop "PASS THE BATON." He is also an artist, having held solo exhibitions in New York, Aoyama, and Daikanyama. His book, "Soup de, Ikimasu: How a Trading Company Employee Created Soup Stock Tokyo," is also notable.