Hideto Hyodo creates new and beautiful forms out of acrylic. He’s also the leader of the Modern Manufacturers’ Party, a group which considers the question, “How can we successfully combine beautiful design and high technical skill?” PingMag MAKE spoke to him this week about the road he traveled to become the craftsman and designer that he is today.
Interview by Takafumi Suzuki, Hiroko Torigoe
Translation by Claire Tanaka
The Modern Manufacturers’ Party is a gathering of craftspeople who both design and manufacture their own products. That’s quite an unusual way of doing business, isn’t it?
Yes. But a hundred years ago, that was how everyone did it. If you ask the founder, Kaoru Shimizu, he can probably tell you more about it (stay tuned for an interview with Shimizu next week!) The goal of our party is to make ourselves more visible to the people who need our skills. It’s just a gathering of people – it’s not a company. My company is called Hyodo Kogei, and we specialize in processed acrylics.
How did Hyodo Kogei get started?
Originally, my uncle was running an acrylic processing business, and he asked my dad to help him out. My dad worked there for ten years and then went and started his own shop. When I first started helping my dad out, I was making displays, stage props, props and tools for advertisements, doing jobs for TV stations, making billboards for model rooms, and stuff like that. Subcontracting work.
How old were you when you started working with your father?
I was about twenty-six. I didn’t last long in the first job I got after school, and I hadn’t really worked in about two years. I stayed at my folks place and did part time jobs sometimes, all while my parents made a very uncomfortable environment for me at home. People these days would probably call me a NEET. I didn’t have any money, but I had plenty of time, so I was always juggling a soccer ball. I’ve never played on a team, but I’m damn good at lifting. (laughs)
So how did you get into acrylic processing?
My dad wasn’t happy to see his grown son at his side just piddling around. He got me a job out of his sense of fatherly duty. They weren’t all that busy or anything, but he got me a job there anyway.
So up to then, you weren’t particularly interested in manufacturing at all?
I graduated from a trade school with a degree in design, and I always liked design and making things. One of my friends from my student days invited me to put on an exhibition but I turned him down, saying “naw, I’m too shy.” But he managed to twist my arm and I ended up doing a show. (laughs) Then, he said “if you’re going to go to the trouble of doing a show, you might as well stick a price tag on this stuff!” I just couldn’t fathom doing that at first, but in the end I thought really hard and looked into market rates and stuck a price on everything. It was all self-produced. And it sold. I started to feel like it was pretty fun, and that’s how I got turned on to it.
So that was how your attitude towards manufacturing changed, then?
I’m really grateful to my friend. It was right then that I started to think about the “Meaning of doing manufacturing work in Tokyo.” There are other factories in Tokyo, and there’s plenty of information, so there must be lots of things we can share. So I thought, instead of just doing subcontracting work all the time, I’ve got to cause a shift change, and do my own value-added stuff by designing my own products.
So is that when you started making your current type of stylish, designed products?
Well, if you want to do work with a design element, you’ve got to have experience working in a design office. But I’ve got none of that. So I figured I’d get some place like a café or something to display my work and get it more well-known among people. Then maybe people would take an interest and ask me to do work where I was free to do the design myself. And I really worked hard so that I wouldn’t lose money, making the best, coolest stuff I could, taking good pictures, and making a portfolio. First, I got a 100,000 yen job, then 300,000, then 500,000. Just a little bit at a time. And I gradually raised my rates too, bit by bit. It was just like the tale of the straw millionaire.
But you were mostly doing subcontracting work back then, weren’t you?
Yes. Back then, about 90% of the work was subcontracting stuff, and the other ten percent was my non-money-making self-designed stuff. I just tried to build up the self-designed stuff bit by bit. The thing that really changed things was when my father was installing a billboard and he fell from the ladder and wound up in the hospital for six months. While my father was away, I changed everything. (laughs)
How did you change things?
I started telling my fathers clients, “I’m really sorry, I can’t do the work” and they’d get angry and say “can’t you do something?!” but I’d just apologize and go on, gradually reducing the subcontracting work. Now, the reason I did that was that my father hadn’t had any insurance. I had to support both his family and my own. In order to do that, I had to have some work that I could do twenty-four hours a day. But the kind of work my father had been taking in was all production stuff in the factory. The kind of work you can’t do in the middle of the night. What can you do in the middle of the night? Design. So I started taking in more design work and turning down the subcontracting stuff. I was just pouring on the marketing. I was like, “This is what I want to do, so let me do it!!”
So that’s how you wound up doing mainly value-added, high design products.
My dad always jokes that “You were able to do your design work thanks to me falling off that ladder” and that really bugs me. But it’s true that that was when I really began to get serious about my work. I had to figure out how to make a living by getting people to appreciate what I could do with my skills and my ideas. Other people might come along to help, but they can’t protect you. I really felt that strongly. You might be free to choose your work, but you’re also free to starve to death if you screw up. In that sense, I’m still on pins and needles even now.
A new shape of object, with chain links attached
A trophy made for the magazine, “voce”
I see. (laughs) So what are you planning on doing next?
Companies with big, world-famous brands in places like Europe use craftsmen as their brains. I’m thinking it would be great to do a similar thing with Japan as the base. If products made by Japanese companies could develop an equal level of brand power worldwide, that would be a real kick.
Hyodo Kogei
Shirokane 6-2-17, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Hideto Hyodo
Born in Tokyo, in 1972. Acrylic craftsman / designer. President of Hyodo Kogei. Current party leader of the Modern Manufacturers’ Party.
25 Comments
- Share and Enjoy:
PingMag MAKE is the sister site to PingMag. We use an interview format to put the spotlight on a wide range of people active in rural areas. We document the voices of these unknown heroes and broadcast them to the world. It’s the Japan-based magazine about people and making things, coming out once a week. We’re passing on the passion, ideas, skills, and life stories of people who are building today and exploring tomorrow: craftsmen, engineers, entrepreneurs, and inventors. Stay tuned!
Important Notice
31 Dec 2008
Looking at Tradition with a Scientific Heart: Ootsuji Asahi-do
16 Dec 2008
The Adventures of the Japan-made T-shirts: Kume
9 Dec 2008
Tying the Knot: Kikuyu
2 Dec 2008
The Stone Merchant: Sato Teiseki ten
25 Nov 2008
Preserving the Essence of the Kiri Tansu: Ogura Tansu Ten
18 Nov 2008
Natural Materials and Design: Tsuruya Shoten
11 Nov 2008
Learning From a Young Master: Ceramic Artist Ryota Aoki
4 Nov 2008
Tiny Works of Shogi Art: Tendo Satoh Takashi Shouten
28 Oct 2008
Tada Mokko: A Woodcrafter’s Tale
21 Oct 2008
What a wonderful boy he is! And what a wonderful life he’s living!
Posted by: Michael on June 13th, 2008 at 1:49 am
Those color samples remind me of my childhood, where everything was made of plastic and acryl. I guess the 80s were full of it, sad that at least I feel like this material is in decline.
Posted by: David on June 14th, 2008 at 10:21 am
Hi Hyodo
I too work with acrylic! My favorite new tool is a laser cutter from GrabboGraph. Check it out. You will quickly begin to visualise a whole new range of creativity.
Neil
Posted by: Neil on June 16th, 2008 at 3:21 am
Hi Hyodo,
Your work remind me of my final year project in University,model all built by acrylic and perspex.
Impress by your artwork!Keep up your good job!
Posted by: mei*norika kaoru on June 19th, 2008 at 4:55 pm
Oh i love that light design!!
So beautiful…
Posted by: Naomi on July 7th, 2008 at 4:51 pm
Modern Manufacturer’s Party? Where do I sign up?
Posted by: Mike on July 16th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
Dear Hyodo Kogei
Sir i m very impres with your work in acrylic.i always like to see the prosesed acrylic products.i m in acrylic fabrication.i would like to get sum new ideas for acrylic fabricaton because in india acrylic fabrication is done still in traditional type.I will happy if you give me ideas about acrylic fabrication
Posted by: acrostyleuhas@gmail.com on October 8th, 2010 at 7:22 pm
cool thanks!
Posted by: download photo editor on May 25th, 2011 at 2:05 am
A very resourcesfull page;great website.
Posted by: ovulation calendar gender selection on May 30th, 2011 at 8:57 am
Awesome website. Keep up the good work.
Posted by: Podcast Business on June 1st, 2011 at 1:53 pm
Buddha
Posted by: Demand Lead Generation on June 12th, 2011 at 5:05 am
Great blog with interesting content. I have bookmarked and will return. Have a Great Day!
Posted by: the diet | Isabel Los Rios on June 19th, 2011 at 7:45 pm
Ive got to share this topic with the world!
Posted by: Internet Strategy on June 25th, 2011 at 5:52 pm
Thanks,I am sure my visitors will find that very useful.
Posted by: Wal Mart Marketing Strategy on July 7th, 2011 at 5:51 am
Your comments about the quake and resultant side show was on target. Thank you.
Posted by: Affiliate Marketing Reviews on July 16th, 2011 at 3:25 am
If u like soccer visit us!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Soccer on July 19th, 2011 at 2:30 am
Hi, I like your website. I’m currently looking for golf supplies in the UK & USA.
Posted by: golf supplies on August 24th, 2011 at 3:04 am
I loved reading this post. I am interested within the topic so I used to be pleased to come across this article.
Posted by: Health Natural Products Database on September 9th, 2011 at 10:44 am
I am impressed with your website and interested in collectibles.
Posted by: Jim Shore Collectibles on November 2nd, 2011 at 3:36 am
I enjoy reading a post that will make people think. Also, thanks for allowing me to comment!
Posted by: dump trailer on November 9th, 2011 at 9:03 am
Hey, I like your website, it is a wonderful site! I’m looking for some informations about sports betting to put in my page.
Posted by: christian louboutin on November 10th, 2011 at 10:24 am
Lorem sonyn wzwalkman sit amet, Cyber Monday Deals in Cell Phones & Accessories
Posted by: technology on November 28th, 2011 at 6:29 pm
Do you have a very good site
Posted by: reza atayee fard on December 4th, 2011 at 9:40 am
A few weeks ago my family and I went on vacation and had to rent a car. When at the car rental counter we were asked if we wanted to buy one day car insurance. Not knowing what 1 day car insurance was at the time time we figured we better be safe then sorry. So of course we did.
Posted by: Anonymous on December 17th, 2011 at 5:30 pm
hlektroniko tsigaro
Posted by: ηλεκτρονικο τσιγαρο on February 7th, 2012 at 6:21 pm