かつて日本のものづくりは、「生真面目さ」という良心で優しく包まれていた。しかし、大資本が幅を利かす昨今、むしろものづくりに求められるのは「利益率」「効率性」という冷めた言葉。そんな今の世の中でも、ものづくりの良心を大切にし、世に素晴らしい商品を送り出すメーカーもある。自社工場で釜出しをして、自然素材、無添加で、石鹸づくりを行ってきた東北石鹸佐藤工場はその代表だろう。ここでつくられる石鹸は、人の温もりを漂わせるだけでなく、本当に良質である。
取材：鈴木隆文
この会社の歴史は随分古いですね？
そうですね。父が大正時代に創業して85年間もやってるから。まあ、真面目にやってきたから、零細企業ながら存続してるっていうかね。商売は、お客さんあってこそのもの。でも、ウチは、営業マンがひとりもいないんだよね（笑）。
お客さんは、どんな形でこの石鹸を知るのでしょうか？
お店とかパソコンで見つける人もいるでしょうけど、人づてにっていうのが一番多いですね。「オタクの石鹸を知人に薦められて、使ってみたら手放せなくなった」なんて言って注文が来ますからね。ウチは問屋を通して卸すだけじゃなくて、直接、小口の注文を受けていますから。お客さんは、北海道から沖縄までいるんですよ（笑）。
お客さんからの反応にはどんなものがありますか？
いろいろ葉書でいただいた感想を見ますと、「肌がスベスベになるから」「モノがイイから」っていうのが多いですね。自分で言うと、手前味噌で恥ずかしいですけどね（笑）。
でも、確かに、素晴らしい石鹸ですよね。私も使ってみましたが、まるで宣伝文句のようですけど、本当に肌が若返るというか…（笑）特別なつくり方があるのでしょうか？
何十年も繰り返しやっているからね。特段、色や臭いをつけたりとか、塩や蜂蜜を混ぜたりとか、そんな奇をてらったことをやっているわけではないんです。親の代から、持てる原料を、持てる設備と持てる力で、できり限りいいものにする。そして、それをできるだけ安く売るっていうことをやってるだけです。
安くというといくら位の値で売っているんですか？
それは卸しもしているので言えないのですよ。でも、ウチがお客さんに直接売るときでも、石油価格の高騰で30円ばかり値上げしなければならないハメになってしまっているのですよ。
それでも製品の品質や手間ひまを考えると、かなりリーズナブルな値段ですよね？
うん、そうかもしれないですね。「できるだけ広めたいから、できるだけ手頃に」と考えていますから。それに、ウチの石鹸は原料を良くして使っていますから手間暇も掛かります。昭和30年代以降は、無添加、天然素材でやってきましたしね。でも、いい加減なつくり方をしなければ、品質保持材とか酸化防止剤のような余計な添加物を加えなくても、いいんですよ。鉄にたとえて言えば、ブリキも鉄だし日本刀も鉄です。同じ鉄でも鍛え方によっては、日本刀になる。ウチは油脂を日本刀のつもりで鍛え上げて石鹸にしているんです。アハハハハハ。
ドボドボと音を立てて注がれる
釜には油脂がこびりついている
ところで先代が石鹸の会社を起されたのどうしてでしょう？
ウチの親父は、コンニャク製造会社の社長の次男坊だったんです。でも、親父はどうしてか、食品以外の製造業をやりたかったようで、東京の石鹸屋さんの丁稚小僧をするようになるわけです。で、たまたま修行先の石鹸屋さんが絹製品を洗うための高級な石鹸を製造する工場だったんです。だから、石鹸を非常に精密につくる。一般用の石鹸をそこまで吟味して精錬してつくる必要はないのでしょうけど、ウチの親父も凝り性で頑な性格なものだから、自分の力と腕の限り、いい原料でいいモノをつくって、オマケに安く売る。ある意味馬鹿正直。だから、儲けは少ないんですけど、アハハハハハハ。そんな親父がよく言っていたのは、「ちり紙、マッチ、メリケン粉、天ぷら油、そういう生活必需品は安くて良いものでなくちゃいけない。”一度使ったら超美人になる”と言って高く売るなんてもっての他だ！」って。ウフフフフフ。
佐藤社長ご自身は石鹸づくりは、お父様から学ばれたのでしょうか？
私は、工業高校の機械科を卒業して、すぐ父のところで仕事をはじめまたね。長男でしたから、家を継ぐというのは当たり前だったんです。息子の私から見ても、父はいい仕事をしてました。でもある時期ね、自分で「親父を越したな」って思って、それを言ったことがあるんですよ（笑）。
それは、どんな点で感じたことなのでしょう。
大きな鹸化釜で原料の油脂を5時間も炊き続けるわけですからね。油脂は急に沸騰して釜から溢れ出そうになることもありますしね。そんな危険な釜に向き合って、冷水を入れたりとかするわけです。一瞬一瞬が真剣勝負で気が抜けない。そういうときに、親父はちょっと慌てちゃうところがあるんですけど、私の方が度胸がいいっていうんでしょうかね。出来上がった石鹸を見て、親父は「まいった」って言いましたからね。アハハハハ。
それにしても、昔ながらのやり方を今も貫いてこられる秘訣は何なのでしょうか？
創業が大正末ですから、時代の映り変りも見てきました。統制品だった石鹸が、昭和25年から自由競争になって、石鹸屋が各自のブランドを掲げるようになった。それから、電気洗濯機なんかが出てくると、合成洗剤というのが出てきて、どんどん石鹸屋さんは淘汰されていってしまったんですよね。そんな中でも、まあ、「いつまで、このいい石鹸づくりを続けられるのだろう？」って思いながら、細々と耐え忍んできたんです。そしたら、また時代がガラッと変って、「昔ながらの自然素材の石鹸を使いましょう！合成洗剤なんか使っていては駄目だ」、なんていう時代になって、ウチも復活した。だから、原理はどこの業界でも同じでしょうけど、真面目にやってきたってのが、一番の秘訣なんでしょうね。
きっと性格がお父様に似ているのでしょうね
アハハハハハハハ。そうですね。根っからの石鹸職人っていうか、ある意味、馬鹿正直っていうか（笑）。もうこの仕事以外にないと思っていますからね。でも、儲けない。「ゴルフ接待をして、どういうルートに石鹸を流通させたら売れるのじゃないか」ということには頭がまわらないです。「どういう設備、機械を使って、どういう風に工夫したらいい石鹸ができるのだろう」ってことを考えるのが、楽しくて楽しくてね。アハハハハハハ。だから女房には、「少しは楽させてよ」ってよく愚痴られてますけどね。アハハハハハハハハハ。
東北石鹸佐藤工場
宮城県仙台市若林区三百人町45
佐藤吉範
宮城県仙台市生まれ。東北石鹸佐藤工場、2代目社長。石鹸職人。
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素晴らしいインタビューですね。
石鹸使ってみたい！
石鹸の白さが背景になったパッケージデザインが素敵です。
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