RYUSEN HAMONOMILESTONES

Message from the President

In June 2023, I had the honor of becoming President and Representative Director when our company celebrated its 70th anniversary. I am deeply grateful to all our customers for their warm support, which has made this milestone possible, and I step forward with a heartfelt sense of responsibility, ready to lead our company into the future.

From an early age, I grew up watching my father, Hiroshi Masutani, dedicate himself wholeheartedly to his craft as a skilled sharpening craftsman. Over time, I developed my own passion to follow in his footsteps, learning both his skills and his honest, sincere approach to craftsmanship.

Before becoming President, during my time as Senior Managing Director, I focused on moving away from OEM production and strengthening our direct sales system. Always pursuing sharpness, beauty, and ease of use, I dedicated myself to developing and producing high-quality, uniquely RYUSEN knives that meet our customers' needs. While establishing our own brand, I have continued to value traditional handcrafting skills, focusing on handwork rather than machine production, and have worked to build lasting trust with our customers through honest and careful craftsmanship.

In 2014, as a defining symbol of the RYUSEN brand, I created the RYUSEN logo based on a design I drew by hand. It represents "a dragon deity soaring powerfully into the sky from a sacred spring, clutching a Nyoi Hoju (Cintamani stone) to fulfill people's wishes". The droplet pattern inside the dragon of our logo embodies two concepts: "the passionate flame of the craftsman's dedication", and "a sparkling drop entrusted to the earth by the ascending dragon.” This design is very close to my heart.

Around the same time, we received an email from the Netherlands, our first overseas business inquiry. With no knowledge of export procedures, my wife - who had studied abroad - embraced the challenge of international shipping through trial and error. This experience became the starting point for overseas activities, including exhibitions and sales events. While exploring sales channels together with my wife, the brand name “RYUSEN JAPAN” has gradually gained recognition, especially in Europe, the United States, and Canada. We are deeply grateful that overseas sales now account for roughly half of our total business.

By listening to the feedback of chefs working in professional kitchens, we have focused on developing and creating knives that are both easier to use and more beautiful. We were honored to receive the "Good Design Award" for five consecutive years. Today, we continue to develop high-value products and create knives that bring joy to our customers every day.

Thanks to the warm support of our customers, we have been able to continue moving forward, and we are truly grateful. In addition, we are able to maintain uncompromising quality thanks to the dedicated efforts of our craftsmen, who continually refine their skills, and to every member of our staff involved in all aspects of our work, including sales and customer service. I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to all of them.

We will continue to strive for quality and meticulous craftsmanship so that our products can support our customers' daily lives and be cherished for many years to come. We sincerely appreciate your continued support.

Chief Executive Officer / Craftsman TAIJI MASUTANI