Lexus master craftsman features in documentary
07/03/2019
Katsuaki Suganuma, who has worked at Lexus for 32 years, rising to become the master craftsman, or takumi, in charge of the final inspection of all materials, features in the film alongside experts in cooking, carpentry and paper-cutting.
If, in the west, it’s often said that a person needs to devote 10,000 hours to an activity to become an expert in it, in Japan the belief is that it takes 60,000 hours to reach takumi status.
Mr Suganuma works in the Lexus plant in Aichi and says in the documentary that he spends most of his time now in refining the automotive company’s choice and use of materials. He regards himself as a guardian of Lexus craft at every stage of production.
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