KYOTO INFORMATION

Do You Know the “Master Craftsman City” of Kyoto?

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  While travelling south from Kyoto station (The Gateway of Kyoto), one might remember the life of ancient people when a World Heritage Site (The 5 Story Wooden Temple called “Toji”) is seen from the train’s windows, you will soon arrive in “Kamitoba” the station nearest Kashifuji’s Factory & Headquarters.
  
  At leaving “Kamitoba” station surrounded by thick silence in contrast to the hustle and bustle of the Kyoto station, you are likely to see scenery with a lot of factories which are quite different from the image of a tourist city Kyoto. Kyoto has more than a 1,200 year of history and culture. The cultural heritage attracts people not only from many places in Japan, but also from all around the world! But actually, Kyoto is also one of the best industrial cities in Japan. Here in Kyoto, there are a lot of world famous High-Tech Manufacturing Companies. These companies are not of the heavy chemical industry with a forest of chimneys.

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  The reason why Kyoto became an industrial city is based on historical background of the crafts produced here. The products were of the very best quality such as “Nishijin Weaving”, “Kyoto Pottery”, “Resist Dyeing”, “Kyoto Fan” and were made by highly skilled craftsmen as a tribute to court nobles with the transfer of the national capital to Kyoto during the Edo of the 17th~19th century. During this time period, people referred to the Consumption-City “Edo” (the former name of Tokyo), Commercial-City “Osaka”, and the Industrial-City “Kyoto”. Kyoto has had a cultural inheritance of manufacturing quality products from ancient times.
  
  On the way to Kashifuji Factory & Headquarters, you will also find some farmers fields positioned in relatively narrow land between factories. In fact, the area of “Kamitoba” where we are located is well known as the main production area of several Kyoto Vegetables, such as Japanese Bunching Onion, Japanese Greens etc. which are used in the preparation of “Kyoto Cuisine.”

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  The “Kamitoba” region is well suited for vegetable cultivation owing to the fertile soil created by the 2 rivers (Kamo to the East & Katsura to the West). Due to its location, far from the sea, fresh sea food was difficult to obtain. Consequently, vegetable cultivation and fresh vegetables for the court nobles become very important. Additionally, with the arrival of “Zen”, Kyoto vegetables were widely used in Buddhist Cuisine.
  
  After about a 10 minute walk from the “Kamitoba” station you will arrive at Kashifuji. Kyoto’s culture and history and the development into an industrial city were based much on the fertile soil of “Kamitoba”. Similar to Kyoto, Kashifuji has grown over the years. Kashifuji succeeded in developing the nation’s first hobbing machine in 1918 when manufactured and offered repair gears for the Kyoto Municipal Electric Railways. Kyoto is the base for Kashifuji. We are the Kyoto Company “Kashifuji”!

Please feel to visit Kyoto, the center of culture and tradition in Japan, when you visit Kashifuji.