On June 17, 2026, Yuki, founder and CEO of Tsugu Tsugu, gave a lecture to second-year students at Traditional Arts Super College of Kyoto as part of a class on traditional industries.
The lecture was made possible after the school invited Yuki to speak as a practitioner working in the field of traditional crafts and related industries. The goal of the class was to help students think about their future careers by hearing directly from people working in the field.
Tsugu Tsugu also has a special connection with the school, as one of its graduates is currently working with us. It was a meaningful opportunity to speak to students who may become part of the next generation of traditional craft professionals.
Traditional Arts Super College of Kyoto offers programs in a wide range of Japanese craft fields, including lacquerware, maki-e, ceramics, wood carving, Buddhist sculpture, woodworking, metalwork, bamboo craft, Kyoto-style hand-painted yuzen dyeing, and washi paper craft. The school places great emphasis on hands-on practice, and students spend much of their time developing their skills through direct work with materials and tools.
Yuki spoke to around 70 students under the theme:
Can Traditional Craft Survive on Passion Alone? ー The Real Story of Failure, Struggle, and Starting a Kintsugi Business
A Career That Did Not Follow a Straight Line
Yuki began the lecture by sharing her own path.
She studied pharmacy, worked at a major pharmaceutical company, studied abroad, earned an MBA, and eventually started a company in a completely different field: kintsugi.
At first glance, pharmacy and kintsugi may seem unrelated. But in reality, many of Yuki’s past experiences are now deeply connected to Tsugu Tsugu’s work.
Her background in pharmacy helped her understand safety, quality control, and the importance of clear explanations. Her experience in business helped her think about marketing, customer research, and how to build a sustainable company. Her time abroad helped her communicate with international customers and share Japanese craft with the world.
One message she shared with the students was:
Your future may not go exactly as planned. But if you give 120% to what is in front of you now, those experiences may connect later in ways you never expected.
Several students wrote afterward that the lecture helped them feel that their future possibilities were broader than they had imagined.
The Difficulty of Turning Traditional Craft into Work
Today, Tsugu Tsugu offers kintsugi classes, repair services, workshops, kintsugi kits, international online sales, and kintsugi certification programs.
But these services were not all planned from the beginning.
They grew little by little from listening carefully to customers’ concerns.
For example, customers often wondered:
“Can I really trust a craftsperson I cannot see?”
“Will I like the look of the gold lines after the repair?”
“Will there be extra charges later?”
“How long will the repair take?”
“Will the piece be durable after it is repaired?”
By facing these concerns one by one, Tsugu Tsugu gradually developed its services and communication style.
During the lecture, Yuki also shared how she once conducted a customer survey during her MBA studies to better understand people’s fears and questions about kintsugi. That research became one of the foundations of Tsugu Tsugu’s approach.
Many students wrote that this idea left a strong impression on them: business ideas are not found only inside your own head. They are often hidden in the small worries, questions, and comments of customers.
Good technique alone is not enough to create meaningful work.
Craft must be communicated in a way that helps people feel informed, safe, and confident.
Building Trust by Being Honest
One of the values Tsugu Tsugu cares about deeply is not making promises just to make a sale.
If a repair is difficult, we explain why.
If a repair will take time, we explain the reason.
If the price is high, we explain what is involved.
If there are limits to the durability or appearance after repair, we do our best to communicate that clearly in advance.
Our goal is not simply to accept every order. Our goal is to help each customer make a decision they can feel comfortable with.
This kind of honest communication is what builds trust over time.
In their reports, students wrote that they realized the importance of seeing things not only from the maker’s point of view, but also from the customer’s point of view. Many also mentioned that trust is essential when working with traditional craft.
Delivering Traditional Craft as a Team
Yuki also spoke about the idea that working in traditional craft does not always mean working alone.
Of course, becoming an independent artist or craftsperson is a wonderful path. But at Tsugu Tsugu, we also believe that a team can create value that one person alone cannot.
Some people teach.
Some repair.
Some communicate with customers.
Some share our work with the world.
Some build systems behind the scenes.
By bringing these strengths together, a team can help traditional craft reach more people.
Students responded strongly to this idea. Some wrote that tradition cannot continue if only one person holds the technique. Others wrote that they want to work with people around them, communicate better, and find ways to contribute as part of a larger whole.
To carry traditional craft into the future, individual talent matters. But so does the ability to work together toward a shared vision.
Speed, Energy, and Communication Are Also Skills
Yuki also shared that becoming a professional craftsperson requires more than technique.
It requires speed, energy, physical strength, communication skills, and the ability to keep going.
In school, students may have time to focus deeply on making something well. But in professional work, there are deadlines. Customers are waiting. Materials, rent, labor, and business operations all involve real costs.
That does not mean rushing or working carelessly.
It means learning how to produce high-quality work within a limited amount of time. In that sense, speed is not the opposite of craftsmanship. Speed is part of professional skill.
Several students wrote that they were struck by the phrase:
“Speed is not sloppiness. Speed is also a craftsperson’s skill.”
Others reflected that they need not only technical ability, but also stamina, action, communication, language skills, and the ability to share the value of their work with others.
How English Can Open New Possibilities for Traditional Craft
After the lecture, many students also wrote about the importance of English.
Traditional craft is no longer limited to the domestic market. There are more opportunities to communicate with international customers, sell overseas, take part in global exhibitions, and share Japanese culture with people around the world.
At Tsugu Tsugu, we regularly communicate with customers overseas, sell kintsugi kits internationally, and share information in English.
Students wrote that they want to share the beauty of their work with people outside Japan, learn English to expand their opportunities, and become able to explain Japanese culture in their own words.
English is not just a language skill. It is a bridge.
It helps traditional craft reach people who may never have encountered it otherwise.
Profit Is Necessary for Craft to Continue
Another important topic was profit.
Traditional craft cannot continue on passion and technique alone. It also needs a sustainable business structure.
Profit allows a company to pay employees, train new people, improve services, and keep taking on new challenges. It allows a craft-based business to survive and grow.
Yuki shared that pricing and profit should not be avoided as uncomfortable topics. If we want to protect traditional skills and the people who practice them, we must also think seriously about value, cost, and sustainability.
Some students wrote that they had not thought deeply about pricing systems, hiring, and business structure before. Others reflected that without profit, even beautiful traditional techniques cannot continue as work.
Thinking Together with Students
During the class, students were also asked to think about their own fields.
If they were to turn the craft they are studying into a job, what would customers expect? What would customers worry about? How could they make their work easier to understand and trust?
In their reports, students connected the lecture to their own areas of study, including woodworking, ceramics, lacquerware, maki-e, and Buddhist sculpture.
Some wrote that they want to stay connected to the world of traditional craft in some way. Others said they want to create works that become part of someone’s everyday life, take part in restoration or cultural preservation, or learn how to explain the value of their craft more clearly.
The lecture became not just a talk about Tsugu Tsugu, but a chance for students to reflect on how their own skills might live in society.
What Students Took Away
From the students’ reports, we could see that many of them were thinking deeply about their future.
Some of the most common reflections were:
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Technique alone is not enough; understanding customers’ worries and needs is also essential.
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Makers need the ability to explain the value of their work clearly.
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Energy, persistence, teamwork, and communication skills are important.
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There are many possible career paths, including employment, apprenticeship, entrepreneurship, and overseas opportunities.
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Students want to think more about how to bring the techniques they are learning into society.
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English and international communication can expand the future of traditional craft.
We were very moved to see how seriously the students reflected on their own paths and the future of the crafts they are studying.
A Message to the Next Generation of Makers
Through this lecture, Yuki wanted to share one important message:
Traditional craft cannot continue on passion alone.
But passion is still deeply important.
When you truly enjoy your work, that feeling reaches your customers.
When you work with care, curiosity, and joy, people can feel it.
To carry traditional craft into the future, technical skill is essential. But so are the ability to understand customers, communicate clearly, work with others, create quality within limited time, and build a sustainable business.
In today’s world, it is also important to look beyond Japan. Language skills and cross-cultural understanding can help traditional craft reach people around the world.
At Tsugu Tsugu, we will continue sharing the value of Japanese kintsugi with people in Japan and overseas. We also hope to support the next generation of makers who will carry traditional craft into the future in their own way.
We hope this lecture gave the students a chance to think more deeply about their future, their work, and the many ways traditional craft can live on.