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Japanese Bicycles
Atelier Kinopio
Yasuda Masateru
< 13, Apr, 2014 >
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Yasuda Masateru internationally works as a producer of fine bicycles like “Moccle,” who was born in Osaka, and graduated from Osaka Univ. of Arts. He got skilled with a decade in Italy. How does he create marvelous cycles beyond cultural difference between Japan and Italy? I interviewed with him.
■ Glad to see you, sir. Now, let me ask about “Moccle,” a bicycle of wood. When first did you create that?
Yasuda Masateru: I made for the first time when I still belonged to a post-graduate course of Osaka Univ. of Arts. That is the latter half of 1990s.
■ How come you tried to make a bicycle of wood? That might be a silly question.
Y: The idea came from my big love for bicycles, and I did not want to make up usual cycles. For instance it was natural using wooden bicycles 150 years ago, and so I thought it was OK with wood.
■ Then, you once sealed bicycles of wood and went to Italy in 2002. Why did you do it?
Y: Although I was just able to make good bicycles, I did not know how to build a good product because I was merely a student. Therefore, I went to Italy. Talking about only manufacturing technique, they had some better way in Taiwan. Italy has history of racing bikes and it made me jump into there.
■ Good. Somehow you spent many days in Italy and you got skilled. Any changes do you feel inside?
Y: They know the right place and the right size. Their permissible range is so wide. Most Japanese are perfectionism, are not they? Now, Japanese hardly pardon any slipping out. But it never makes what is interesting or what is beautiful. I learnt importance of being vague; it is a harvest to me. Needless to say, they are firm when they have to be firm. They gave me importance of a blank for the right place.
■ It is true that most Japanese try to be under standard. And you say it only makes the boring?
Y: It must be boring and also be dangerous when no diversity takes in all your life. We cannot select the users as it is said so many men, so many minds. So some blanks need in our products and producers must know.