KOKOROISHI's founder, Shitsutomu Kokoroishi, was the eldest son in a family of 7 children. In the difficult conditions of post-war Japan, he worked in many fields to support his family. These experiences taught him the importance of trust.

Shitsutomu was very strict in his work but his employees were like his family. He was committed to even hearing out the private problems that his employees faced. This care, and familial bond, was what motivated his employees to work together with him.

When we first started, "guest sofa sets" were the rage and they were easy to sell. However, Kokoroishi fell on hard times after the bursting of the Japanese bubble economy in the early 1990s. It was then that the people around Kokoroishi rallied with us, and we started moving towards making sofas. I remember my father telling me, calmly and with a smile: "Work hard and someone will definitely appreciate what you make!"

We have the trust of our suppliers, employees and customers. And this is what powers our continual quest to make better sofas, and to perservere through both smooth-sailing and rougher times.