Vol.38

I want to continue to be a charming person to respond to your wishes.

The Imabari Towel Manufacturers Association's in-house certification test was created to pass on the manufacturing skills of Imabari towels to the next generation, and in 2018, Ms. Kondo, who works in the weaving department, became the first woman to pass the second level. Her accomplishment was reported in the local media as "the appearance of a rising star. We asked Ms. Kondo to tell us what she keeps in mind when working as a weaver.

Kondo, Weaving

Don’t act like a know-it-all, ask questions until you are satisfied.

I joined IKEUCHI ORGANIC (then Ikeuchi Towel) in 2012.

I joined IKEUCHI ORGANIC (then Ikeuchi Towel) in 2012. Yarns and manufacturing processes vary depending on the towel product number, and the operation and maintenance methods are different for each loom. It is necessary to be aware of these features and differences, to work efficiently, and to be flexible enough to apply your knowledge and experience at times.

I have always been aware that I am not good at remembering details, and even now I often feel frustrated by my clumsiness. I used to be able to weave well, but this time it doesn’t work at all. Such things happen often.

Still, as a member of IKEUCHI ORGANIC’s weaving staff, I want to improve my skills, and I work every day with several things in mind.

One thing I have become more conscious of in recent years is “not to act like a know-it-all. As I gain a certain amount of experience, there are more and more things that I can do with a “vague” understanding, whether good or bad, but I have come to think that this is not the way to go.

One of the major reasons I came to think that way was the presence of Mr. Abe, who also works as a weaver. Although Mr. Abe is a veteran weaver, he is still learning about weaving and looms, and he does not just “sort of” get things done. There is no waste in Mr. Abe’s work, and sometimes there is even a sense of beauty in his deftness.

Thankfully, when I ask him a question, he is always willing to answer, down to the smallest detail. Since Mr. Abe is in the same office with me, I should ask him until I am satisfied with what he tells me, rather than just end up with a “sort of” understanding of what he is doing. And I want to make the most of what he teaches me at work. That is how I feel now.

Looking forward, I will grow day by day, little by little.

One of the things I am consciously practicing is to “write a thorough daily work report.

In our company, all employees write a daily work report every day and share its contents within the company. In the past, we used to just fill in a simple work report, but now we have started to write a lot of information. We look back on the day’s work, what procedures we followed, and what we learned and discovered. I also write down what I learned from Mr. Abe and others.

For me, the daily work report has become a kind of a forget-me-not, and I read it over and over again, making additions and additions. I am not good at listening and instantly understanding what is being said, and I sometimes forget what I have learned, so I have found that I have to organize my mind by writing a good daily work report and reciting it over and over again.

The beginning of my starting to write the daily report well was the advice from my superior, Section Chief Kawamoto. He said, “I know you make an effort to leave notes while at work. However, I would like you to summarize the contents of your notes in a notebook so that you can immediately recall what you have learned when it slips from your memory” during an interview.

At this point, I suddenly remembered the words my homeroom teacher wrote in my diary when I was in elementary school. She said, “What you miss, Emiko, is that when you are just one step away, you forget to do something. Let’s build up the strength to persevere. I wondered if my personality had not changed much from then to now.

I ask questions without pretending to be a know-it-all, write down what I learn firmly in my daily report, and read it over and over again. And then, stay positive, cheerful, look forward, and grow every day, even if only a little. I now think that this is what it takes to acquire the ability to work hard.

Various encounters have changed me a lot.

Looking back, it has been more than 10 years since I started working at IKEUCHI ORGANIC, and the way I approach my work has changed a lot. I feel that the people I work with, as well as the various people I have met through this company, have changed me a great deal.

For example, IKEUCHI ORGANIC sometimes holds in-house lectures with famous guests. All of the lectures have left a lasting impression on me, but the one that particularly changed my level of awareness was the lecture given by Dr. Kanji Okubo.

I remember that when it was decided to hold the lecture, President Abe sent an e-mail to all employees saying, “I have no doubt that the content will have a great impact on your life afterwards.

I remember sending an e-mail to all employees saying, “I am sure that the content of the lecture will have a great impact on your life afterwards,” and it was exactly as he said. After listening to the lecture, I felt “I want to work like that, too,” which I feel has had a great impact on me since then.

Also, the words I receive from customers have been a great encouragement. I will never forget the first “Imabari Open House” held in 2017. I was speechless with surprise when someone who had read my article on the company website said to me, “I am actually a fan of yours, Mr. Kondo.

Sometimes I receive words in real life, and sometimes I receive words from customers through social networking sites. I have received several unforgettable words of joy, and I treasure each and every one of them.

In order to respond to the wishes of those who call on us, as a weaving craftsman, I want to be sincere in my craftsmanship. And I would like to continue to be a charming person like a representative who will always remain in good memory.

Interview April 2023
Interview and text by Keiji Ide
Photographer/ Yuji Kimura