Biwa musician
Yasushi Maruyama
Representative of the music production group OFFICE U-SOUND, he is a composer, arranger, guitarist, and biwa player. He studied under Tomoyoshi Kakushin, a Satsuma biwa player, and has performed in front of the Crown Princess of Thailand and premiered a Satsuma biwa performance with his teacher at the National Noh Theater. He also appeared in His Excellency Demon Kogure's Hogaku Ishin concert. In 2017, he received the Higashikuninomiya Cultural Award. He continues to take on new challenges, including playing the electric biwa, which he invented himself.
Mari Hirano
Negoro-tsugi artist
Negoro-tsugi is a technique of joining broken ceramics with lacquer, combining the traditional technique of "lacquering with vermilion and black lacquer" from Negoro, Wakayama, with the addition of gold from Kintsugi. The joined pieces created in this way are called "scenery," and are one-of-a-kind artistic expressions. Hirano Mari's works use glass in the "scenery" to challenge traditional culture and aim to express a new traditional culture.
Director / Perfumer
Atsushi Shimizu
Only unknown challenges can create new value. 'HA TEN KO' is a fragrance brand that challenges areas where no one has yet ventured, without being bound by common sense. It reconstructs art, culture, and history through scent, offering experiences that stir the senses. As a director, I am dedicated to its innovation, pouring my passion into creating fragrance as an art form that moves people's hearts, rather than just a perfume.
(※) Ryokoujin: A traveler who connects the stories of the land through scent.
In every era, there are people who pioneer a new era with a challenging attitude that is not bound by conventional wisdom. We call such people "Hatenkoubito" (unconventional people) and feature them as brand icons.
Woodworker
HAYAKAWA WOODWORK
The more you use hinoki, the richer its color, luster, and fragrance become. Founded in 1975, Hayakawa Woodworking is known for its unique processing techniques that utilize local materials, and continues to convey the charm of wood to the modern day while carrying on traditions. The perfume caps are made from Tono cypress, a world-class premium wood also used for building materials, and have a strong presence as a thick, straight, high-quality material. The wooden perfume caps are made from the same wood as in the days of ukiyo-e artists, and we believe that the trees will be happy if people today can touch and see them.
OKUDA DYEING
Kaga Yuzen craftsman
Kaga Yuzen is a traditional technique deeply rooted in our region of Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, and beautiful patterns are created through layering meticulous handwork. At HATENKO, we incorporate this technique into precious Kiso cypress, turning the intricate hand-crafted decorations into art, creating visual beauty. We are proud to be able to express this beauty in new ways while preserving tradition. As a craftsman, there is no greater joy than seeing more people discover its charm.
Ryo Maruoka
Art Director / Designer
After gaining experience abroad, I developed a deep respect for craftsmanship and sought to create a“bold (Hatenko)" world that expresses Japan' tradition and innovation through scent. I designed the logo inspired by torn paper shapes and reconstructed Ukiyo-e collages, focusing on both the essence of scent and the Ukiyo-e aesthetic, while highlighting the charm of Japanese culture. I hope you enjoy the subtle elegance and thoughtful details scattered throughout the product, visible from different angles.