Global Online Store Renewal

Our journey with global online store began 11 years ago, back in 2015. While we were already operating a domestic online store at the time, directly connecting with and serving customers overseas was a series of completely new firsts for us.

"We want to deliver our handcrafted KANGU—tools for relaxation—to the world, bringing Kutsurogi and bright smiles to many people"

It was this heartfelt vision that sparked our overseas expansion. Yet looking further back, our first steps actually trace to 2010. In those early years, our primary strategy was participating in overseas interior design trade shows to establish distribution channels. Even then, we actively promoted the traditional Japanese lifestyle of "relaxing close to the floor." However, this was before the current global wave of interest in Japanese culture, and introducing our unique living concepts and relaxation styles was far from easy. While practices such as yukaza (living and relaxing closer to the floor) and sleeping on futons enjoy growing appreciation today, we may simply have been a bit ahead of our time.

Reflecting on those years, we traveled to trade shows across many countries, including Germany, China, Malaysia, Singapore, and France. Yet expanding our business globally proved to be a continuous trial. We acutely felt the limits of attempting to nurture a market through sporadic transactions without local distributor partners. For roughly a decade, we navigated in the dark without achieving the results we hoped for.

Then, following our participation in Maison & Objet in Paris in January 2020, the world was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. Travel came to a halt, completely stopping our overseas PR activities and trade show exhibitions. The only remaining touchpoint we had with the world was our cross-border online store.

"How can we continue sharing the appeal of our products with our overseas customers?"
"How can we best convey the value of our craftsmanship through an e-commerce platform?"

For nearly two and a half years, we asked ourselves these fundamental questions. It was during this very period that we made a decisive pivot from a B2B-centered business model to a direct-to-consumer (B2C) approach through our online store.

While the pandemic presented immense challenges, it also brought an unexpected turning point. As people around the globe were forced to spend more time at home, interest in creating comfortable and inviting living spaces surged. The custom of removing shoes indoors keeps floors clean, and clean floors naturally encourage living closer to them. A new lifestyle choice—relaxing closer to the floor—began to seamlessly blend into everyday living environments worldwide. This shift formed the groundwork, allowing our products and philosophy of relaxation to gradually take root globally.

Expanding business internationally has also been a lifelong dream for our company CEO. Being able to sustain this online store over a ten-year journey—and taking that dream even further through this store renewal—is entirely thanks to our customers who continue to love Takaokaya’s KANGU.

We have no intention of slowing down. Just as words like "sushi" and "ramen" became part of the global vocabulary, our goal is to make "KANGU" a universally recognized word across the globe. We will continue crafting these "tools for relaxation" that make people feel, "With this, I could truly relax and feel at home."

The meaning of "relaxation" varies from person to person; everyone seeks a style uniquely suited to themselves. Even with a shiki futon mattress, individual ideals differ—some prefer a specific size, others want a bit more inner filling, or a custom made that is slightly larger. We want to remain a company that listens carefully to these individual voices and brings those ideals to life. To achieve this, we cannot rely solely on automated machinery designed for mass production. The skilled hands of our master artisans—driven by a deep desire to cater closely to each customer’s wishes—are essential.

Whether three years, five years, or decades into the future, we hope our workshop remains a vibrant gathering place for craftspeople who pour their hearts into their work and share their technique and passion with the world. Beyond Japan, we aim to be the workshop people everywhere think of when they say, "To relax in my own unique way, I want to use KANGU crafted by Takaokaya in Kyoto."

We are not a large company, but we are deeply grateful to continue our craft in Kyoto. We hope to stay and continue our meticulous manufacturing right here in this place filled with memories. That is our vision, and our unwavering dream.

Everything We Do Is for Everyone’s Smile.

True to our mission, we sincerely hope that the KANGU we craft brings deeper Kutsurogi and gentle smiles to more people around the world. Our journey toward bringing Kutsurogi has only just begun.

P.S.

We extend our deepest gratitude to everyone involved in the relaunch of this online store.
To all the Takaokaya team members who took time out of their busy schedules to review the international site, and to Mr. Yamashita, who devoted so much effort to building this site—thank you very much.

September 10, 2026