About
BASE TIMES kawaguchi
BASE TIMES kawaguchi is a collaborative project between designers and five metalworking companies from Kawaguchi City, Saitama Prefecture, an area renowned for developing its traditional casting industry since the 17th century. Initiated as an "Open Factory" event in 2018, the project evolved into creative collaborations, showcasing numerous compelling works at local art galleries. Through these efforts, we've shared the appeal of craftsmanship and technical expertise with children, students, and designers. Our key strength lies in merging the distinct technologies of each participating company to create highly sophisticated, premium-quality products.
Exploring Expression Through Collaboration with Designers
BTK values both metalworking techniques and the designers’ innovative ideas, continuously broadening the possibilities of metal processing by adopting new perspectives. While leveraging traditional craftsmanship, BTK aims to bring out metal’s unprecedented charm through experimental approaches.
Artistic Expression Leveraging Metalworking Technology
To showcase the appeal of metalworking techniques, BTK participates in art festivals and independently organizes art events. By thinking outside traditional boundaries, we create installations and artworks using metal as a primary material. Through pieces that merge traditional techniques and contemporary design, we expand the horizons of craftsmanship and foster interactions with creators and audiences domestically and internationally.
Creating New Value through Collaboration Among Five Companies
A defining feature of BTK is collaboration among companies with differing specialized skills to create a single product. Partnering closely with designers, we combine techniques such as cutting, welding, polishing, and painting from each participating company, resulting in uniquely distinctive products. This collaboration enhances design sophistication and functionality, continually broadening the potential of manufacturing.
History and Formation of Kawaguchi’s Cast-Iron Industry Area
Separated from Tokyo by the Arakawa River, Kawaguchi City has prospered since the Edo period through industries such as casting and plant cultivation. Initially focused primarily on supplying daily-use cast iron products to the capital, Edo (Tokyo), production gradually expanded into civil engineering and machinery casting, fostering the development of related industries like mechanical processing and wood pattern making.
Today, Kawaguchi has grown into a city with a population exceeding 600,000, home to a multitude of diverse local workshops specializing in metalworking and related fields. The skills honed over generations contribute significantly to contemporary architecture and cutting-edge machinery manufacturing.
BTK is a unified project involving five metal-processing companies, each specialized in cutting, welding, polishing, painting, and decorative finishing. Collaborating closely, we create products and works that single companies alone could not realize, making complex processing and sophisticated design possible. BTK’s strength lies precisely in its ability to integrate technology and creative ideas. Our essence is embodied by our “craftsmanship team,” continuously creating new value.
If you are interested in BTK’s technologies or collaborations, please feel free to contact us.
- Kaneyoshi Co., Ltd.
- Kurihara Seiki Co., Ltd.
- Shinko Stainless Kenma Co., Ltd.
- Fujitec Co., Ltd.
- Maeda Co., Ltd.