Corporate philosophy
We utilize the traditional wooden construction techniques inherited from our first master carpenter, Okamoto, to deliver high quality and great impression, and contribute to the preservation and development of Japanese culture.
Shokodo is a group of miyadaiku craftsmen who have inherited the will of our first master carpenter, Okamoto Hiroshi.
We believe in the important teachings of Okamoto and will fulfill our mission of preserving and passing on to future generations the important Japanese culture of shrine and temple architecture.
Teachings of the first master carpenter, Okamoto Hiroshi
Not just Miyadaiku, but many of Japan’s traditional techniques are taught through words, and the master does not teach the technique step by step. Apprentices learn and master the technique by watching the master’s work.
But Master Okamoto was different.
If an apprentice asked about something they didn’t understand, he would teach everyone equally and carefully. Craftsmen were moved by Okamoto’s generous attitude and his strictness and passion for his work, and they came together and created a strong sense of unity.
It was Master Okamoto who created the foundations of Shokodo.
The mindset of a miyadaiku
It goes without saying that we take care of the visible parts, but we have to pay special attention to the parts that cannot be seen.
This attitude strengthens the building and allows it to maintain its beauty for a hundred or two hundred years.
We must do work that we will not be ashamed of when future carpenters disassemble the building.
(From the words of Okamoto Hiroshi)