都行燈のご紹介
 
木崎雅徳　
Masanori Kizaki, The fifth-generation CEO
 
初代である曾祖父・木崎吉五郎は、明治の初め（1870年頃）に、横浜で組子（くみこ）技術をあしらった輸出向け額縁の製造をはじめました。組子とは細い木材で釘を使わず幾何学紋様を組み上げる、日本の装飾的な木工技術です。
The founder, my great-grandfather, Kichigoro Kizaki started manufacturing picture frames for export in Yokohama at the beginning of the Meiji era (around 1870), using the Kumiko technique. Kumiko is a Japanese decorative woodworking technique that uses thin wood to assemble geometric patterns without using nails.
 
２代目である祖父・木崎喜太郎も吉五郎から組子の技術を学びます。大正の始めには、組子装飾を用いた電気行燈（あんどん）を作っていたようです。関東大震災の後、横浜から東京市下谷区に拠点を移します。周辺に家具屋も多く、組子の仕事が多かったのでしょう。一方で、特技の将棋を活かし、将棋センターを経営するアイディアマンでもありました。その頃百貨店に電気照明器具を納めはじめ、ブランド名に「趣味のあかり 都行燈」を使っていました。
 
The second generation, my grandfather, Kitaro Kizaki, also learned Kumiko techniques from Kichigoro. At the beginning of the Taisho era (1912-1926), he presumably made electric lanterns with Kumiko decorations. After the Great Kanto Earthquake (1923), he moved from Yokohama to Shitaya-ku (today’s Koto Ward), Tokyo. There were many furniture stores in the area, and they most likely desired Kumiko works. Additionally, he was a man of ideas. He was talented at playing Shogi, so he decided to ran a Shogi (Japanese chess) club. During that period, he began to deliver electric lighting fixtures to department stores and used “Hobby Lighting miyako andon” as his brand name.
 
３代目である父・木崎幸一郎も、祖父の下で修業し組子の技術を身に付けました。時代は戦争に突入し、下町は東京大空襲で大きな被害を受けます。不幸中の幸いでうちの材木は焼けずにすみ、なんとか商売が続きました。その後、銀座の服部時計店（現在の和光）の米兵向けお土産ショップなどから和風行燈の注文をいただいたり、復興が進んで住宅がどんどん建つようになると和風電気照明の需要も増えたりと、少し追い風が吹いてきます。そこで父は、近代的住宅に合う和風照明の草分けとして、オリジナルデザインの照明を大手百貨店や照明器具メーカーに提案し、販路を拡大していきました。いまでは夢のような話ですが、国鉄のコンテナが工場に横付けされるくらい、たくさんの製品を全国の百貨店に出荷していたそうです。昭和30年（1955年）には法人化し、「都行燈」を社名にします。
 
The third generation, my father, Koichiro Kizaki, also trained under my grandfather and acquired the technique of Kumiko. It was now World War II,, and the downtown area was severely damaged by Great Tokyo Air Raid. Fortunately, our timber did not burn, and we managed to continue our business. After that, we received orders for Japanese-style lanterns from the souvenir shop for U.S. soldiers at Hattori Tokeiten in Ginza (today’s Wako, one of the most famous department stores). As the post-war reconstruction progressed and more houses were built, the demand for Japanese-style electric lighting increased, and the business prospered. My father proposed his original lighting to major department stores and lighting equipment manufacturers. He became a pioneer of Japanese-style lighting suitable for modern housing and greatly expanded the market. Many products were shipped to department stores nationwide, and the Japanese National Railway put containers next to the factory. In 1955, our business became incorporated, and the company changed to "miyako andon." It was like a dream comes true.
 
4代目の兄と私はというと、自宅に隣接する工場を遊び場として育ち、いつも職人たちの仕事の真似をしていました。門前の小僧はやがて兄弟とも家業に加わることになります。時代の流れから和風照明の売れ行きが翳ってくると、大手照明メーカーから、ホテルや旅館、劇場、市庁舎や宮内庁関係の特注仕事をいただき、一流建築家のご要望に応えるなかで、設計力、技術開発力が向上し、良質な材料を扱う製造元とのおつきあいなど、たくさんの宝を得ました。一方でふたたびオリジナルデザインの照明にも力を入れはじめます。兄や私がデザインした製品を自社ホームページに載せたり、メッセなどでのインテリア見本市に出展してみたりすると、建築家やデザイナーの方たちに直接都行燈を知ってもらえ注文をいただいたりと手応えを感じるようになりました。
 
My brother and I played in a factory next to our house and imitated the work of the craftsmen. Like father, like son. Both little brothers eventually joined the family business, my brother being the fourth generation and myself becoming the fifth. When the sales of Japanese-style lighting began to show a decline due to the passage of time, we received custom-made work orders related to hotels, inns, theaters, city halls, and the Imperial Household Agency, from major lighting manufacturers. While responding to the demands of leading architects, we were able to enhance our ability to design and develop fixtures and established a good relationship with manufacturers of quality materials. During this time, we treasured various experiences and opportunities that we accumulated. We started to focus on the design of our original lighting fixtures. Utilizing our website, my brother and I were able to introduce our products. We also participated in the interior design fairs, like Messe. Eventually, we started to see the orders directly from architects and designers and felt recognition of miyako andon.
 
そうなってくると、都行燈のあかりをそのあかりに似合うような自前のショールームで見てもらいたくなります。木のある中庭を囲んだコンクリート打ち放しの空間に、無垢の木のフローリングがいいと思い描き、素人ながら試行錯誤して私が自ら設計しました。ある程度満足のいくショールームが出来たのは、平成19(2007)年のこと。打合せにいらっしゃった方には、「なぜか長居してしまう」と言っていただきます。あかりの作るゆっくりした雰囲気のおかげでしょう。都行燈オリジナルの照明器具は、平成22（2010）年頃から大手通販サイトでも販売を始め、平成29（2017）年からは大手照明メーカーなどに都行燈ブランドの製品を販売いただいています。
 
When that started to happen, we wanted to display the lamps of miyako andon in our showroom, where the space is compatible. I envisioned the solid wood flooring in the exposed concrete space surrounding the courtyard with trees. Even though I was not an expert, I designed the showroom myself through trial and error. The showroom was completed at a satisfactory level to some extent in 2007. Those who visited for the meeting at the showroom would say, “I feel the need to stay longer here, for some reason.” This was most probably due to the relaxing atmosphere created by the lamps. We started the sales of our original miyako andon lamps on major online sales channels in 2010, and on the channels of major lighting distributors in 2017.
 
平成4（1992）年に父が亡くなってから、兄が4代目の代表を務めてきましたが、平成30（2018）年に私がバトンを受け取りました。江戸っ子の私は、次のこと次のことと新しいことに興味がありますが、流行は追っていません。むしろ流行に関係ないスタンダードなものを作りたいと思っています。和紙と木のフレームの照明器具に「伝統の木工の文化ですね」と言われることもありますが、デザインによっては金属やアクリルなどさまざまな素材にチャレンジします。木工から始まった商売を引き継いではいますが、変化や進化を怠れば、伝統も消えてしまうのだろうと思います。
 
Since our father died in 1992, my brother has taken over the family business as the fourth generation, but I received the baton from him in 2018. As a true Tokyoite, I am interested in the new and next things, but I am not following the trend. I rather would like to make a standard product that is not fashionable. Some may mention “It is a traditional woodworking culture” by looking at the lamps made of Japanese paper and wooden frames. But I would like to try various materials such as metals and acrylics depending on the design. We have inherited the business that started with woodworking, however, if we neglect to change and evolve, the tradition may disappear.
 
 
和風照明器具のデザイン、設計、販売はかなりニッチな商売で、専門店としてショールームを構えるのは東日本ではおそらく都行燈のみかと思います。絶滅危惧種かもしれませんが、これからも、長いおつきあいと新しい出会いを大切にして、自分たちらしいものづくりを続けていければと思っています。どうぞよろしくお願いいたします。
 
The design and sales of Japanese-style lamps are quite a niche market. Perhaps we are the only ones who have a showroom to represent Japanese-style lamps as a specialty store in eastern Japan. We may be an endangered species, but we would like to continue to value long-term relationships as well as new encounters and keep designing items that are unique to us.  Thank you.