WHO WE ARE

The roots of TOYOTASHIGYO trace back to Japan’s Edo period.

 

For generations, the TOYOTA family was involved in traditional Japanese ironmaking and casting in the Fukuyama and Fuchu regions of Hiroshima, producing temple bells and everyday tools that supported people’s lives.

 

Using iron sand and charcoal, Tatara ironmaking is an ancient Japanese technique that creates steel through the careful control of fire.

 

At its core was a world of craftsmanship — one that required artisans to understand materials deeply, master fire, and rely on human instinct and experience to achieve perfection.

 

That spirit of “creating through fire” has been passed down through generations and continues to live within our work today.

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Our founder, Rinzō Toyota, was sent alone from Hiroshima to Osaka at the age of eight as an apprentice in 1924.

 

There, he learned sewing and tailoring techniques while working under strict conditions.
In 1937, he established his own sewing workshop in Osaka, later expanding into the manufacturing and sales of dress shirts and menswear after the war.

 

It was during this time that the original
HIMARAYA LION
was born.

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“HIMARAYA LION” was once an actual menswear brand created by our founder.

 

Though the name disappeared with time, we have revived it today to carry its spirit into the future.

 

This is not simply a revival of a name.

 

It is a continuation of Japanese craftsmanship, artisan sensibility, and a philosophy rooted in respect for materials and meticulous creation.

 

Today, one of the techniques TOYOTASHIGYO takes greatest pride in is yarn gassing.

 

Yarn gassing is a highly specialized textile process in which each individual yarn passes through flame to remove excess surface fibers from every angle.

 

By carefully eliminating unwanted fuzz, the yarn gains remarkable smoothness, refined luster, and enhanced clarity in color.

 

The result is a fabric with a distinctly elevated texture and appearance.

 

Yet this process demands extraordinary precision.

 

If the flame is too strong, the yarn burns.
Too weak, and unwanted fibers remain.

 

The temperature, speed, and flame intensity must be adjusted instantly depending on the material, yarn count, and condition of the fiber.

 

Natural fibers are never identical.
Even cotton changes subtly depending on origin, climate, harvest year, and environment.

 

Much like rice or wine, each material carries its own character.

 

That is why true quality cannot be achieved by machines alone.

 

Only through years of experience — by facing the material every single day and sensing the slightest differences — can the ideal finish be achieved.

 

The second-generation craftsman often says:

 

“You do not judge the flame with your eyes.
You listen to it.”

 

Inside the factory, machines are constantly running.
To most people, the sound of fire is impossible to distinguish.

 

But to craftsmen who have stood beside the flames for decades, subtle differences become unmistakable.

 

The sound of flame touching yarn.
The changing reaction of different materials.
The slightest irregularity hidden within the process.

 

This is a world beyond numerical control.

 

It is craftsmanship cultivated only through time, repetition, and an intimate relationship with materials.

 

That is the essence of TOYOTASHIGYO’s manufacturing philosophy.

 

We are not a large company.

 

But precisely because we remain small, we are able to preserve and pass down techniques with extraordinary attention to detail.

 

Qualities that cannot be reproduced through mass production.
Textures that cannot be achieved through efficiency alone.

 

By focusing on every single thread, fabric begins to develop a quiet but unmistakable presence.

 

It reflects the same spirit of craftsmanship through fire that has lived within the TOYOTA family for generations.

 

From iron to textiles, the materials may have changed, but the philosophy remains the same.

 

HIMARAYA LION is not simply a fashion brand.

 

It is a brand shaped by Japanese craftsmanship, artisanal skill, and a spirit carried across generations.

 

Not excess, but essential beauty.
Not disposable products, but pieces designed to be lived with over time.

 

Quiet and understated at first glance —
yet unmistakable the moment you wear them.

 

Through HIMARAYA LION, we hope to share the spirit of Japanese craftsmanship with the world.