Masato Kinoshita - Kumiko part 3

Kumiko craftsman series 3

At that time, it was common that the discipleship training term was usually 3 years training + 1 year apprenticeship for joinery craftsmen. In the case of Kumiko craftsmen, it was 5 years training + 1 year of appreciation.  It usually took 10 years in total to become independent as a Kumiko craftsman.  Masato was a boy who set his foot on the path of a joinery craftsman because his father was a joinery craftsman and he was running a joinery craft shop. But he changed his mind and tried to become a Kumiko craftsman since he was obsessed with the charm of Kumiko during his training in joinery.

In order to make the training under his master, he offered sake to other craftsmen to help them with his work.  Every time he cleaned up the workshop first and while watching their work, he tried to copy their work; in Japanese, the word of learning comes from copying. After work he found that they treated him to dinner and he drank more sake than he brought.  It was a good old time how he improved his skills as a craftsman as the family, he said.

When I was a disciple, my salary was only Yen 10,000 per month (e.g. about US$1,000) with two days break per month. After two years later, he quitted his training as a joiner because his salary dropped by Yen 5,000 a month because he was confused with his master. After he quitted his 1st training, he continued his training as a Kumiko craftsman for 8 years in the same city of Kanuma. He became 26 years old when he finally returned to his hometown after his training term. It was the first time when his father came all the way to Kanuma to pick him up. It was impressive that he said that he is now very grateful to his father who has a strong traditional craftsmanship and let him learn his work without being overwhelmed by his parents at home.