This watch case is crafted by Masumi Hono, utilizing the traditional techniques of box-shaped luggage that the company has refined for over a century. Although Masumi Hono is a bag manufacturer, it uniquely maintains an in-house woodworking department. Because their craftsmen are skilled in working with both wood and leather, they are able to create pieces that seamlessly combine these materials.

The stitching is not merely decorative. A special sewing machine is used to stitch directly through the wooden structure itself. This technique gives the exterior a bold and powerful appearance that cannot be seen in ordinary cases.

The exterior is made with Matcha Leather, a unique material produced using Kyoto matcha. Residues generated during matcha production are reused in the leather tanning process, creating a sustainable leather material. The inside of the lid is lined with Nishijin-ori textile, a traditional Kyoto fabric. The piece beautifully contrasts the powerful exterior with the delicate elegance of its interior, resulting in a truly one-of-a-kind creation.

　

Masumi Hono has been producing bags in Toyooka City, Hyogo Prefecture—known as Japan’s city of bags—for over 100 years. Among bag manufacturers in Japan, it is uniquely equipped with an in-house woodworking department and specializes in crafting box-style luggage such as attaché cases.

Throughout its long history, Masumi Hono has produced notable pieces, including a case for the Olympic torch at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, and a silk hat case presented to Prince Tomohito of Mikasa in 1993. In 1984, the company also delivered a ship’s chest for the Crown Prince for use during official overseas visits. Leveraging its woodworking expertise, Masumi Hono is able to create not only luggage but also furniture such as ship’s chests, which is one of the company’s defining characteristics.

Today, Masumi Hono continues to apply its inherited techniques to produce box-style luggage, ship’s chests, watch cases, and jewelry cases—items designed to carefully store and protect customers’ treasured possessions.

In 2018, Masumi Hono opened the Masumi Hono Factory Shop in Toyooka City, Hyogo Prefecture. At the same time, the company began focusing on developing its own private brand, introducing items suitable for everyday use such as tote bags and shoulder bags. The factory shop also features an order room where customers can request fully custom-made products created from scratch according to their individual needs. Visitors can experience the craftsmanship that only Masumi Hono—after more than a century of technical heritage—can offer.

Toyooka City in Hyogo Prefecture is widely known as Japan’s city of bags, and is one of the country’s four major bag production regions alongside Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya. It is also recognized as Japan’s largest producer of bags.

The origins of bag making in Toyooka are closely linked to a plant called Kori-yanagi (willow). Because the region experiences heavy snowfall, farmers historically produced wicker storage baskets (called kōri) during the winter as a side occupation by weaving this willow. These baskets later evolved into bag-like forms by adding handles, eventually becoming the foundation of what is now known as Toyooka bags. Over time, the materials used for bags transitioned from willow to leather and textiles, leading to the modern forms produced today.

In 2006, Toyooka Bags were registered as a regional collective trademark. Today, hundreds of bag-related companies operate in Toyooka, but only brands that meet strict certification standards are permitted to use the name Toyooka Bags.

Awards

Good Design Hyogo
Japan Bag Association – Bag Creation Competition, Department Store Association President’s Award

Japan Bag Association – Bag Creation Competition, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award