Accompanying your lifestyle, changing your lifestyle.
The philosophy of functional beauty learned in Germany.
Since the Meiji period (1868-1912), Asahikawa City has attracted woodworkers from all over Japan and has developed into one of the country's leading furniture production centers. One of the reasons for the growth of the industry was city's early efforts to train craftsmen.
This was symbolized by the “Overseas Woodworking Technical Traineeship,” in 1962, when Asahikawa City sent several representatives to West Germany as overseas woodworking technical trainees to learn the sophisticated techniques and designs of Europe. It was in 1968 that the founder, Toshiji Nohara, went to West Germany as the third group of overseas woodworking technical trainees.
German furniture at the time was influenced by Bauhaus and known for its functional designs. Bauhaus was a German design movement that combined arts and crafts and pursued functional beauty. Its ideas greatly influenced later modernist design, including Scandinavian furniture, and created a new postwar lifestyle.
It was in Germany that our founder encountered “system furniture,” which can be considered to be the origin of our company.
MÖBEL TOKO is established and grows as a manufacturer of system furniture.
After returning to Japan, the founder established "MÖBEL TOKO" in 1972. This was due to his desire to create the system furniture he learned about in West Germany. MÖBEL means "furniture" in German, and TOKO comes from Toko Sangyo, the company where the founder worked.
While producing sideboards and kitchen cabinets, MÖBEL TOKO also produced "system furniture" that could be customized by combining units. In 1980, they created the "Andes" series of system furniture, which became their flagship product.
Furniture is closely related to people's lifestyles. Rather than adapting your lifestyle to your furniture, you should adapt your furniture to your lifestyle - this idea may have been the fundamental guideline for MÖBEL TOKO's furniture making.
Celebrating its 50th anniversary, WOW takes a new step forward.
Thanks to your support, we will celebrate our 50th anniversary in 2022 and start a new history under the name "WOW". This name has two meanings: "Wow" = a word of admiration, and "worthy wood" = trees that have value. Designs that excite you just by looking at them and functional beauty that makes you want to use them. By experiencing joy and surprise through our furniture, the finite tree comes to life as “trees of value” in our daily lives.
Our company has been supported by countless connections. We have been able to achieve great results through collaboration with many people.
Looking back, it all began with an overseas woodworking training program.
If our founder had not studied German furniture making, he would not have had the passion to make system furniture, and MÖBEL TOKO would not have been born in the first place. We will continue to build on this history, take on new challenges, and contribute to the development of society by providing products that exceed our customers' expectations.
