Usufuku Honten was established in 1882 as a fish wholesaler in Kesennuma City, Miyagi Prefecture. From the time of the third-generation owner, the company got fully involved in the fishing industry, and from the fourth, it switched to deep-sea tuna fishing. Usufuku Honten is engaged in various activities to protect marine resources under the slogan “Living Harmoniously with the Sea.” The company’s intent is not only to preserve limited marine resources but also to ensure they thrive so they can be passed on to future generations. 

The Great East Japan Earthquake that struck on March 11, 2011, resulted in a huge Tsunami that caused enormous damage to the Tohoku region. The former headquarters of Usufuku Honten in Kesennuma was also severely damaged as a result. The project developed directly from a consultation with the fifth-generation owner of Usufuku Honten, Sotaro Usui, who was in the process of rebuilding the company’s offices and asked us to design the exterior.

First, we listened to Usui passionately talk about his thoughts on the future of Kesennuma and the fishing industry. This led us to believe that it was of the utmost importance to pass on to future generations the spirit of Usufuku Honten, which has been leading the fishing industry in Kesennuma.

Using the few materials available, the exterior walls of the former Usufuku Honten headquarters were made of copper sheeting and had become greenish-blue in color. We proposed that the exterior walls of the new Usufuku Honten should inherit and be constructed with the same type of copper material so that they would also change color over time as the company grew and was passed on to future generations.

Additionally, a portion of the former headquarters exterior was covered with copper plating in the shape of fish scales. Incorporating this pattern, which symbolizes fish, into the exterior, would convey that Usufuku Honten specialized in the fishing industry, creating an appearance appropriate for a company operating deep-sea tuna fishing boats. In terms of detail, we incorporated features into the design that were characteristic of ships, such as round windows and handrails with rounded corners.

By incorporating elements reminiscent of a ship, we aimed to create an environment that would prompt the people working in the building to think of the crews working in seas around the world and to provide a place that seafarers returning from distant fishing trips would want to return to.

This project represents a new voyage for Usufuku Honten as it embarks on developing Japan’s fishing industry going forward.