Photo/Illutration Kageyuki Shikada holds a Japanese-style loudspeaker modeled after an "andon" lantern in his studio in Suzuka, Mie Prefecture, on April 26. (Hiroshi Matsubara)

SUZUKA, Mie Prefecture--Kageyuki Shikada has a fan base in Japan and abroad for his custom-made loudspeakers under the Analog Squared Paper Japan brand.

He has recently come up with an "andon" lantern-shaped amplifier using Ise "momen" cotton fabric, a traditional craft from the prefecture.

"Things that have been passed down for many generations have their own functional beauty," said Shikada, 34, who runs Suzuka Kairo Sekkei. "Remaking them into something new is also the real joy of craftsmanship."

20220713-speaker2-L
The loudspeaker recreates the warm light of a traditional "andon" lantern with an LED bulb. (Provided by Suzuka Kairo Sekkei)

He began receiving orders for speakers fit for stay-at-home lifestyles after the new coronavirus pandemic started.

Then, he got the idea for a traditional Japanese-style speaker.

As he studied ways to make sounds spread naturally, he discovered the shape of a traditional andon lantern did the best job. 

To promote Mie craftsmanship skills, the artisan opted to use Ise momen cotton, which has been beloved as a specialty of the Ise Kaido route since the Edo Period (1603-1867), for the exterior and as an acoustic absorbent on the inside.

He also used locally grown cedar for the outer frame.

The speaker plays music from a smartphone or other devices via Bluetooth, while recreating the warm light of andon with an LED bulb.

Expected to be priced at 50,000 yen ($370), the Japanese-style speaker will be available from August.

20220713-speaker3-L
The loudspeaker produces low-pitched sounds that naturally spread from its bottom panel. (Provided by Suzuka Kairo Sekkei)

Shikada's products are famous for combining vacuum tubes with semiconductors and other state-of-the-art components.

The Suzuka native studied radio communications at college before he landed a job at a car navigation system maker as a designer.

He had reservations about developing mass products, however, which become obsolete in a couple of years.

Shikada thought about developing vacuum tube amplifiers he had always loved for their pleasing sounds.

He created a power-saving, low-noise circuit through trial and error that could produce high-quality sounds.

In 2011, Shikada made an A5-size portable vacuum tube headphone amplifier weighing less than 1 kilogram.

When he introduced the finished product on his website, he received orders from audio enthusiasts from the United States, Britain, Singapore and elsewhere.

Shikada went independent the next year and founded his studio.

He has developed four models of vacuum tube portable amplifiers under the brand, producing nearly 300 units on a made-to-order basis for customers in Japan and about 10 countries around the world.

For inquiries, visit his official website at (https://www.analog2p.com/index.html).

Related News