Our vision
Our vision
Based in Himi City, Toyama Prefecture where fishery culture thrives, we cherish "Sustainable manufacturing without wasting any blessing of life".
The brand name “tototo" combines “toto,” meaning “fish” in the local dialect, with the additional word “to,” which means “with” in Japanese. This fusion, “with fish,” embodies our aspiration to coexist harmoniously with the rich marine life, cherishing every living being.
Though we are still a budding brand, we strive to bring smiles to people not only in Japan but around the world through the rough waves of challenges.
Together with our partners and fans who have been supporting tototo, we aim to make the name Himi City synonymous with fish leather globally, and we will continue to progress step by step.
Striving for a richer future beyond tomorrow.
Sincerely,
Tomohisa Noguchi
Founder of tototo
It all began in 2016, during my senior year at university. Originally, I was studying lacquered art, but I also pursued leather crafting as a hobby. As I started my graduation project, I envisioned combining lacquer and leather to create something new. This led me to experiment with various types of leather, including cowhide, pigskin, snake, and crocodile leather, applying lacquer to each.
One day, while researching leather, I became intrigued by the tanning process, which transforms raw hides into durable leather.
Being someone who loves to try new things, I rushed to a supermarket as soon as I learnt that chicken skin could be used to make leather. After grabbing chicken skin in the meat section, I passed by the seafood section and wondered, "Can fish skin be turned into leather?", On a whim, I bought a small sea bass along with the chicken and took them home.
After that, I researched fish leather and discovered that no one in Japan was producing fish leather. As a lifelong fish enthusiast, I thought, "If there are fish skins being discarded, why not try making fish leather myself?” This marked the beginning of my experiments with fish leather.
In the beginning, of course, I knew nothing about processing fish skins. Using online articles as a reference, I attempted the process, but the results were greasy, fishy-smelling, and as hard as dried fish. I began to think that, after all, it was impossible for an amateur to process fish leather.
When I began my research, I heard that there was a group in the neighboring town in Himi City who had started creating products using fish leather. I was surprised to learn that others were engaging in such a rare endeavor at the same time as I was. Struggling with my own processing challenges, I was thrilled and immediately set out to meet them.
There, I met the local shoemaker, Ms, Ai Tsurug!
Ms. Tsuruga, in collaboration with a local art NPO, had initiated the "Totosan" project which aimed to create sandals from fish leather driven by a desire to utilize fish skins caught in Himi City as a valuable resource rather than waste. Then, I joined their project to contribute to the development of fish leather!
We started the ambitious journey of creating authentic fish leather with the fish skins contributed by local fishmongers and fishermen including local expert angler.
However, perfecting the tanning technology proved to be elusive, as we repeatedly failed to eliminate the fishy odor and achieve the desired suppleness.
Days of the experimenting turned into one year, then two. Despite the persistent challenges, we made gradual improvements. In the third year of the experiments, we finally succeeded in creating supple and durable fish leather completely free of fishy odor with the cooperation of "Tokyo Metropolitan Leather Technology Center" in Sumida-ku, a renowned district in Tokyo for leather craftsmanship. I firmly believe that this would have been impossible without the invaluable cooperation and immense support of so many people.
Finally, I was able to create fish leather, but during those three years, the "Totosan" project ended, leaving me as the sole creator of fish leather.
I wondered if I could somehow make good use of the technology I had developed...
I sought a way to pursue the fish leather utilization and decided to aim for an entrepreneurship in Himi City while working as a member of the Community-Reactivating Cooperator Squad of Himi City.
I had no experience in management or sales, so I spent about two years studying and experimenting while working. During this process, I met various people who offered their support, leading me to conduct a crowdfunding campaign to raise funds for launching the brand.
Everything was new to me, and the entire process was fraught with anxiety until the end. However, thanks to the generous support of 80 people, we raised 1.34 million yen and successfully launched the brand.
I cannot thank you enough. I am deeply grateful from the bottom of my heart.
This is the journey of how I founded the tototo brand. I extend my thanks to everyone who has taken the time to read this long story.
That being said, there is something else I wish to convey about the principles I uphold in creating fish leather. That is the dedication to "protecting the environment through sustainable manufacturing." Throughout the fish leather experimentation process, I encountered mainstream methods that were overly focused on efficiency, often at the expense of the environment and human health.
For more, please visit the "Protect the sea" page.