 Cutting a cute profile behind Nissan executive Carlos Ghosn is the Jikoo, one of seven concept cars he rolled out at the 2003 Tokyo Motor Show. He announced an industry-leading operating profit margin of 11.3 percent for the first half of the year, a figure that has risen for four consecutive years.
Strictly hidden from public view until the curtain rose on the 37th Tokyo Motor Show in October, Nissan's most exclusive concept car of the year spun
into view. Behind the wheel of the shiny silver two-seater was Carlos Ghosn, president and chief executive, accompanied by a lady in a shimmering silver kimono.
Modeled on the original 1935 Datsun Roadster, the Jikoo is a concept like
no other: its luxury interiors and exterior finishes were specially created
by Japanese craftsmen whose skills descend from the Edo period (1603-1867).
This, Nissan says, is a straightforward way to show that its brand identity
is rooted in the "Japanese DNA."
For example, door trims are made of lacquer and karakami, Japanese paper
often used in sliding doors. Other handcrafted parts include parquet flooring
composed of ebony and kingwood and seats covered with Inden (stenciled and
lacquered deerskin). Making the overfenders required especially painstaking
effort, says Kazuki Ishihara, a designer at Creative Box Inc., the Nissan
subsidiary in charge of Jikoo design. For that area, they turned to a master
silver craftsman.
After unveiling two more luxury cars featuring Japanese designs, Ghosn
announced, "I am excited to begin our presentation in a manner that
recognizes our company's rich Japanese heritage. The Jikoo neatly presents
the spirit that distinguishes our past and heralds our future."
The Tokyo-based carmaker cites the 400th anniversary of the start of the Edo
period coinciding with its own 70th anniversary as reasons for creating the
Jikoo. But it is also the product of Nissan's continuing search for its own
identity, which has been the key to its recovery from 30 years of declining
market share. Japan's leading carmaker in the 1970s with one-third of the
Japanese market, it had slipped to claim less than one-fifth in 1999.
Koji Nagano, general manager of Nissan's Design Center and leader of the
Jikoo team, says, "We have realized that the more we expand our markets in the
international arena, the more important it becomes to have our own
originality. The trigger to the search for 'Japanese DNA' was the alliance with our
French partner Renault nearly four years ago. Strengthening our brand identity became our prime task."
Association with a foreign entity forced Nissan to think about how to
differentiate itself from its new partner. The answer was simple: capitalize
on over 2,000 years of heritage and traditions developed and nurtured in its
home country. Toshiyuki Shimazaki, manager of the Design Strategy Group at
the Design Center confides, "I think that French people, in general, have a
deep appreciation for history and culture. Mr. Ghosn encourages Nissan to be
Japanese." Born in Brazil, educated in France, and with career experience in
Brazil, the United States, Europe, and Japan, Ghosn knows how to compete in
the international arena.
In fact, the Jikoo's "home team"--Creative Box--operates in just such an
international atmosphere. It frequently hires designers from many European
countries. Their strong appreciation of Japanese aesthetics was stimulated
in the international working environment.
Nagano and Ishihara, who laid out the Jikoo design, are both confident that
the concept car can explore new possibilities for Nissan's future luxury
cars. "Jikoo is our first experiment in adopting Japanese traditional crafts
into classy cars," Nagano continues with passionate eyes. "We strongly feel
the need to revitalize Japanese traditions in our modern life. We must find
new ways to use them. If you take a look at Inden, for example, you see
handbags and wallets made of deerskin and lacquer that have huge potential
as a world-class brand. It's just that the designs don't fit contemporary
taste."
At the 2003 Tokyo Motor Show, Nissan clearly showed where it wants to go and
what it wants to be. With a name abbreviated from Nihon Sangyo, literally
meaning "Japanese industry," the company will assuredly build its brand
identity by further capitalizing on its "Japanese DNA".
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| Wheel trim echos the crest of the Tokugawa Shogun. Sheathing the overfender is pure silver hammered by a craftsman to a thickness of only 1 millimeter. This work was done by top silverware studio Toho Silver Craft Co., Ltd. The company, led by Ishiguro Konan, is famous for the technique of hammering that, like a shower of hailstones, creates an all-over surface pattern and texture. This craft is called Tokyo ginki. The traditional semigloss finish was not added for the Jikoo parts in keeping with the car's modern look. Information (in Japanese) on Toho Silver Craft: www.to-ho.com |
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| A type of Japanese lacquerwork called Edo shikki was used to finish the car's door trim. For this craft expertise Nissan selected Ogawara Urushi Kobo. The first five generations of the Ogawara family plied their craft on the grounds of Edo Castle, creating lacquerware for the Tokugawa government. Keeping the traditions alive is Masaru Ogawara, representing the ninth generation. Their technique results in sharp edges and a mirror-like surface. The sophisticated depth of the finish and bright red color are unique to cinnabar from Kamakura. |
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| The seats and steering wheel of the Jikoo are covered in Inden. Starting with tanned deerskin, craftsmen add designs and lacquered finish to create durable beauty. Strong and tough-wearing leather goods made with this process developed in India were used for armor and firemen's suits during Japan's Age of Civil Wars in the 15th and the 16th centuries. Uehara, who began working in this field of craftsmanship in Yamanashi Prefecture 13 generations ago, still continues the tradition today in his shop called Inden-Ya. Two more shops are located in Tokyo and Osaka. For information (in Japanese): www.inden-ya.co.jp |
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| Karaki refers to extremely durable woods such as ebony and kingwood. Tiny pieces of these hardwoods are assembled to create parquet flooring. Nissan adopted this technique to finish the Jikoo's floor, secret compartment, and some other surfaces. A new resilient material was added for cushioning to express the message of luxurious style. Parquetry work was done by Akio Tsuchikura, a traditional craftsman in Tokyo with a wealth of experience in executing luxury articles, which are sold at a shop called Angers Noir. For information (in Japanese): www.tsuchikura-mokkougei.com |
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| The car's secret compartment provides storage for precious items. Its lining was designed with the look of Japanese wrapping cloth. The pinpoint-dotted pattern-staggeringly fine in detail-is called Edo komon, long used in dyeing kimono materials. It results in one of the most treasured fabrics in Japan. Nissan called upon Tomita Dyeing Atelier, which operates a 90-year-old studio located alongside the Kanda River. This studio specializes in the hand-dyeing technique known as Tokyo some-komon. It also maintains a museum of important textile artifacts and displays of dyeing techniques. To visit, call 03-3987-0701. |
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| Edo karakami, a type of paper often used in Japanese sliding doors, was employed for the Jikoo's interior door panels. Craftsman Satoshi Nagai hand-kneaded and brushed the sheets of red paper to create a special texture with minute contours. The addition of a UV coating containing lacquer gives the panels protection and resists abrasion. |
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| Each seat has its own navigation screen. The driver sees the latest Tokyo map, while the passenger sees the Edo of 400 years ago. Buffalo-horn inlay finishes the steering wheel; craftsmen used skills usually seen for tortoise-shell inlay. |
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| Flashed blue glass distinguishes the grille and lamps. It's an example of cut glass made in the manner characteristic of Edo kiriko, the centuries-old method of producing finely faceted glass. The traditional basket-weave pattern was faithfully reproduced and finished with the initials NC incised into the car's rear lamps. |
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| Koji Nagano (left), general manager at Nissan's Design Center, and Kazuki Ishihara of Creative Box were in charge of Jikoo design. They realized that the company's internationally expanding markets made it all the more important to re-examine Japanese originality. This triggered the work to express Nissan's "Japanese DNA." |
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Savoring three years of record profits, Nissan celebrates its 70th anniversary this year with a new brand identity sparked by what the company calls its Japanese DNA. The Jikoo concept car epitomizes this revival of native craftsmanship.
