The People Behind Kuska
Kuska is built on the hands, knowledge, and dedication of the people who create each piece.
In Tango, weaving has been part of everyday life for generations. But craftsmanship is not only about preserving the past. It is about the people who continue to refine their skills, solve problems, and bring new ideas to life through their work.
From the first thread on the loom to the final stitch, every stage requires patience, precision, and an understanding of the material. Each artisan brings their own experience and perspective, shaping Kuska’s fabrics in their own way.
Meet the people behind Kuska.
Yasuhiko Kusunoki
CEO & Owner
I am Yasuhiko Kusunoki, the third-generation owner of Kuska. I was born in Tango, where my family has been weaving silk for generations. Our workshop was built around kimono fabrics, and growing up, it was simply part of the background to my life rather than something I fully understood. I spent my younger years focused on baseball, and later moved to Tokyo to work in construction. Most of my time outside of work was spent surfing, travelling wherever I could find good waves across Japan and occasionally further afield. It was actually surfing that brought me back to Tango in my thirties. I came for the sea, with no real intention of staying, but found myself drawn back into the workshop.
In my thirties I began to understand just how special Tango really is. It is a place shaped by craft, by tradition, and by a quiet pride in doing things properly. Seeing the work up close, and at that stage of my life, it felt different. There was a depth to it I had not fully appreciated before. The craftspeople I work with continue to inspire me every day. Their focus, patience and skill give meaning to everything we do. I began to feel that this was something worth continuing, not out of duty, but because it still holds value today.
Rather than simply following what had been done before, I wanted to find a way to express this silk in a way that felt natural now. In pursuit of craftsmanship beyond mass production, we disposed of all mechanical looms and Kuska took its current form, built entirely around handweaving and the work of skilled artisans.
Ties and scarves became an honest extension of that idea. They allow the texture, depth and natural lustre of handwoven silk to be experienced more directly, in pieces that are worn often and kept close to the body. These are accessories that you touch often, where you can really appreciate the unique drape and texture of the fabric. They are truly personal items and they deserve to be made in a personal way, by real people, with real passion.
What I feel most strongly is pride, when I see someone somewhere in the world wearing a Kuska tie or scarf. It means that something made slowly, carefully, by hand in a small workshop in Tango has found its way into someone’s life. Kuska will never be for those looking for something loud or decorative for its own sake. It is for people who understand the difference, who can feel that this is not just a product made by a machine, but something shaped by real people with real skill and intention.
In that sense, bringing a small part of Tango into the world has become what I care most about. So that what is made here travels quietly, and be appreciated by those who notice the finer details in life.
Naoko Nakao
Workshop Leader & Handweaving Artisan
For Naoko Nakao, weaving is a quiet conversation between the loom, the threads, and the landscape of Tango. She has worked at Kuska for twelve years and leads the weaving workshop, creating the handwoven fabrics that become the foundation of each piece.
“When I weave this fabric, I imagine the sea and beaches of Tango. I try not to use force, but to weave calmly and naturally, as if a gentle breeze is passing through. I adjust my body to the movement of the loom, following it like the rhythm of waves.”
The fabrics created from this approach carry a sense of lightness and calm, while maintaining a refined presence. The WAVE HEAD design, inspired by the white waves of the Tango coastline, reflects this connection between nature, place, and craftsmanship.
However, creating handwoven fabric requires constant attention and patience. Kuska’s looms hold thousands of warp threads, and even a single thread being out of position can affect the final pattern. When a thread breaks, Naoko carefully reconnects it by hand, repeating these small acts of precision to bring each piece of fabric to life.
For Naoko, these moments of concentration are part of what makes weaving meaningful.
“The sound of the loom when everything is working well is beautiful. And when I see the difference between the fabric while it is being woven and the finished piece afterwards, I think, ‘This is why weaving is so interesting.’ I feel like I could never stop doing this work.”
Her hope is that Kuska’s fabrics will not only be worn on special occasions, but become part of everyday moments.
“I would be happy if people wear these pieces when meeting friends for dinner, or on a day when they want to feel a little more confident. I hope they can become something that quietly supports people in their daily lives.”
Through her careful work, Naoko continues to weave the story of Tango into every piece of fabric.
Tomomi Hira
Sewing & Production Leader
For Tomomi Hira, the most meaningful moment is seeing handwoven fabric become something that can be worn. She leads Kuska’s sewing team in the Tango workshop and has been with the company for eight years, balancing her work with raising two children.
Handwoven fabric is never uniform. Each piece carries slight variations in texture and movement, which makes the process of turning it into a finished tie both challenging and rewarding.
“Seeing the fabric we have woven together become a finished tie is what makes me happiest.”
In sewing, small decisions matter. The angle of a seam, the pressure of a stitch, or the way fabric is shaped with an iron can all change the final expression of the piece. Tomomi sees the connection between weaving and sewing as one continuous process, where each stage relies on the next.
“Handwoven fabric may look similar, but no two pieces are ever exactly the same. That is what makes it special.”
Her focus is always on creating pieces that feel natural to wear, not only on special occasions, but as part of everyday life.
Chiho Fujiwara
Handweaving Artisan
For Chiho Fujiwara, weaving is a quiet process of watching threads slowly become fabric.
She has worked at Kuska for eight years, creating the woven textiles that form the foundation of each piece When she began working on silk floss scarves, it brought back the same feeling she had when she first learned to weave.
“It reminded me of the excitement I felt when I first started weaving. It was both familiar and new at the same time.”
The process requires both intuition and precision. Weight, density, and structure must all be carefully considered as the fabric grows on the loom. What she values most is the moment when individual threads begin to come together as one.
Even when working with the same materials and patterns, no two pieces are identical. Each one develops its own character through the process. Rather than constantly seeking something new, Chiho focuses on refining her work, one piece at a time.
Yuko Chihara
Sewing Artisan
A Kuska tie is completed not when it is woven, but when it is carefully finished by hand.
Yuko Chihara joined Kuska in 2020 and works on the final stage of production, where precision and sensitivity define the outcome. Handwoven fabric is alive in its own way. Even small adjustments during sewing can influence how the finished piece feels when worn.
“Whenever I sew a tie, I think about the person who will wear it and try to put care into every stitch.”
For Yuko, the most important part of her work is often invisible. The inside structure, the balance of shape, and the subtle finishing details all determine how the tie sits and moves. Her goal is simple. To create pieces that feel natural in daily life, not only in formal moments.
“I hope people will wear Kuska not only for special occasions, but also in everyday life.”
Through careful, quiet work, she completes the journey of each piece from the workshop in Tango to the person who wears it.