SAKAKI Gear did not begin as a marketing idea. It began inside a small factory in Kasugai City, Japan, after an enormous investment in a 5-axis machining center.
A 40 million yen machine and a brass putter
In 2018, the factory invested 40 million yen in a new machining center. For a 12-person operation, it was a serious bet. To show what the machine could do, the team made a solid brass golf putter.
A professional golfer saw it and immediately pointed out a problem: it could not be used in a tournament. The feedback was harsh, but it lit a fire. The team spent another 10 million yen and two years improving the design.
Two chances, two setbacks
The putter eventually sold to a golf course owner in Russia. Then the following year, the invasion began and everything was frozen. The team tried again with China, filed patents, prepared for export, and still faced rejection when the shipment arrived.
The beginning of SAKAKI Gear
Those setbacks raised a simple question: why only make what other people ask for? SAKAKI Gear became the answer. It is a place for craftsmen to make objects they truly want to make, with precision, durability, and a sense of play.
You can read the full origin story on the Our Story page, or start with Namonaki Lantern Akatsuki, the product that introduced the lantern line to many supporters.