Fukushima, to become Japan's Geneva.

Fukushima, to become Japan's Geneva. From a town where time stood still, creating a future where watches become a source of local pride. Our company endorses April Dream, an initiative to make April 1st a day for sharing dreams. This press release is a dream of Fukushima Watch Company. ### To tell time again in a town where time stood still. The dream of "Fukushima, to become Japan's Geneva" envisioned by Fukushima Watch Company. We are "Fukushima Watch Company," a domestic mechanical watch manufacturer founded in Minamisoma City, Fukushima Prefecture, in 2022. Our dream is to make Fukushima a place where watchmaking thrives, like "Japan's Geneva." Geneva, Switzerland, is a place where watch brands from all over the world gather, and watch culture is deeply rooted as the city's pride. However, what we aim for is not just a place where famous companies gather. It's a place where watchmaking is naturally close to the people living there. Where creating is not only a job but also a source of pride for the land. "When you talk about wristwatches, Fukushima comes to mind." One day, we genuinely want to create a future where such words are exchanged naturally. Fukushima Watch Company "Odaka" series: A classic small-seconds automatic watch inspired by Odaka Ward, Minamisoma City, its base. It incorporates colors born from the daily life of Odaka Ward, such as blueberries and chili peppers. ## Why make watches in Odaka Ward, Minamisoma City, Fukushima Prefecture? We manufacture watches based in Odaka Ward, Minamisoma City, Fukushima Prefecture. Why Odaka? Because this town was truly a "place where time stood still." Due to the Great East Japan Earthquake and the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident in 2011, residents of Odaka Ward were forced to evacuate. Since then, for approximately six years, people could not live there, and at one point, it became a town with "zero population." It was a place where the sounds of daily life disappeared, the presence of people vanished, and the entire town quietly stopped in time. Facing this history, instead of merely lamenting the lost time, we strongly felt the desire to start carving out new time in this place once again. That is why we are making watches in Odaka. Odaka Station street before the evacuation order was lifted. When the presence of people disappeared, and the entire town quietly stopped in time. A watch is not just a tool to tell time. It accompanies someone's time, embodying memories, scenery, and feelings. We have aimed to convey the story of this land through watches. And now, beyond just manufacturing and delivering products, we want to foster a future where watchmaking itself leads to local pride and employment. Futaba / New Leaves Green. The green of young leaves, overlapping with the name of Futaba Town, Fukushima Prefecture. It is a color chosen to sprout again, beyond the time that had stopped. ## What we want to achieve To that end, there are two things we want to achieve. ### 1. Gradually increase the processes that can be completed in Fukushima. One is to gradually increase the processes that can be completed in Fukushima. Currently, there are not many small watch workshops like ours in Fukushima Prefecture. However, this land has skilled people who have supported precise manufacturing for many years. Watch cases. Dials. Hands. Straps. And movements. We hope to eventually make each of these with the help of the people of Fukushima. We want to continue our challenge of watchmaking, together with the technology accumulated in this region. At first, it may be a small "point." But when those points gradually increase through connections with the local community, and eventually form a "cluster," "Fukushima can make attractive watches." We believe we can get closer to a place where such words are naturally spoken. And beyond that, new "Made in Fukushima" brands, not just ours, will naturally emerge from this land. We are genuinely envisioning such a future. ### 2. Hold an international wristwatch exhibition in Fukushima. Another goal is to hold an international wristwatch exhibition in Fukushima. There are attractive wristwatch brands in Japan and around the world. We want to create an opportunity for such brands, creators, and watch lovers to gather in Fukushima, actually hold watches in their hands, and converse. That is one reason why we want to hold an exhibition. However, there is another reason that is truly important to us. That is, we want visitors to Fukushima, who come because of watches, to actually experience the good qualities of this land. Rich nature. Inherited culture. The figures of people who, despite adversity, have not given up and have moved forward step by step. The Soma Nomaoi, said to have continued for over a thousand years. It has been passed down without interruption even after the earthquake. We believe that some things are only truly conveyed by actually visiting, feeling the wind, seeing the scenery, and meeting people. Creating a place for watch lovers and those involved to gather in Fukushima and experience the story of this land. Creating such a meeting place is an indispensable step toward the future we envision. We believe that watches are not just products but can also be a gateway to getting to know Fukushima. ## What we truly want to nurture What we want to create is not merely a place of sale. It is an opportunity for people and the land to connect through watches. The makers. The deliverers. The users. The visitors. As each of these connections accumulates, a new cultural foundation will grow in Fukushima. We envision such a future. And one day, we want to create a future where the children raised here can proudly say, "Our town has cool watchmaking." That is the true meaning of our dream, "Fukushima, to become Japan's Geneva." ## We want to nurture this dream together This dream cannot be achieved by our company alone. We want to gradually shape it together with local businesses, artisans, educational institutions, sales partners. And with those who wear our watches, who love watches, and who are interested in Fukushima. It may be a distant dream now. But we are genuinely aiming for that future. Fukushima Watch Company will continue to mark time from Fukushima. Fukushima Watch Company, Inc. Masayasu Hiraoka, Representative Director of Fukushima Watch Company, has accumulated many years of experience in the watch industry and established a domestic mechanical watch brand. In March 2019, he exhibited at BASELWORLD, the world's largest watch fair, where dealers and media from various countries visited for business negotiations and interviews, and his work was featured. Fascinated by Fukushima, where he was involved as a volunteer after the Great East Japan Earthquake, he moved from Saitama to Minamisoma City with the aim of making Fukushima Japan's Geneva (= a town where the watch industry is thriving). He established Fukushima Watch Company. Through wristwatches, he aims to transmit from Fukushima to the world and boost Japan's watch industry. - Company Name: Fukushima Watch Company, Inc. - Representative: Masayasu Hiraoka, Representative Director - Established: November 2022 - Location: 101-8 Minamihara, Iizaki, Odaka Ward, Minamisoma City, Fukushima Prefecture, 979-2162 Japan HP: https://fukushima-watch.com/