From Stillness, Something Grows – マミメイドとは？
Sometimes, we don’t need more. We just need less.
A Story of Growing Leather
Thank you for finding your way here.
The fact that you've come all the way to this small atelier—
that alone already feels like a quiet, meaningful connection.
My name is Mami.
I spend my days sewing leather.
I'm not a particularly skillful person.
There have been times when life didn’t go as planned,
when emotions swept me away,
and I nearly lost sight of what truly mattered.
I was born in Osaka and now live in the town of Fukuoka.
Each day isn't always smooth,
but just like threading needle and thread,
I’ve tried to move gently—stitch by stitch—
doing my best to stay close to myself.
This shop began with a simple request:
“Having a woman’s name as the store owner gives a better impression.
Could you lend yours?”
I agreed, not thinking much of it.
But over time, that name became a pillar—
holding me up when little else could.
Eventually, it intertwined with the very act of living.
I’ve cried and laughed with leather.
And little by little, I’ve walked alongside my customers’ lives.
My leatherwork isn’t flashy or ornate.
Each piece is made with quiet care.
Leather is like a living being—
it changes, grows, and softens with time.
It becomes part of you.
Like human relationships,
the most meaningful things take time and steady effort.
Even clumsy hands can create something lasting—
if they just keep going.
That’s what leather has taught me.
Just this moment. Nothing else.
While studying art at university, I encountered Zen.
It drew me deep into the mountains of Kumano,
where I lived quietly, seeking a simpler life.
I sketched freely—tracing plant curves, insect shimmer,
capturing beauty beyond the need for words.
In nature’s quiet flow,
I discovered truths beyond explanation.
This is why I strive for beauty from every angle.
There’s no front or back—like all living things,
true beauty is complete wherever you look.
Letting go of excess, and simply being—
those mountain days, listening to the wind,
still echo in the quiet hours I now spend
handcrafting leather in the city.
To create is simply to care for one thing at a time.
That may be all it is—but to me, it’s everything.
I hope to offer not just objects,
but a sense of presence. Of warmth.
Stillness speaks.
I’m not one for flash or spectacle.
I don’t chase trends or aim for mass appeal.
I simply follow what feels true within me—
and continue, quietly and faithfully.
The world, I believe, is shifting.
Away from conflict, toward coexistence.
Toward harmony.
That’s why I’ve begun to reach out—gently—
trusting that somewhere on this earth,
there are those who find beauty
in simplicity, in stillness,
in the subtractive grace of Zen.
And perhaps, just perhaps,
what I create might feel at home
in your quiet life, too.
What’s written on this page
may look like a simple self-introduction—
but perhaps, it’s more like a quiet prayer.
A prayer that heartfelt craft still lives in this world.
That a single piece of leather
might become a quiet companion in someone’s life.
That it might rest near you,
and slowly begin to breathe.
If I could pass along
even such a gentle wish to you—
I would ask for nothing more.
To you, from MamiMade.
MamiMade is a small leather atelier based in Fukuoka, Japan. Each piece is handmade with care, drawing inspiration from Zen, nature, and the passage of time.