About

About

Stellar Edge is a brand that fuses tradition and innovation, creating products that bring a special experience to everyday life. By combining the craftsmanship rooted in Japanese manufacturing with innovative design, we offer items that deliver new discoveries and joy every time they are used.

The design is led by one of Japan’s top product designers, Mr. Yasuhiro Yamashita, who has worked on concept cars for motor shows and giant robots. His products blend refined beauty with functionality, transcending mere tools to become works of art.

We are passionate about creating products that bring special moments to daily life, aiming to deliver both inspiration and satisfaction to our customers.

Member

岡本朔　Saku Okamoto

Founder

山下泰弘　Yasuhiro Yamashita

Designer

A product designer with a background in Toyota’s design department, Yasuhiro Yamashita specializes in shaping and designing complex freeform surfaces, such as car bodies and motorcycles. With his exceptional skills, he has successfully led numerous projects to completion. Renowned for his bold ideas and meticulous design abilities, he has worked on product designs for major manufacturers, earning high praise both domestically and internationally.

Story

Experience in Canada and Returning to Japan

After graduating from university, the founder, Okamoto, spent most of his twenties in Canada. Surrounded by the rich culture and nature of a foreign land, he spent his days engaging with locals and exploring various manufacturing sites. What he saw there was the everyday use of Japanese products in every aspect of life.

Japanese cars, household goods, and precision machinery were not just tools, but trusted and beloved “presences” that supported the daily lives of people in Canada. Witnessing this, Okamoto realized once again that the essence of Japanese craftsmanship lies in attention to detail, hands-on creation, and the spirit imbued in every product. Seeing the local people’s high regard for “Japan quality” and their deep trust in Japanese products, Okamoto reaffirmed the strength of Japan’s manufacturing.

Canada is a wonderful country filled with rich culture and free-spirited thinking. Yet it was precisely because he was in Canada that Okamoto could feel the greatness of Japan’s technology and culture more clearly. Even though he had secured permanent residency and envisioned his future in Canada, a certain thought began to grow in his mind.

“Rather than striving as a Japanese person in Canada, I want to bring what I’ve learned here back to Japan and create new value. I want to contribute to Japan.”

As this feeling grew stronger each day, Okamoto eventually decided to return to Japan.

Encounter and Determination in Seki, Gifu

After returning to Japan, Okamoto was searching for his next step. It was during this time that a pivotal encounter occurred—he met Yasuhiro Yamashita, one of Japan’s top product designers.

Yamashita had already made a name for himself in the industry by working on grand projects, such as concept cars for motor shows, giant robots, and theme park attractions. By chance, Okamoto met Yamashita in Seki City, Gifu Prefecture, which is both Yamashita’s hometown and current base of operations.

Okamoto was deeply drawn to Yamashita’s original designs. His work embodied functionality, beauty, and a unique sensibility that captured people’s hearts. However, what ignited Okamoto’s passion wasn’t just the desire to learn design techniques. He had a strong intuition: “With him, we could create something new from Japan that could take on the world.”

Okamoto approached Yamashita with a proposal to combine Yamashita’s design prowess with his own production skills to create something “never seen before.” Yamashita, too, saw potential in the fusion of traditional craftsmanship and innovative design, and decided to join the project. This led Okamoto to move to Seki City with his family, and the project officially began.

Once settled in Seki, Okamoto and Yamashita deepened their connection with the local bladesmiths. Okamoto was struck by the passion behind each movement of the craftsmen and became captivated by the hidden potential within the seemingly simple tool of a blade.

“If Yamashita’s design and this craftsmanship come together, we could create something extraordinary.”
The encounter with bladesmiths, who also shared the ambition to create new products, felt natural. They, too, resonated with the challenge that Okamoto and Yamashita presented, and soon joined the project.

Becoming a Bridge Between Craftsmanship and Design

In the early stages of the project, the craftsmen were initially bewildered by Yamashita’s designs. His expertise in automotive design led to forms and lines that deviated significantly from traditional blade shapes, making it difficult to replicate using conventional methods. There were countless late nights filled with discussions and repeated prototyping.

During this time, Okamoto played a crucial role in bridging the gap between the craftsmen and Yamashita. He carefully listened to and conveyed the thoughts and ideas of both sides, pushing the project forward. Respecting the strengths of traditional techniques while embracing new ideas, the team meticulously pursued a balance between design and functionality.

“We can create something that moves people by combining your craftsmanship with modern design. Let’s take this project and reshape tradition into something new, and share it with the world.”

Under Okamoto’s guiding principle, the entire team worked together, going through countless iterations and improvements.

Overcoming Countless Challenges to Create the Perfect Pair of Scissors

Just when the shape seemed right, functional issues would arise, often forcing the team to start over from scratch. Yet, with a shared commitment to creating the best possible product, they overcame failure time and again. Finally, their efforts resulted in the birth of Stellar Edge’s flagship model, the SC01 scissors.

These scissors are the culmination of the traditional craftsmanship of Seki City’s bladesmiths, Yamashita’s refined design, and Okamoto’s production expertise. This product is not just a tool—it is a fusion of tradition and innovation, crafted as a true work of art.

Transforming Tradition into a New Form and Delivering it to the World

Through this project, Okamoto realized anew that “tradition and innovation are not in conflict; they are partners that should move forward together.” As a director, he led the team, sometimes acting as a mediator to unify the group, and other times inspiring them to keep the passion alive. It was thanks to this leadership that Yamashita’s design and the craftsmen’s skills were fully realized, allowing the creation of a groundbreaking new product.

“Blending traditional techniques with modern sensibilities and delivering them to the world.”
Okamoto’s challenge under this vision has only just begun. The birth of Stellar Edge is merely the first step in his dream. Moving forward, he aims to continue creating further innovations, collaborating with many more engineers and creators.