With a Clear and Steady Will, He Lights the Way for His Team. The Working Style of Kawaguchi from Terube’s Printing Division

Kawaguchi was born and raised in Kitami City, located in eastern Hokkaido—a region rich in natural beauty, surrounded by the sea and mountains. Due to childhood asthma, he wasn’t the type to run around outdoors.

"Even so, when I look back on my childhood, I don’t remember spending much time alone. I feel like I was always playing with friends."

While he led a quiet childhood, he also harbored a yearning to move his body. Table tennis became the outlet for that desire—a challenge he chose for himself.

"I started going to a table tennis club when I was in fifth grade. I loved how the ball would snap back when I hit it hard. And I really liked the sound of the ping-pong ball too. Just hearing that rhythmic bounce made me happy."

The table tennis club was run by a local temple. That meant playing not only with kids his age but also with adults. It was there that he learned the importance of respectful language and how to engage with older people.

"At the time, I thought the adults were a bit strict. But now, as an adult myself, I realize they were teaching me how to interact with people."

From proper manners to the joy of physical movement, the lessons he learned through table tennis laid the foundation for who he is today.

When it came time to choose a high school, Kawaguchi looked toward the future and enrolled in the construction program at a local technical high school—motivated by a strong desire to become independent as soon as possible.

He recalls how much he enjoyed the hands-on training: mixing cement with a shovel, learning to use tools, and even surveying in the hills behind the school. But there was one part he struggled with:

"Drafting was really hard for me. We started with designing a small shed, but imagining three-dimensional structures from cross-sectional diagrams was just beyond me."

Rather than force himself to overcome something he wasn’t suited for, Kawaguchi decided to move on. Then in September of his senior year, just as graduation was approaching, he happened to come across a job posting for Terube.

"Back then, Terube wasn’t hiring new grads, so my first reaction was, ‘What’s Terube?’ But when I read the listing closely, I saw that it was a subsidiary of Ito-Yokado (at the time), so I asked my mom about it. She worked at the Ito-Yokado Kitami store*, so I thought maybe she’d knew something. She didn’t know much either, but she said, ‘Why not go check it out?’ and encouraged me to visit."
*Closed in August 2024

Before his visit, Kawaguchi did a bit of research on Terube. He learned that the company operated both a shiitake cultivation business and a printing division. He also found out that the printing plant employed people with and without disabilities.

"I had never interacted with people with disabilities before, so I was nervous. But when I actually visited the workplace, I saw that everyone was working so earnestly. There was nothing ‘special’ about it at all."

What the high school senior Kawaguchi saw that day wasn’t a "special" place—it was a workplace where everyone was simply focused on doing their job. And to him, that felt completely natural.

And so, Kawaguchi became the very first new graduate to join Terube.

Kawaguchi was assigned to the Printing Division. His first task was operating the printing machines. Although everything was new and unfamiliar, he says he strongly felt the support of those around him.

"Looking back, I think they were really considerate of me. But at the time, I was so desperate to keep up that I didn’t even notice their kindness. Their skills were way above mine, and I was just focused on catching up as fast as I could."

He often felt like he might be the least capable person at the factory. Even while grappling with that frustration, he gradually grew accustomed to the work.

In his third year, an incident significantly changed his perspective. He accidentally broke one of the printing machines.

"Terube has several printing machines, but one of them ended up being out of service for about a week."

The printing business can be broadly divided into three stages: pre-press, which processes the data into a format suitable for printing; printing, where the data is printed onto paper; and post-press, which turns the printed sheets into flyers, booklets, or catalogs. A shortage of functioning machines for the crucial "printing" phase affects the entire production line. At that critical moment, it was Kawaguchi’s supervisor who stepped in to cover for him.

"With one machine down, the workload must’ve been intense. I wanted to help, but honestly, I was more of a hindrance than anything else… In the end, I couldn’t contribute at all. I used to think that once I entered the workforce, I’d be able to handle everything on my own—but the reality was the complete opposite."

As he continued working, that deep sense of "I can’t do anything alone" became a powerful realization: "That’s why we must support each other."

This was not the self-reliance he had initially envisioned—but from here, Kawaguchi began building his own path, one step at a time.

Now in his 21st year at Terube, Kawaguchi leads a team of 10 in the Printing Division. At the heart of his management philosophy is the experience of once feeling completely helpless.

"For new team members, I try to help them develop at least one thing they’re good at—something they can confidently say, ‘This is my strength.’ That confidence allows them to work with assurance. It was the same for me, too."

Another key element Kawaguchi values is communication.
"Whether someone has a disability or not, it’s not easy to just say what you’re really thinking. That’s why I make time for genuine, unhurried conversations. Eventually, we’re able to talk to each other on equal footing."

Rather than criticize someone's weaknesses, Kawaguchi supports their strengths and takes time to understand them.
His calm, supportive style of management is shaped by that belief.

"I want this department to be a place where everyone can fully express the unique strengths they possess."

At the end, we asked Kawaguchi to express his working style as a color.

"In printing, I’ve struggled a lot with color... So describing myself with a color is tough. But if I had to choose, I’d say white."

"Not pure white, though—more like a soft white with a deep center. A color with a strong core. Maybe you could call it a white gradient. White can take on any color and help highlight others. That’s the kind of working style I aspire to."

Kawaguchi’s first name is Toi, which means "clear and sincere will."
It was given to him with the hope that he would live with a clear and pure sense of purpose.

At the heart of the rainbow woven by the Terube team, Kawaguchi’s "white" will continue to quietly spin its clear and heartfelt story.

This text has been translated using an automatic translation tool.