Hagoromo Fulltouch Chalk: Difference between revisions

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Hagoromo Fulltouch Chalk (Japanese: 羽衣フルタッチチョーク, Korean: 하고로모 풀터치 탄산) is a brand of chalk originally produced by Japanese company Hagoromo Bungu (羽衣文具), and now by South Korean company Sejong Mall (세종몰).^[1]

Mathematician Satyan Devadoss wrote in 2010 that the Hagoromo chalk can be called "the Michael Jordan of chalk, the Rolls-Royce of chalk".^[2]

Hagoromo Bungu Co., Ltd

Former Hagoromo office and factory in Kasugai
Industry	Office supplies
Founded	October 1932; 92 years ago (1932-10)
Defunct	March 2015; 9 years ago (2015-03)
Fate	Acquired by Sejongmall
Headquarters	Kasugai, Aichi , Japan
Products	Blackboard chalk

Hagoromo Bungu was founded in October 1932 as Nihon Chalk Seizosho. The original factory was located in Naka-ku, Nagoya, but was destroyed in August 1944 during World War II. The company was re-established in 1947 and renamed to Hagoromo Bungu. A factory in the nearby city of Kasugai was completed in 1961, and the offices moved there in 1992.^[3]

The company sold over 90 million pieces of chalk a year at its peak in 1990 and held a 30% share of the domestic market, according to Tokyo Shoko Research.^[4]

Mathematician Satyan Devadoss wrote in 2010 that the Hagoromo chalk can be called "the Michael Jordan of chalk, the Rolls-Royce of chalk".^[5] Several other well-known mathematicians and professors, such as Brian Conrad and David Eisenbud, also prefer the product.^[6][7] Eisenbud first introduced the chalk to American mathematicians and worked to have it imported to the US; it is now sold on Amazon.^[8]

In 2003, South Korean hagwon math teacher Shin Hyung Seok (신형석) visited Japan to learn about their cram school systems. During this trip, he encountered Hagoromo chalk for the first time.^[9][10] He immediately became a fan of the brand.^[9] When he returned to Korea with boxes of the flourescent colored Hagoromo chalk variants, students praised the colors as easily legible. Upon running out of Hagoromo chalk, he searched to see if any businesses in South Korea imported the brand, and was disappointed to learn that none did.^[9][11][10] He also asked if any manufacturers were willing to make flourescent chalk colors, and all reportedly refused, with some claiming that there wasn't a market for such colors and high-end chalk brands.^[10]

In 2006, Shin reached out to Hagoromo Bungu's president, Watanabe Takayasu.^[9][12] Coincidentally, Watanabe's second daughter was able to serve as a translator; she was fluent in Korean and had previously studied abroad in South Korea.^[12][13][14] She reportedly visited South Korea multiple times a year with her father because she enjoyed South Korean cuisine.^[10][14] Shin received approval to operate as the exclusive importer of Hagoromo products to South Korea; this resulted in the creation of Sejong Mall in 2009.^[12] The two reportedly quickly built a positive rapport.^[13] Hagoromo quickly became successful in South Korea; at some point reportedly around 80–90% of instructors at hagwons adopted the brand.^[10]

In October 2014, company president Takayasu Watanabe released a statement announcing the company would stop chalk production in February 2015 and sales in March 2015.^[15][16][17] Watanabe, Ryuzo Watanabe's successor, mentioned reasons for the closure included the fact that "blackboards are no longer the norm in classrooms" and that "the number of students is also on the wane".^[16] In a 2015 interview, Watanabe also cited his declining health as a major reason for the closure.^[18] The announcement to cease business led to the mass buying, hoarding, and reselling of chalk among its fanbase.^[19][20][21] By June 2015, Watanabe reported that production continued for a month longer than originally planned and finally ended on 31 March 2015.^[22]

Hagoromo Bungu had been owned for three generations by the same family, but by 2014 lacked a successor.^[23] None of Watanabe's three daughters, nor any of their husbands, were willing to take over the business.^[23][24] Watanabe had reportedly tried sharing his equipment and recipe for the chalk with other companies, but was dissatisfied with their output quality.^[25][24] Umajirushi, a Japanese blackboard manufacturer looking to expand their chalk production, bought one.^[26][27] Umajirushi launched DC Chalk Deluxe (DCチョークDX),^[27][28] but subsequently discontinued production in early 2020.^[29]

Hagoromo Bungu's sales had been dropping along with the overall decline in the chalk industry.^[25][30] Around that time, Watanabe's stomach cancer returned. Watanabe called Shin and informed him of his intent to close the company, and apologized for it affecting Shin's business.^[25] Shin asked if Watanabe would let him continue making the chalk, but Watanabe initially refused. He warned Shin about how difficult the manufacturing industry was.^[31] Eventually, Watanabe was convinced to allow it; Watanabe's daughter reportedly tearfully thanked Shin for managing to do so.^[24]

In early 2015, Watanabe sold the machines to Shin for a notably low price. Each machine, valued around ₩80 million won (US$80,000), was sold for ₩1 million (US$900).^[24][25] Shin imported the machines in sixteen 40-foot containers from Nagoya to Pocheon.^[25][32][33] After the factory was set up, Watanabe, in a wheelchair, visited South Korea and expressed his approval at the factory. He taught Shin how to create the chalk.^[24] A number of Hagoromo Bungu's Zainichi Korean employees went over as technical advisors to ensure that the manufacturing was faithful to the original.^[34][30] In 2019, it was reported that the chalk imported raw materials from Japan, including sea shells, in order to promote consistency.^[24] Reportedly, some people thought the new Hagoromo Fulltouch chalk was fake; Watanabe and Shin reportedly took a photo together to show that Shin had Watanabe's blessing.^[34] The brand has since been evaluated by at least one mathematician as indistinguishable from the original product.^[33]

To begin working as a manufacturer, Shin initially invested around ₩700 million into the business.^[25] In 2016, Sejong Mall began to produce the chalk.^[30][25] Their sales by year increased from ₩300 million in 2016, to ₩600 million in 2017, to ₩900 million in 2018,^[25] to ₩2 billion in 2019.^[34] Overseas sales improved from ₩50 million in 2016, to ₩100 million in 2017, and ₩300 million in 2018.^[25] In 2019, overseas sales were around 40% of the total.^[34] Sales were reportedly improved by foreign documentaries and news coverage on the Hagoromo brand and the transfer.^[35][32] Sejong Mall has reportedly attempted to position the chalk as a high-end product in the market, and has made efforts to design the packaging accordingly.^[34]

The handoff of the Hagoromo brand has been impacted by often-fraught Japan–South Korea relations.^[24] Japanese broadcaster NHK reportedly produced a 30 minute documentary that reportedly critically described Hagoromo's hand-off as the transfer of Japanese technology to a foreign country.^[24] Some South Koreans expressed disapproval of the brand, as it was originally from Japan.^[24] Shin and Watanabe defended their positive relationship and expressed hope that relations between their countries will improve.^[23] In January 2020, Shin visited Watanabe, and the two promised to meet again when the weather became warmer. Amidst travel restrictions in the COVID-19 pandemic,^[30] Watanabe died in July that year^[33] without them having met again.^[30] According to Shin, Watanabe continued advising Shin on the company until his death.^[31]

The Japanese Chalk Association reportedly banned imports of Hagoromo Fulltouch from South Korea for five years, with the concern that it would destabilize the market.^[34] In 2017, the company began importing the brand to Vietnam. The product is also sold in Europe and America, particularly through the e-commerce website Amazon.^[34] In 2020, it was reported that China was the company's largest market, followed by the United States.^[34] In 2020, it was reported that the company was developing a writing product that would work on glass.^[34] In 2022, it was reported that the company was developing other writing utensils, such as pens.^[35]

Hagoromo Bungu sold the following chalk products:^[36][37]

• Fulltouch Chalk: calcium chalk
• Fulltouch Large Chalk: calcium chalk, 2 cm in diameter and 11.3 cm in length, available in white, red, orange, yellow, green, and blue^[38]
• Fulltouch New Poly: gypsum chalk, sometimes known as plaster chalk
• Fulltouch Luminous Color Chalk: gypsum chalk