靴下って、まだそんなに面白くなるの?|藤木勝浩さん「おもビズ!」公開収録
靴下って、まだそんなに面白くなるの?
株式会社マサキ・藤木勝浩さん「おもビズ!」公開収録レポート
(The English version follows the Japanese text.)
靴下ではなく、「レッグファッション」
株式会社マサキは、主に海外の工場で生産した靴下を、日本のさまざまな流通へ届けています。しかし、藤木さんが向き合っているのは、単なる「靴下販売」ではありません。
「靴下を売りに行くな。その商品が、なぜその売り場や生活に必要なのかを伝える」
藤木さんは靴下市場を「成熟市場」ではなく、長く需要が続く「安定市場」と捉えています。価格を下げて競うのではなく、快適さや素材、利用場面まで含めて新しい生活を提案する。だからこそ、靴下ではなく「レッグファッション」なのだと語りました。
50歳、一台の机と電話から
子どもの頃は、人前で話すことが苦手だった藤木さん。天理高校でラグビーと出会い、日本一を経験する中で、「夢は叶う。そのためには何が必要か」を身体で学びました。その経験を胸に、50歳で会社を辞めて東京で独立。周囲のほとんどが反対する中、唯一背中を押したのが奥様でした。会社名の「マサキ」にも、奥様の名前と藤木さんの「木」が込められています。
創業時は、一台の机と電話一本からの出発。藤木さんが振り返った初年度の収入は、2万7千円でした。それでも前職の看板には頼らず、「藤木」という一人の人間として信用を積み上げ、約3年をかけて事業を動かしていきました。
夢を現実にする、習慣と信頼
藤木さんが大切にするのは、「夢、パワー、習慣、人生、人格、運命」という流れです。夢を語るだけでなく、毎日の小さな行動に変えていく。その積み重ねが人生をつくると話します。
会社では「否定しない習慣」を重視しています。ミスが起きても犯人探しをせず、まず問題と顧客に向き合い、原因を確認し、再発防止へつなげる。朝礼では「確認、確認、確認」に続き、「人のせいにしない」「言い訳をしない」「逃げない」という三つの約束を共有しています。
100年後に靴下を扱っているかは分からない。それでも、人が人間らしく働き、喜びや悩みを分かち合える会社を次の世代へ残したい。藤木さんにとって、靴下を通じて得た最大のものは、仕事そのもの以上に、多くの人との出会いでした。
配信をお楽しみに
今回ご紹介したのは、公開収録で語られた内容の一部です。幹さんのミュージカルへの挑戦、藤木さんの創業時代やレッグファッションの可能性、AIとの対話を含む収録映像は、YouTubeで順次配信予定です。公開情報はCreative GuildのWebサイトとSNSでお知らせします。どうぞお楽しみに。
Can Socks Still Become This Interesting?
OMOBIZ! Public Recording Report with Katsuhiro Fujiki of Masaki Inc.
On August 24, 2026, Creative Guild held a public recording of “OMOBIZ! — Interesting Business Instigators from Minato” at the Minato City Industrial Promotion Center.Our guest was Katsuhiro Fujiki, President and Representative Director of Masaki Inc. Beginning with the familiar subject of socks, the conversation expanded into his decision to start a business at the age of fifty, the habits that sustain a dream, the importance of trust, and his vision for a company that will last one hundred years. Hosts Tetsuya Miki and Zack, also known as “AI Papa,” explored these themes through a lively and humorous exchange.
From Socks to “Leg Fashion”
Masaki Inc. works mainly with overseas factories to produce socks and deliver them through a wide range of distribution channels in Japan. Yet Fujiki is not simply engaged in selling socks.
“Don’t go out just to sell socks. Explain why that product belongs in that store and why it matters in the customer’s life.”
Rather than calling the sock business a mature market, Fujiki sees it as a stable market with enduring demand. His aim is not to win by lowering prices, but to propose comfort, materials, occasions, and new ways of living. That is why he describes the field not merely as socks, but as “leg fashion.”
Starting Again at Fifty with One Desk and One Telephone
As a child, Fujiki found it difficult to speak in front of others. At Tenri High School, however, he discovered rugby and experienced becoming the best team in Japan. Through that experience, he learned physically and emotionally that dreams can come true—and that realizing them requires sustained effort.
At fifty, he left his company and moved to Tokyo to start his own business. Almost everyone around him opposed the decision. The one person who encouraged him was his wife. Even the name “Masaki” reflects the connection between his wife’s name and the character for “ki” in Fujiki.
The company began with a single desk and telephone. Fujiki recalls earning only 27,000 yen in his first year. Even so, he chose not to depend on the reputation of his former employer. He built trust in “Fujiki” as an individual, and it took roughly three years before the business began to gain momentum.
Turning Dreams into Reality through Habit and Trust
Fujiki describes a sequence that has guided his life: dream, power, habit, life, character, and destiny. A dream must be translated into small daily actions. Over time, those actions shape a life.
Within the company, he emphasizes “the habit of not denying people.” When a mistake occurs, the first step is not to search for someone to blame. The team addresses the problem, responds to the customer, examines the cause, and works to prevent a recurrence. Each morning they repeat three commitments: do not blame others, do not make excuses, and do not run away.
Fujiki openly admits that he cannot know whether the company will still be selling socks in one hundred years. What he hopes to preserve is a company where people can work and live as human beings, sharing both joy and difficulty across generations. For him, the greatest value created through socks may not be the work itself, but the many people he has been able to meet.
Video Release Coming Soon
This report introduces only part of the public recording. The full series will also feature Miki’s challenge of entering musical theater later in life, Fujiki’s early entrepreneurial journey, the future possibilities of leg fashion, and a conversation with AI. The videos will be released progressively on YouTube. Updates will be shared through the Creative Guild website and social media channels.
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