Behind each new Lexus stand the takumi, who each bring 25 years of experience and skill to the car production process.
The takumi
To gain the rank of takumi, the people who create Lexus vehicles must pass a range of extraordinary tests designed to measure their dexterity, coordination and attention to detail. Takumi are responsible for all technicians and the entire production process, and very few people have gained the title.
The origami cat test
One test to ensure technicians have the manual dexterity to produce the perfection of Lexus’s hand-stitched interiors is to fold an origami cat using only their non-dominant hand, in just 90 seconds. See if you can do it, above.
Driven by detail
Every part of a Lexus is finished with the same precision. Each worker must order extremely subtle shades of the same colour from darkest to lightest. The test must be passed every four months.
Masters of the craft
In its journey along the production line, every one of the 30,000 parts of a Lexus will be inspected by the remarkable hands of the takumi. It is their high standards and meticulous attention to detail that guarantee the performance, precision and elegance integral to a Lexus. It would take at least 25 years of hard work to gain the experience necessary to make these checks, but you can get a taste of what is required with a little paper folding.
