Behind every official Hokuto no Ken merchandise sold in the city of Saku lies a local company with a unique history: Taku-giken (株式会社タク技研). This company from Nagano Prefecture, whose original business had nothing to do with pop culture, has become since 2023 the official production partner of the franchise for an entire range of goodies, from pins to collector’s pieces sold for several hundred euros. This feature provides a comprehensive overview of the company, its expertise, the commercial ecosystem it has built around Hokuto no Ken in Buronson’s hometown, and its complete catalog.
For a look back at the city of Saku itself and its biographical ties to Buronson, see our dedicated feature: Saku, the hometown of Buronson.
Taku-giken, from high-tech industry to pop culture
Located in the city of Saku, Taku-giken Co., Ltd. is an industrial company whose original core business is worlds apart from the manga universe. Indeed, Taku-giken first specialized in manufacturing rubber printing stamps for electronic components, before turning to its current flagship activity, the production of metal masks and precision tooling for the printed circuit board industry.
Specifically, these metal masks are laser-cut stainless steel plates placed on printed circuit boards to deposit solder paste with precision and enable the mass production of electronic boards found in home appliances and consumer electronics. The company also manufactures various tools required for component assembly. Its motto sums up its philosophy: rather than saying “we can’t,” find the solution. It is precisely this challenge-driven culture that led the company, at a client’s request, to venture into metal masks, and then to diversify its activities.
“The Sculptor of Time,” the activity that changed everything
The shift toward pop culture came from an activity born out of the company president’s passion for making things: “Toki wo Kizamu Chōkoku” (literally “the sculpture that engraves time”), a registered trademark that constitutes Taku-giken’s consumer-facing division. This activity began with the acquisition of laser engraving machines capable of working with acrylic and wood.
The technique relies on high-precision laser engraving, where energy amplified by a special device is projected onto the material’s surface. Since it is a non-contact machining process, the material is never damaged, and the process excels at micro-engraving. Renowned for its precision, this activity gradually expanded to commemorative items and celebration gifts, and it naturally ended up crossing paths with Saku’s most illustrious native son: Buronson, scriptwriter of Hokuto no Ken.
Design manhole covers: two Big Dippers in the city
The project actually dates back to 2019, when the city of Saku installed a first series of decorated manhole covers featuring the franchise’s designs, near the Tateshina exit of Saku-daira Station, to celebrate the manga’s 35th anniversary. But the true founding act of the expanded collaboration came in 2023, a year that saw the convergence of two anniversaries: the 40th anniversary of Hokuto no Ken and the 50th anniversary of the city of Saku’s sewage system. From this coincidence was born a second wave of covers, more ambitious, deployed throughout the city with the personal collaboration of Buronson.
Saku’s sewage department thus placed across the municipal territory covers reproducing not one, but two Big Dipper constellations (北斗七星), in direct coherence with the manga’s title (Hokuto meaning “Big Dipper”). The inauguration ceremony for the second wave of covers was held on October 29, 2023 at the Saku-daira Sansquare center, and the covers were then gradually installed throughout the city. Each cover features an iconic character in an illustration taken from Tetsuo Hara’s original artwork.
To accompany this tourist trail, the municipality freely distributes official cards to visitors who travel to various points around the city, spotlighting the four brothers of the Hokuto Shinken school: Kenshiro, Raoh, Toki, and Jagi. The starting point of the trail is located near the Tateshina exit of JR Saku-daira Station.
A complete range, from pins to collector’s pieces
It was based on these design manhole covers that Taku-giken developed, under official Hokuto no Ken license, a range of merchandise that has continued to expand. All items are produced using in-house laser engraving, which guarantees, unlike simple printing, a durable and premium finish. The catalog is currently structured around several product families.
Merchandise derived from the design manhole covers
The identity cornerstone of the collaboration, this line adapts the manhole cover visuals into several formats: pins, magnets, keychains, and badges. The badges are notably offered in a set of seven reproducing the covers installed near the Tateshina exit of Saku-daira Station, at 1/10 scale of the actual covers.
Stainless steel tumblers (450 ml)
Premium double-wall vacuum insulated stainless steel tumblers with a 450 ml capacity, designed to maintain the temperature of hot or cold beverages. They are laser-engraved with the franchise’s iconic characters: Kenshiro, Raoh, Toki, Jagi, Yuria. Available individually or as a complete set of six.
MINI tumblers
A more compact version in 280 ml format, accompanied by a lidded mug version. The MINI range, called the “laser engraving collection,” covers all the main characters (Kenshiro, Raoh, Toki, Jagi, Yuria, Five-Eye) and is available individually, as a complete set, or in a combo with the coasters.
Coasters
Laser-engraved coasters made of natural wood and cork, sold in a set of five characters. The texture of the wood and cork makes each piece virtually unique. As the official description nicely puts it, these items are equally suited for daily use and decorative display.
Ichigō-masu sake boxes (佐久 Ver.)
The most typically Japanese piece in the lineup, the ichigō-masu is a traditional square wooden box used to measure rice or drink sake. This “Saku” version is made from Japanese cypress (hinoki) from Nagano Prefecture and features engravings of Hokuto no Ken characters alongside iconic landmarks of the city of Saku. Sold in a set of five, it can be used as a sake cup, a decorative piece, or a storage box.
Special pieces and collaborations
The lineup also includes more unique pieces, such as the SNIPEHANGER SOLO “Zako”, a camping hanger holder from an outdoor collaboration branded with the 40th anniversary, as well as a collector’s badge commemorating the dual celebration of the manga’s 40th anniversary and the 50th anniversary of Saku’s sewer system. For the most dedicated collectors, a Complete set brings together all the tumblers, masu, and coasters into one centerpiece.
The furusato nōzei system, a lever for local funding
A lesser-known aspect of this lineup is its dual availability: through direct sales (the Taku-giken shop on Yahoo Shopping, Saku retail stores) and through the Japanese furusato nōzei system, literally “hometown taxes.” This tax mechanism unique to Japan allows a taxpayer to redirect a portion of their local taxes to the municipality of their choice, receiving in return a gift sourced from local products. Saku thus offers their Hokuto no Ken products as rewards for donations, all manufactured by Taku-giken, ranging from 10,000 ¥ for a MINI tumbler to 165,000 ¥ for the Complete set. Since these amounts are deductible up to the annual tax ceiling, each purchase also becomes an act of support for Buronson’s hometown.
Taku-giken at the heart of Saku’s cultural life
Taku-giken’s commitment goes beyond producing merchandise. The company is actively involved as a partner in Saku’s local life. During the Saku-daira 2025 Half-Marathon, held in October, the brand’s Hokuto no Ken products were a great success among participants. The company also takes part in the annual commercial event “Zokkon! Saku-shi”. This regular presence firmly roots the franchise in the city’s daily life.
The company actively communicates about its products through several channels, with a stated commitment to openness: it wants the general public, not just industrial clients, to discover its expertise. You can follow them on their official website takugiken.co.jp, on Instagram (@takugiken), and on X / Twitter (@takugiken711), where the company regularly posts its news under the tagline “the sculptor of time.”
Where to get the products from France
On site in Saku, the products are available at several partner shops, including Plaza Saku and Healthy Terrace, as well as in nearby souvenir shops. Online, the official Taku-giken store is hosted on Yahoo Shopping, but this platform unfortunately applies geographic blocking for users from the European Economic Area and the United Kingdom, in compliance with the GDPR.
To work around this issue, European fans can use a Japanese forwarding service such as Buyee, ZenMarket, or Tenso, which purchase the products on the customer’s behalf and then reship them internationally. The additional cost is real (service and shipping fees), but the system is well established and provides access to the entire catalog.
An exemplary partnership between local heritage and a global license
Beyond its commercial aspect, the Taku-giken × Hokuto no Ken venture illustrates a successful collaboration between a global pop culture license and a local community. A high-tech industrial company, driven by its leader’s passion for crafting objects and mastery of laser engraving, has become a full-fledged cultural player, putting its expertise in service of the heritage of Buronson’s hometown. For French-speaking fans, this is a little-known but fascinating facet of the expanded Hokuto no Ken universe, to be discovered as new releases come out from the brand, which we will continue to follow on Hokuto Chronicles.
Main sources: Taku-giken official website, City of Saku – Design Manhole, Hokuto no Ken official website, furusato nōzei comparison site, Plaza Saku.
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