WAZA was born from a love of Japan. The founders – Hilda and Botha Kruger – were inspired by the the design and the quality of Japanese goods ever since their first visit in 2004. Ten years later, Waza Imports (Pty) Ltd was established in Cape Town, to introduce Japanese craftsmanship to South Africa.
Our approach at WAZA is to visit as many suppliers and factories in Japan as possible, to see first-hand how goods are made, to document the makers and to share these stories of monozukuri - the Japanese "art, craft and science of making things".
OUR GOAL
Making everyday tasks a pleasure
Whether you are preparing an informal dinner for friends, jotting down notes in a meeting, drinking your first cup of morning tea, or pruning a fruit tree, the tools you use contribute greatly to your enjoyment of the task.
At WAZA we aim to make everyday tasks a joy, by sourcing functional goods that are both beautiful to behold and a pleasure to use. We are very serious about the provenance of the goods we sell - the people and stories behind the products - and about supporting true craftsmanship. We believe in a gentler way of doing business, where attention to detail and quality bests quantity.
Our Team
Team WAZA is based in Cape Town and Tokyo. The original founders, Hilda and Botha Kruger are actively involved - Hilda as the muse and creative inspiration, and Botha as managing director. The core team includes Junko, WAZA's Japan representative in Tokyo, and Alan, the WAZA Japan Store manager. A network of people in both Japan and South Africa contribute their expertise in product sourcing, communications, events management, product styling, graphic design and photography. Many of our customers are passionate Japanophiles as well, and they regularly contribute valuable knowledge and ideas to the business.
Team WAZA is notoriously camera shy, but you can meet them in-store or at events. Below are the two members most often spotted in front of the camera.
Botha KRUGER
Founder / Managing Director
Botha (MBA, MA (PolSci)) is an entrepreneur, strategy advisor and company director with over 25 years’ experience in strategy development, business planning, organisation design, and project management. He has worked in various sectors across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region and still consults on an ad hoc basis to corporates and public sector institutions. Botha's love for Japan means he is intimately involved in most aspects of the WAZA business. He has a personal interest in the role of trust building and ethics in international small business trading.
Inoshishi
WAZA mascot
Inoshishi is the official WAZA mascot, also referred to as a kanbanken (signboard dog). He is a rescue dog from Wellington in the Boland and his name means "wild boar" in Japanese. He is, however, a sweetie.
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