July 20, 2025

The meaning of Takumi

“Takumi” is a name of Japanese origin and is typically given to boys. The name reflects a person who is talented, creative, and possesses a high level of skill in a particular craft or art form.

The word Takumi is composed of two kanji characters: “Taku” (匠) meaning artisan or craftsman, and “Mi” (美) meaning beautiful or skilled. When combined, the name Takumi translates to “artisan” or “skilled craftsman”.

Traditionally, artisans in Japanese society held a revered position, known for their dedication to mastering their craft and creating works of art with precision and expertise. The name Takumi embodies this dedication to excellence and the pursuit of perfection in one’s chosen craft. Takumi celebrates the craftsmanship and artistry that are deeply woven into the fabric of Japanese culture.

I discovered Takumi on this documentary website, made by the car brand Lexus. You can watch the trailer or the full video. Takumi appeared to be completely in line with my vision on craftmanship, where fundamental understanding and true skills are required to achieve mastery. This is similar to what I argued in my arcticle about The Stackless Way: shortcuts do not exist. Japanese artisans assume it takes a lifetime to master a craft. This is exactly how I feel about artisanal web development, a topic CloudCannon interviewed me about.

I have been practicing web development since 2000, so I have invested roughly 50.000 hours. Every day I get closer to truly mastering this craft.

Do you want to discuss Takumi and artisanal web development? I would love that! Just send me an email. I am looking forward to any/all comments.

()  Joost van der Schee