) wristwatch, based on an old style of Japanese clock that counted hours by dusk and dawn times, which vary seasonally. This system was used until 1873, when Japan adopted the Western calendar. “I saw a TV documentary on theclock, a 150-year-old machine that was made back then all by hand,” he says. “People from the past were able to create this without instruments—why couldn’t I today?”
, an association of independent watchmakers that counted Daniels as a member until his death in 2011. Despite his work backlog, Kikuno is also dedicated to transmitting his know-how to the next generation. Once a week, he teaches two students at his alma mater who, as he did more than a decade ago, are spending a year creating their own watches. “That class is about problem-solving,” says Kikuno. “When students encounter troubles while making their watch, I assist them.