Meet the ‘superhuman’ behind the perfect Lexus drive

MANILA, Philippines — As a child growing up, Shuichi Ozaki dreamt of becoming an F1 driver.

“When I was in elementary school, I first wanted to be an F1 driver because there were no F1 drivers in Japan yet and because I really loved cars,” Ozaki told The STAR in a briefing last month at the Toyota Shimoyama Technical Center in Toyota City, Japan.

But then, while dreaming of becoming an F1 driver, a Japanese race car driver, Satoru Nakajima beat him to it. Recalling this, Ozaki said in jest, “I was very jealous.”

Born and raised in Japan, Ozaki eventually found a job at automotive giant Toyota.

When he joined Toyota more than three decades ago, his goal was to become a motorcycle racer. He loved motorcycles more than cars, so his initial plan was to get hired, save money for three years, and quit to go racing.

By chance, the first division he was assigned to was the same division as a test driver, so there in that unit, he was intrigued and enthralled by the process, and he found it so interesting.

“And before I knew it, thirty years had passed,” Ozaki said in the interview.

A Lexus Takumi

Ozaki is one of Lexus’ master craftsmen, or a Takumi. Unlike factory workers, the Takumi are artisans with a deep understanding of traditional Japanese craftsmanship and cutting-edge technology.

He is consistently responsible for comprehensive vehicle performance evaluation since joining the company.

How exactly does one become a Takumi? Takumi master craftsmen, according to Lexus, combine dedication, finesse and expertise to become guardians of this artisan philosophy.

These craftsmen invest 10,000 hours to become an expert, and a further 60,000 hours are invested to become a Takumi master.

That would mean 25 to 30 years of work experience.

As Lexus describes its Takumi masters: “Within training, Takumi masters develop what can only be described as superhuman senses. Spotting marks invisible to the untrained eye, tuning an engine by ear with surgical precision, detecting imperfections just a fraction of a millimetre - skill knows no bounds.”

Among the 7,700 workers at the Miyata Lexus Plant in Kyushu, Japan for example, there are just 19 Takumi - the highest honor within Lexus’ engineering ranks.

Ozaki himself started his career working on the Lexus SC, then moving on to the Lexus IS, GS and LC.

In 2013, he received the title of Takumi, where he was responsible for evaluating and tuning static and dynamic performance for all Lexus models, according to his profile.

At present, he is one of the key figures of the Vehicle Technology Development Department and Vehicle Testing Division 1 at Lexus International.

It’s no exaggeration to say that as a Takumi, Ozaki plays an invaluable role in making sure that every Lexus model drives as perfectly as it could possibly be.

Most Outstanding

In 2022, he was awarded the Aichi Prefecture Skilled Award, which is reserved for only the most outstanding workers in the region, known as “Aichi no Meiko” or Aichi’s Master Craftsmen.

His expertise is in sensitivity evaluation, where he has refined his driving, evaluation and improvement skills over many years.

From steering wheel shape to meter design, Ozaki made prototype parts by hand and installed them into vehicles for drive performance evaluation.

While Ozaki loves every Lexus vehicle, he especially has a deep emotional attachment to the IS, as many of his ideas were adopted into the vehicle – from vehicle packaging to detailed parts design like the aluminum scuff plate.

Ozaki, in fact, played a role in pitching one of the IS’ iconic hallmarks - its chronograph instrument cluster.

In all, he takes great pride in his dedication and persistence to continuous improvement, or that Japanese philosophy of “kaizen,” which is reflected in every Lexus model.

Lexus Driving Signature

In short, he continuously tests and develops Lexus vehicles until they are perfect.

And when he tests the car, when he is behind the wheel, he makes sure to feel every aspect, every variable and every movement. The goal is for the vehicle to have that linear and intuitive connection between man and machine.

He uses his highly trained senses to refine details as part of Lexus’ commitment to creating unforgettable driving experiences.

This is where the Lexus Driving Signature comes in, which is a new driving development standard to reach precisely that goal of connecting man and machine.

Iaido

At the heart of Ozaki’s multifaceted approach to his craft is Japanese martial arts.

He actively practices Iaido, a traditional Japanese martial art, making him a skilled swordsman.

Through this practice, he has developed a strong sense of discipline and a profound appreciation for art and beauty.

“In Japan, the sword is regarded as an art piece, so the way one handles it, you regard it with respect, and that is how my sense of beauty and aesthetics has been heightened,” Ozaki said.

He is a proud member of the Japanese Swords Association.

With this high level of craftsmanship that he practices and the big responsibility that goes into being a Takumi, does Ozaki have the time to relax?

Driving is his relaxation, he said, and while driving, he usually does not play music and just enjoys being present in the moment.

With a Takumi’s heightened senses and perception, though, Ozaki’s mind may be racing with new ideas as he feels the car’s every movement.

There, behind the wheel, he may also feel some imperfections or variables in the car that he suddenly wants to change or some problems he wants to solve.

For other people, that may not sound relaxing at all, but for Ozaki, such moments are bliss.

“That’s my relaxation,” he said, in between laughs.

(Lexus invited journalists representing media organizations in Asia, including The STAR, to the Toyota Shimoyama Technical Center to discuss and experience the Lexus Driving Signature, a new standard of driving introduced by Lexus in 2020).