We are constantly pressed for time.

Somewhere in our heads, we are always conscious of time as a “measure” used in our daily lives, such as when we say things like, “I’ve got to get up in five minutes” or “the next bus will be here in seven minutes.”

Listening to the ticking of a clock, I ask myself: What does the passing of time mean?

Not even sure exactly what my question was, I visited the workshop of Masahiro Kikuno, 43, in Funabashi, Chiba Prefecture.

Kikuno is an independent clockmaker who makes one-of-a-kind timepieces. From designing them to their production,........

© The Asahi Shimbun