The origin of Atelier Shimura can be traced back to the end of the Taisho era when the Japanese philosopher Yanagi Soetsu (1889-1961), began advocating the Mingei movement (Japanese Folk Art Movement). Mingei, literally meaning “arts of the people”, was a term coined by Yanagi to refer to the hand-crafted work of ordinary people. The movement began in the mid 1920s establishing new manufacturing ideals through emphasizing the beauty of everyday things created by anonymous craftspeople all over Japan. Yanagi's defining characteristics of mingei crafts continue to inspire us: the beauty of health, beauty of use, beauty of innocence, and the beauty of tradition.

Fukumi Shimura's parents, Motozumi and Toyo Ono had close ties to Muneyoshi Yanagi, Goro Aota, a member of the Kamigamo Folk Craft Association, Tatsuaki Kuroda and Kenkichi Tomimoto who were both craft artists. In order to realize their own form of an ideal education, they invited Noboru Tani, an educator from Tokyo, who worked for Seijo Elementary School. Together they established Showa Gakuen (Showa School) in 1927, which was the prefecture's one and only private elementary school in Omihachiman, Shiga Prefecture. At Showa Gakuen, creativity and independence were regarded as the most important for students based on the philosophy of the Taisho new education movement. (1889-1961), began advocating the Mingei movement (Japanese Folk Art Movement). to refer to the hand-crafted work of ordinary people. The movement began in the mid 1920s establishing new manufacturing ideals through emphasizing the beauty of everyday things created by anonymous craftspeople all over Japan. Yanagi's defining characteristics of mingei crafts continue to inspire us: the beauty of health, beauty of use, beauty of innocence, and the beauty of tradition.

Fukumi Shimura's parents, Motozumi and Toyo Ono had close ties to Muneyoshi Yanagi, Goro Aota, a member of the Kamigamo Folk Craft Association, Tatsuaki Kuroda and Kenkichi Tomimoto who were both craft artists. In order to realize their own form of an ideal education, they invited Noboru Tani, an educator from Tokyo, who worked for Seijo Elementary School. Together they established Showa Gakuen (Showa School) in 1927, which was the prefecture's one and only private elementary school in Omihachiman, Shiga Prefecture. At Showa Gakuen, creativity and independence were regarded as the most important for students based on the philosophy of the Taisho new education movement.