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A cross section of a table top manufactured by San-Ei. The plywood’s warp-resistant properties are backed up by extensive expertise. (Courtesy of San-Ei)
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Hoshino Mika playing table tennis for Japan on a blue table manufactured by San-Ei at the Barcelona Olympics in July 1992. (© Jiji)
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Manufacturing table tennis tables at San-Ei’s factory in Ashoro, Hokkaidō. (Courtesy of San-Ei)
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Workers check tables meticulously to ensure they will meet the demanding requirements of top players. (Courtesy of San-Ei)
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One of San-Ei’s flagship models, the inward-folding Absolute-W Advanced, comes in a color the company calls les yeux bleus, French for “blue eyes,” and is used at international tournaments. (Courtesy of San-Ei)
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The sophisticated design of the Infinity raised eyebrows at Rio. (Courtesy of San-Ei)
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CEO Miura Shin, at right, with chief developer Yoshizawa Kesao at San-Ei’s head office in Chiba Prefecture. (Courtesy of San-Ei)
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The legs caused the most headaches in the development of the Infinity. (Courtesy of San-Ei)
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The Motif table used at the Tokyo games features legs made from birch sourced from Iwate and finished in wajima-nuri lacquer. (Courtesy of San-Ei)