TOYAMA, Japan -- The city of Takaoka is far from sprawling metropolises of Tokyo and Osaka, with a population of under 200,000 it lays on the Sea of Japan. It is also a lucky place, having escaped the firebombings that devastated much of the country during World War II. This left it with a unique resource -- intact century-old furniture gathering dust in the storehouses of many homes.
One small company has tapped this resource to offer refurbished antiques that are now available to adorn homes throughout the country for a subscription fee.
