What is the advantage of an aluminum outdoor product?

Aluminum is the ideal metal for an outdoor structure. It doesn't rust and can be protected from corrosion through anodization or coating. It is lightweight and visually appealing. The chemical process of anodization creates rich colors that have a life of their own as they change with the daylight. An added benefit is that these colors will never need repainting.

Although it is expensive to import products from Japan, many projects are achieved with less cost with a pre-fabricated aluminum structure than with traditional building materials.

Because all products are modular, they can be custom fitted to a site. They can also can be added on after the fact, or moved to a different location later.

Why should I buy my aluminum products from Japan?

Japan leads in profile aluminum fabrication, with Sankyo Tateyama Inc. developing a range of aluminum systems since the 1970s. Their product quality is unmatched worldwide.

Each individual aluminum profile used to complete our product is extracted from the highest-grade aluminum and undergoes meticulous cleaning, straightening, anodization, coating, inspection, and assembly. This process produces aluminum products that are resistant to rust and corrosion. Consequently, our carports, patio covers, gates, and fences will not require repainting or maintenance throughout their extended lifespan.

Because of the long history of aluminum fabrication in Japan the modern designer gates and fences, carports, and patio covers come in many sizes, styles, colors with amazing options.

We offer the widest selection of modern Japanese-style carports on the market, including the best-priced aluminum carport, the PJR, specialty carports like the KWC port that can cantilever out to cover two cars with posts on only one side, and luxury carports like the ATLD.

You won’t find a wider variety of stunning designer, aluminum gates, and fences anywhere else. These gates and fences come in a range of beautiful anodized colors, including horizontal designs, vertical patterns, squares, open pickets, and private solid panels.

KunkelWorks USA, with its longstanding partnership with the manufacturer Sankyo Tateyama, can offer structural and engineering details that aid in the permitting process. Our comprehensive support ensures that any future requirements, such as additions or replacements, can be accommodated effectively.

Example Installation Manual PJR

Example Structural Report PJR 5730

Example Technical Drawing PJR 5730

How long will it take to get my product?

Our Japanese aluminum products are only created after we order them. An intricate automated manufacturing system is meticulously organized to produce a wide range of aluminum outdoor products. Highly trained factory workers supervise and control the advanced machinery and complete tasks that require human touch.

The manufacturing process takes approximately four weeks. The shipping time to your home will vary depending on your location and ranges from one to two months.

Who will install my product?

Maggie Kunkel, who relocated from Hawaii to Minnesota in 2021, can no longer supervise the installation process. However, she will be personally available to assist you and your contractor with any practical or technical information required to ensure the successful completion of the project.

The installation process is straightforward because the product is delivered as a DIY construction kit, containing all the necessary components. Every hole is pre-drilled and every screw is provided. So far no one has ever failed to successfully complete a project.

What is the warranty on these products?

The quality of all Japanese products is unmatched all over the world and for a Japanese citizen, warranties are not a big concern. The standard warranty in Japan is one year.

After working with these products since the late 90s, Kunkelworks USA has only extremely satisfied customers. We have never received a warranty claim and are comfortable in extending a lifetime warranty of 25 years on the metal parts and 10 years on the polycarbonate panels. (Only in extremely sunny climates might the Blue Smoke heat-cut polycarbonate panel need replacement after many years of outstanding service.)

This warranty excludes events caused by natural disasters, such as hurricanes or earthquakes, etc. In such cases, homeowners insurance should be utilized to repair or replace the product.

What is the maintenance on these products?

One of the most exciting features of the aluminum outdoor product from Japan is that it needs no maintenance at all. Aluminum inherently cannot rust because it does not contain any iron. Aluminum can, however, corrode when continuously exposed to moisture. To avoid corrosion, each profile has been individually anodized and coated. In addition, the engineers have constructed the products so that water will wick off, and any type of opening has an expertly crafted cover. A good example of the meticulous design work you can see at this pool fence job.

Can I get replacement parts for my product in the future?

Yes, individual profiles or polycarbonate panels that might get damaged can be replaced. The basic colors and structure of most products has not changed over the last 30 years.

Every individual part of your DYI installation kit is specified in detail in the manual that comes with it. For example, see PJW Double Carport Manual pages 6-9.

Do I need a permit?

No state completely lacks building permits; instead, it's about where permits are required, which can vary widely among states, counties, and even unincorporated areas. Check with your local contractor and building department to see if permits are needed and what requirements apply.

What is the difference between a genuine Japanese carport and a cheap look-alike port?

Japanese aluminum carports have been replicated numerous times by copycats in countries like China and Vietnam. However, the end results are always subpar. To the untrained eye, these products may appear identical, but upon closer inspection, you’ll discover that crucial issues have been overlooked to achieve a cheap end result.

Aluminum can corrode when exposed to water. This is why original Japanese-made carports have specific covers on every connection, profile cut, or ending to prevent moisture from reaching the unprotected metal parts.

Sankyo Tateyama Aluminum Inc. (STP), the manufacturer, stands behind their products and prioritizes customer satisfaction. Every product is meticulously engineered, designed, and fabricated using state-of-the-art techniques. To facilitate the permitting process, STP provides shop drawings and structural reports.

The Japanese manufacturer has improved the systems over many decades and takes pride in having only satisfied customers. Their reputation is their number one priority. That is the reason why it took a very long time to get permission to sell these products overseas.

Toyo Boeki Inc., our dedicated international distributor in Osaka, facilitated an arrangement in the early 2000s that enabled the sale of residential aluminum outdoor products outside of Japan.

Sankyo Tateyama Inc.’s aluminum products are now available in several countries. After building her business over two decades in Hawaii, Maggie Kunkel has relocated to Minnesota, where she can now offer these exceptional products to customers on the US mainland. STP is the only Japanese manufacturer selling aluminum profile outdoor products outside of Japan.

What is your best selling carport?

The most popular carports are the PJR and the PJF port. These two ports are very similar, except that the PJR has a curved roof while the PJF has a straight roof line. Another difference is that the PJR is offered as a single cantilever carport, a double carport, and can also be configured to create a wide triple carport up to 26.5’ across. The PJF can cantilever to cover a single car and has options for extra strength to attach solar panels on top. It can be configured as a double port, but is limited in width to about 20’ across.

The LJ carport is also in high demand. While the PJ ports have roofs that slant toward the posts, the LG slopes in a different direction, specifically from back to front. Although the shape is traditional with four posts and a flat roof, the design is modern with gorgeous polycarbonate panels that run from the back to the front without any need for supporting purlins. This creates a stunning sense of openness.

What is your most unique product from Japan?

The accordion driveway gates, bi folding driveway gates and multiple panel folding garden gates have a long tradition in Japan. They are available in many styles, colors, and sizes. Our beautiful space-saving gates for driveways or side yards are manufactured to the highest standards, corrosion-resistant, and absolutely maintenance-free. They can handle difficult driveways, for example, when there is a slope involved, either from front to back or left to right, there is a gate that can handle the situation (See the telescoping driveway gate HGN.) The only thing you cannot do is automate it.

What is so special about Japanese Covers and Carports?

Aside from the impeccable quality of material and fabrication, the polycarbonate roof panels stand out with several amazing benefits. All panel types eliminate the danger of UV radiation. They are 100% rain-tight. In over 20+ years of experience, we have never encountered a leak within a canopy!

The polycarbonate panels differ in the way they deal with light. There are clear panels that preserve a view and still cut down on the heat to various degrees. There is a specific panel for areas with excessive heat exposure like California or Texas. This panel is called Blue Smoke and can reduce the heat by a whopping 83% and still allow the light to come through. The frosted polycarbonate panel increases the available light while at the same time providing privacy by obstructing the view. And in 2025, the manufacturer introduced the first fully opaque polycarbonate panel in black. See more details on all available panels with this Panel-info PDF.

Who is KunkelWorks USA?

KunkelWorks USA is the distributor of authentic Japanese aluminum Carports, Covers, Gates & Fences, manufactured by Sankyo-Tateyama, Inc. of Takaoka, Japan. We provide the highest quality, corrosion resistant and maintenance-free aluminum products from Japan since 2004.
KunkelWorks was founded in Hawaii in 1994 by Maggie Kunkel as a design company. In 2021, Maggie Kunkel sold the Hawaii business, and KunkelWorks in Hawaii is now owned by Shurworks Hawaii. Maggie moved to St. Cloud, Minnesota, to be closer to friends and family. She can now serve customers on the US Mainland.
Because she can no longer be physically present for all customers, she prefers to work with architects, builders, and designers to ensure the end user is in professional hands. However, professional help is not always necessary. A talented home-owner for example, can install his own gate as long as he knows how to set a post in concrete, at the right spot.

Who is Maggie Kunkel and how did she find these products?

A line of coincidences led Maggie to the products from Japan in the late 90s. Working as a designer, she developed collateral materials and advertising. Impressed  by the beauty and function of these impeccable aluminum profile systems, she decided to sell a couple of jobs on the side. Before too long KunkelWorks Design & Advertising changed into KunkelWorks, selling Japanese Outdoor Products in Hawaii. 

She built her business one customer at a time, from first contact to final project. She had the privilege to work with amazing clients and builders, and also met with a couple of issues to solve on the way. She learned to earn her customers’ trust through meticulous product quality and a 100% commitment to customer service. 

Toyo Boeki’s is the international distributor. Their excellent staff in Osaka has been instrumental in her success. She says: “They are ready to answer any question with the typical Japanese speed and efficiency ... and they do not make mistakes.”

Why should I work with Maggie Kunkel?

The product offerings from Sankyo Tateyama Aluminum Company is vast. If you are interested in seeing the original Japanese catalogs, here for example is a link to the Residential Exterior Catalog (it’s a big catalog with 1956 pages, so give it time to load.)

Maggie has worked with the Japanese aluminum products for decades, and will be best suited to find the specific product that can work for you.