Kenta Hirai (b. 1984) creates furniture under the concept of “furniture that challenges established notions,” using Yoshino cedar, an esteemed wood from Nara Prefecture, and a bentwood technique—mastered through his training with Irish furniture artist Joseph Walsh—called free form lamination. Yoshino cedar is traditionally used in architecture and typically traded in lengths of around four meters, allowing for the creation of seamless, knot-free furniture.
Selected Biography & Awards:
2007 B.A. in Environmental Design, Kyoto University of Art and Design, Kyoto, Japan
Joined the Design Department of Shimizu Corporation, Kansai Branch
2010 Studied woodworking at “Mori no Takumi Juku” in Hida Takayamal
2012 Worked at Joseph Walsh Studio in Ireland
2016 Relocated to Kawakami Village, Nara, through the Regional Revitalization Cooperation Program
2017 Established own workshop: studio Jig
Bronze Leaf Prize, International Furniture Design Fair Asahikawa (IFDA)
Wood Design Award 2017, Excellence Award (Commissioner of the Forestry Agency Award)
2018 “Takumi to Watch,” LEXUS NEW TAKUMI PROJECT 2018
2019 Participated in LEXUS NEW TAKUMI PROJECT 2019, a collaborative work with architect Kengo Kuma
2021 Excellence Award, Traditional Craft Revitalization Contest
2024 Grand Prize, Japan Traditional Culture Grand Prix
