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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.
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Kuniji Tsubaki is an architect and tea master who integrates traditional aesthetics with modern architectural design. Based in Tokyo, he is recognized internationally for his innovative portable tea room “ZEN-An,” which has been exhibited at venues including the United Nations and The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Specializing in residential, commercial, and traditional tea room architecture, with a focus on integrating natural materials, traditional techniques, and contemporary functionality, Tsubaki continues to bring elements of tea, harkening back to the days of master Sen no Rikyu, to the modern urban world.
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From architectural designs to functional urban plans, Shigeru Uchida (1943–2016) is one of Japan’s top interior designers of the 20th century. In 1970, he founded Uchida Designs Inc., where he made commissioned work for the Japanese government and elite corporations. From 2008 until 2011, Uchida served as director of the Kuwasawa Design Institute. His designs are in collections including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Kobe Fashion Museum, and many more.
