One of the main venues, Spiral at Aoyama, featured in Jerusalem Design Week. It shows many products, designs, and art from the official partnered country Israel.

© Nacása & Partners

An installation “Garden of Eden” was exhibited at Spiral Garden and won this year’s DESIGNART Award. It expresses a scene where the two local myths of life and death meet: “wheat” as the agricultural revolution and modern life, “salt of the Dead Sea” represented the morbid presence.

© Nacása & Partners

Koichi Futatsumata‘s new work “Kiulu Bench” was presented at Artek Tokyo Store. Its initial release was at Milan Design Week 2019. Futatsushima is a product designer based in Tokyo and Fukuoka. It is one of the works from the FIN/JPN Friendship Collection to celebrate the 100th anniversary of diplomacy between Finland and Japan. The word “Kiulu” means “pail” and suggests an excellent fusion of Finnish and Japanese design.

© Nacása & Partners

“Swiss Design / Made in Japan”, an exhibition to introduce Swiss design created domestically in Japan, was held at Meiji-Jingu Mae. A collaboration of handmade Arita pottery and sophisticated Swiss design was displayed (photo below). There were also products using Wajima lacquer and Japanese blacksmith, leading us to experience high-level techniques by Japanese artisans. This venue will turn into Swiss House during the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, to offer Swish cultures and experiences.