■Tokyo Designers Week
The biggest designing event in Japan was held in Tokyo from October 28th to November 3rd. A number of events were held mostly in Aoyama and Harajuku, but also in Roppongi, Shinjuku, Daikanyama and the other 23 districts of Tokyo. Some of biggest ones were “Tokyo Designers Week”, “Design Tide Tokyo”, and “Design Touch”.

This is the 25th anniversary of the event mainly held at the outer garden of the Meiji Shrine. It was held as “The Exhibition of Designs for Life and Environment”. Those who exhibited were firms, students, artists, and designers.

The exhibition hall was designed by Gwenael Nicholas. Blue is the main color in order to give a perspective to see the sky and sea as one earth.

During the exhibition, there was a section for “Cool Japan” due to the conference over the topic.

Visitors could write what they think of as “Cool Japan” on a piece of paper and post it on a board. Some gave keywords such as “craftsman”, “unique culture”, or “minimalism”.

A unique chair!

This is the “containers exhibition”. People can freely design the interior of a shipping container.

■DESIGN TIDE TOKYO
DESIGN TIDE TOKYO was mainly held at Midtown, Roppongi.

The hall was designed by an architect Ryuji Nakamura. He says the idea of the hall is “an empty room”. Designers from both overseas and Japan displayed their works.

Interesting illuminators in lantern-shape.

The most attractive was the work created in a collaboration of a Spanish designer Jaime Hayon and a Kutaniyaki (traditional pottery originated from Ishikawa Prefecture) producer.

A pretty soy sauce pot in the shape of a small bird and a big plate with fireworks on it. These designs reflect the Japanese sense of beauty making us feel nostalgic. All these works will be put on the market.

■Spanish Embassy

Finally, I’m going to introduce the event by the Spanish Embassy in Japan. I always have looked forward to this event. This year, they held an exhibition under the title “Made in JAPAIN”, displaying Spanish designs. JAPAIN is a coined word of JAPAN and SPAIN. The hall was designed based on the idea of this imaginary country of JAPAIN and its story.

A work by Jaime Hayon was also displayed.

Tokyo Design Week” is an amazing week with a number of artistic works and ideas every year.