TSUTAYA
This is an experimental R&D for
BOOKS
Monozukuri project, which purpose is to develop special
book-related gifts
designed
for their shops throughout Japan
, reflecting characteristics of local manufacturing cultures in
Tokyo (Daikanyama Tsutaya Books)
has high concentration of publishing companies in the city center, and many supporting industries for publishing business such as paper suppliers, printers, and book binders are located in
the Shitamachi area
(“low city”, traditional working-class area in the eastern zone surrounding the city center)
. We visited
a book binder
Bookbinding Company in Eastern Tokyo.
The CEO is a leading figure at the local book binders’ association, who seeks future possibilities of the industry from his unique perspective
. At the factory, a huge amount of paper is constantly
carried
. We looked into each process as well as the specific paper carriage designed to serve each process and researched results of
our research. For Tokyo, we developed two kinds of gifts;
“
Book-bound Journal
”
“
3D memo pad
”.
Saga (Takeo Tsutaya Books)
is
a prefecture
in the northwestern part of Kyushu
, renowned for its production of local porcelain such as
Arita
, Imari
, and Karatsu
. We visited
a pottery distributor
Pottery Distributor of Arita Ware.
Originally the Momota family is a potter with a long history going back to
the Edo period
, and now a Arita-ware distributor producing internationally-acclaimed contemporary Arita-ware products
. Being an innovator of contemporary Arita-ware, they are also actively promoting young ceramic artists’ works. Arita-ware businesses have survived the fluctuation of the economy by dividing the entire porcelain industry into sub-industries specializing in various processes of porcelain production (
forming
,
baking
,
glazing
,
distributing
) and established a mutual support network among them
. We visited the distributor’s factory and a porcelain artist’s atelier respectively; compared and examined their work environment and specific tools for production; and
researched the results. For Saga, we developed two kinds of gifts “
Coffee mug for book lovers
” “
Ice cream cup for book lovers
”.
Miyagi (Tagajo Tsutaya Books)
its capital city, Sendai is the largest city in the Tohoku region, full of rigor and vitality of young people. We were surprised to find so many vintage clothing stores on the streets. We visited
a T-shirt manufacturer
Handmade T-shirt Factory.
The staff members, who had been trained at a dyeing workshop in Kyoto, produce high-quality work with much attention to every detail. They had overcome difficult times after the devastating Great Tohoku earthquake, and the factory had been rebuilt after being completely destroyed.
Energy and young generation to activate the city is very strong, and each of T-shirts made by
the young staff members
reflect
their creative spirits
. After interviewing the employees about their motivation behind their creative work, we
researched the tendency of young people in major cities to migrate to big cities. We also looked into street culture including vintage clothing and researched the value of vintage items. For Miyagi, we developed a gift “
Book T-shirt
”. In this project, we aim to create
Local Products
that are not only beautiful and functional, but also that enriches lifestyles of the users. And not only
product development
, but our ultimate goal is to investigate and unfold “the story of local products” through the method of artistic research where
the two creatives,
Yoh Komiyama (product designer) Gottingham (photographer and artist)
from different fields conduct on-site researches based on their own subjectivity; analyze and express the research results through artistic methods. Things they observed on-site, as well as words they exchanged with the people are accumulated into a “
of knowledge
” (gift making, research, exhibition, and book). This website is a record of our
journey
in search of such stories.
March 2017
