As part of the 2014 London Design Festival, the Embassy of Japan hosts an exhibition – FOUND IN TRANSLATION – created, and curated, by young Japanese designers in London. It looks at the customs, services, recreational activities and material culture of Japan.

The curators canvassed the opinions of Japanese and non-Japanese from a variety of backgrounds in order to find thought-provoking cultural differences and similarities between Japan and the United Kingdom. The results of this survey were then used as the basis for a day-long workshop with over 20 Japanese young people working and studying in the creative industries in the United Kingdom. Their job was to find ways of expressing the opinions found in the survey for presentation in an exhibition.

Using a number of different media, the interactive exhibition looks at various sounds found in Japan; the Japanese love of kawaii – cuteness – and the creation of mascot characters; bento, the elaborate lunch boxes made for eating on the move; the famed Japanese service culture from the speed and efficiency of Bullet Train cleaners to the custom of bowing; and the proliferation of conveniences from automatic vending machines which sell anything to stores which are everybody’s one-stop-shop. All of these, and more, are examined and recreated – all with a London twist.

Come and visit and find out what can be learned from the interaction of different cultures and what can be achieved through the power of design.

This exhibition is organised by the Embassy of Japan, coordinated by Takehiro Ikeda, Norihiko Inoue and Shin Mononobe.

It has been created by: Mie Funabashi, Shilyu Heo, Haruhi Imai, Mie Iwasaki, Mashiho Kameda, Takeaki Kasai, Minako Kasano, Yuuko Kawamura, Emili Kimura, Yohei Kubo, Takako Kuwabara, Ami Masamitsu, Seki Masatoi, Nozomi Miike, Nozomi Motoji, Maki Ota, Soma Sato, Michiko Sumi, Tsukasa Tanimoto, Tomohiro Tsushi, Tomoaki Tsuzuki, Gen Wakabayashi, Akihiro Yamaguchi


http://www.londondesignfestival.com/events/found-translation
https://www.facebook.com/foundintraslation
https://foundintranslation.squarespace.com/

JICC