Join us for a special talk and panel discussion giving behind-the-scenes insights into the making of Japan House London’s latest exhibition ‘The Carpenters’ Line’ and its story of master woodworking in the densely forested Hida region of Gifu Prefecture in central Japan.

Inviting the audience on a journey through 1,300 years of master carpentry, the event is moderated by exhibition curator and Japan House London Programming Director Simon Wright who is joined in conversation by representatives from two of Takayama City’s leading furniture manufacturers, Kawakami Shingo from Nissin Furniture Crafters and Ozaki Tetsuya from Hida Sangyo, along with key members of the exhibition curatorial and creative team, Yamada Yū (method Inc.) and design unit SPREAD.

The panel explores the extraordinary woodworking heritage and legacy of the Hida region presented in the exhibition, from the rich natural resources of Hida’s forests, the tools and techniques developed to work them, to the involvement of Hida craftsmanship in furniture design around the world today.

During the event there is an opportunity for guests watching in the Hall and on Zoom to ask questions to the panel.

Following the event, guests attending in the Hall will be able to enjoy a late-night visit to the exhibition until 20:30.

Booking essential | Admission free

Booking tickets

Please go to Japan House ebsite and choose your preferred screening date and time and click on the button to book your free ticket.

About Tankokai UK

Yamada Yū (method Inc.)

Yamada Yū is a buyer and curator born in Tokyo. After working as a buyer for IDÉE SHOP in Minami-Aoyama, Yamada founded method in 2007 and began working as a freelance buyer. He is currently the representative of method Inc. In 2014, Yamada published The Method of Shop Success (Seibundo Shinkosha). Yamada works extensively as a judge for various competitions, including the Good Design Award, and is active as a lecturer for educational institutions and local industries. His past projects include: The National Art Center, Tokyo Museum Shop (‘Souvenir from Tokyo’), the 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT Shop, the Good Design Store Tokyo by Nohara, Made in Pierre Hermé Marunouchi, and the Tsubame-Sanjo Factory Festival.

SPREAD

SPREAD is a creative unit created by Kobayashi Hirokazu and Yamada Haruna in 2004. By mixing the concepts of landscape design and graphic design, and by dismantling and rebuilding memory, they seek to spread multidisciplinary creations to the future. Their work includes the Tsubame-Sanjo Factory Festival and Life Stripe, a project which seeks to find patterns in our everyday existence by using bands of colour.

Nissin Furniture Crafters

Nissin Furniture Crafters was founded in 1946 in Hida Takayama, Gifu Prefecture. Since then, their design principle has been prioritizing costumers’ needs while designing and crafting furniture. The roots of their design style trace back to a visit to Scandinavia in 1963. They combined the essence of Scandinavian design with Japanese craftsmanship from Hida and developed a series of products that are practical, accessible, and durable.

Hida Sangyo

Hida Sangyo was founded in 1920 in Hida Takayama, Gifu Prefecture. The company’s furniture incorporates the age-old skills and craftsmanship for which Hida-Takayama is renowned, while continuously seeking out new methods of design and production. Operating now for over a century, the company was the first in Japan to proudly display the natural knots in wood, not only sticking to the smooth lines which had previously defined Japanese furniture making.

This event has been made possible with the support of Takayama City and Gifu Prefecture.