2024

Design Awards Silver Winner - akiyama.store

Sustainable Japanese Tea Ceremony Treasure Box

Entrant Company

akiyama.store

Category

Social Design - Design for Sustainability

Client's Name

Country / Region:

Japan

We propose a project to reconstruct traditional Japanese tea ceremony utensils and boxes through a contemporary lens. Introducing a collection that embodies the essence of Tokushima Prefecture by utilizing cedar and indigo, local specialties, our project incorporates materials sourced from the region's mountains, rivers, and sea, emphasizing sustainability and local consumption.

Crafted by skilled artisans, each handmade product is meticulously finished, avoiding mass production while achieving high-quality results. Although each piece stands as an independent work of art, together they create a sense of mysterious harmony. Our project not only focuses on product design but also highlights the aspect of project design, with a challenging goal of reconstructing traditional Japanese tea utensils.

Combining innovation with feasibility, our approach demonstrates a unique perspective and creativity in both design and implementation. We aim to pursue design challenges and growth beyond the completion of the products. By utilizing local resources and involving numerous small workshops, our project has the potential to significantly impact the local economy, injecting new vitality into the community and promoting economic sustainability.

In summary, our project symbolizes the fusion of tradition and modernity, craftsmanship and innovation. It demonstrates a commitment to local resources and expertise, supporting economic sustainability and contributing to the development of the local community.

Our project is also remarkable from the perspective of inheriting technology and culture. By reconstructing traditional tea utensils and boxes, we aim to pass on the tradition of Japanese tea culture to the next generation. This initiative aims to inherit traditional techniques and skills and incorporate them into contemporary designs to pass down Japan's cultural heritage to future generations. Furthermore, through the process of skilled artisans handcrafting products, traditional techniques and skills are utilized and passed down to the next generation. This project aims not only to honor the continuous history of technology and culture but also to develop it in new ways for the future.



Credits

Art Producer
Masami Akiyama
Woodwork Craftsman
Naoki Tamada
Indigo dyer
Ransyu Yano
Potter
Eiichiro Tamura
Lacquerware Artist
 Kumiko Fujita
Glass Artist
Yoshitaka Iwamoto
Bamboo Craftsman
Akikougei
Fabric Accessories Designer
Keiko Murai
Director
Rumi Ohno
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