Design Hunting in Okayama

Design Hunts track down unique, regional designs all around Japan.

Today we're in Okayama prefecture.

It lies in Japan's west, along the Seto Inland Sea.

Warm and temperate throughout the year, it's also popular for its historic towns.

In recent years, its creative strengths have drawn young people from all over Japan.

Join us on a hunt for designs that reflect Okayama's landscape and culture.

Overlooking the Seto Inland Sea is the region of Ushimado.

It's long been a hub for pottery.

Local to Okayama, "bizenyaki" is one of Japan's oldest forms of pottery.

Fired in a climbing kiln with no added glaze or decoration, it has a distinctive red-brown finish.

These thick, sturdy vessels are a staple of everyday life.

Andy visits an up-and-coming potter, who's creating new products for modern lifestyles.

Terazono-san? Hi!

Good morning!

Good to meet you, I'm Andy.

- Welcome.
- Thank you.

Bizenyaki potter Terazono Shota.

He begins with a tour of his place of work.

How lovely...

- Hello!
- Hello.

Nice to meet you.

- And you.
- I'm Andy.

Welcome to our home.

- Yu-san?
- Yes.

- And your girls.
- Sora and Momo.

Hello, Sora-san, and...

I'm Terazono Momo.

Terazono's family home is also his studio.

What a wonderful place to live.

Is this your workspace?

Yes, this is where I work.

This is for shaping the clay.

I do work on my bizenyaki here, but generally I'm at my wheel, over here.

Oh yes, right!

It feels as though you're all shaping the clay together.

It does, yes.

I'll be working while Yu is cooking, or the girls are playing piano.

Terazono watches over his children making music and playing together as he creates his bizenyaki.

It's the perfect environment for dreaming up new everyday items.

Like these coffee cups that can be stacked when not in use.

It's another design that shapes traditional ceramics for modern life.

Thinner rims make them easy to drink from, and their unique form draws the eye.

This plate showcases gradations in the clay.

Terazono's work is modern yet primitive.

Born in Fukuoka, he established his workshop here in 2007.

From a young age, he was determined to pursue a creative career.

He discovered bizenyaki when traveling with his partner, Yu.

How did you find this place?

When I came to Okayama, the landscape felt ancient, like I'd found the heart of Japan.

The skies here feel so wide open.

I fell in love with the place, and began visiting local potteries.

One of them had their kiln going when I visited.

It was a physical shock.

The whole experience absolutely stunned me.

It must have been a first for you.

Until then I'd thought that ceramics were made by groups of people each only focusing on part of the work.

And I'd imagined them firing the work in a gas or electric kiln.

But they were using wood.

It felt primitive?

It was so thrilling, and they'd made their own kiln by hand.

Oh wow, a handmade kiln.

They were firing their own work.

And they were making a living by selling it to anyone who took a liking to it.

This whole approach really spoke to me.

I'm sure it inspired you to create everyday items as well.

Exactly.

Things you can use.

I really like the direct feedback that you receive.

You can see just how much someone enjoys your work.

That's another reason I chose to do this.

This is a unique design.

It's a jug.

For water.

Water...

Or a vase.

It improves the flavor.

There are microscopic holes all over the jug which don't allow the water to leak, but let the jug breathe.

A bit like charcoal.

Interesting.

Some people have even told me that their kids, who don't normally like drinking water, will happily drink it from this pitcher.

That's something I've heard before.

This pizzeria uses Terazono's wares every day.

Owner Maruo was drawn to the potter's work.

He says that daily usage has only improved the pizza plates, jugs, and cups.

Most people in Okayama own
bizenyaki. We grow up with it.

I hated it. It was old-fashioned.

A bit retro.

But I began eating off his work.
It's a perfect showcase for food.

It improves it.

I figure our pizza tastes 30%
better because of his plates.

Today, Terazono's work attracts buyers from around the world.

His work is all fired in a climbing kiln he built himself.

So I believe this here is your kiln.

- Yes.
- Made by hand.

It's enormous, isn't it?

And you made it yourself?

Yes, along with some friends.

How long did it take?

- Around three years.
- Three years? Really.

Please, come inside.

I've never been in a kiln.

Oh wow, it's enormous! Wow.

- This is the stokehole.
- Stokehole?

For the fire.

I see, yes.

How long does it take to fire pottery?

In this kiln? About ten days.

Terazono's kiln is the product of blood, sweat, and tears.

Local friends and family gather to help whenever he's firing something.

It really is a labor of love with friends and family.

This might sound a little strange...

but I feel like this cooperation actually forms part of the power of your work.

- I totally agree.
- Right?

I feel - I'm just making what comes to me, you know?

And the people who use my work are a significant part of it.

It's not just me making pottery on my own.

They are the ones empowering me to live this life.

Our next stop is Kojima, in the city of Kurashiki.

Kojima has a long history of growing cotton and a thriving textile industry.

An enormous pair of jeans decorates the station stairs.

Japan's first pair of domestically manufactured jeans were made in 1965.

Denim manufacturers soon sprang up across the region, attracting buyers from all over the world.

Denim fan Shaula has come to explore Kojima.

- Hello.
- Hello!

I'm Shaula.

- I'm Yamawaki.
- I'm Shimada.

Nice to meet you both.

You're the denim brothers?

- Yes.
- We are actually brothers.

And all in denim!

Yes, these are our own products.

- Thank you for meeting me today!
- A pleasure.

Known as the Denim Brothers, Shaula's guides are Kojima denim experts.

There are jeans hanging on a line!

Yes, this is called the "Jeans Street."

Jeans Street?

Yes. The whole street is lined with denim stores.

So I can see! This one here is also a denim shop.

Yes, another jeans shop.

The two of you run a store as well, is that right?

We do, yes.

We actually started out as an online media firm.

We would interview denim artisans and brands.

I see.

We began in media because we wanted to promote what artisans and craftsmen were trying to do.

Now we've become a brand ourselves.

The brothers were born in Hyogo Prefecture.

Four years ago, they made a bold decision.

They wanted to promote the ideas of their workshop and artisans more directly.

So they drove a campervan around each of Japan's 47 prefectures.

They spoke to customers directly and promoted the appeal of Kojima denim.

In 2019, they opened a "DENIM HOSTEL" so visitors could explore the textile for themselves.

It's quite steep here.

Yes, it's a real pain to get up.

But the view really opens up at the top.

Yes, the sea's right there.

And this here...

this is the van that went around Japan!

Yes, we camped inside here as we travelled around every prefecture in Japan.

It's a veteran, an old war buddy, so we've kept it.

Oh, this is lovely.

I love all this greenery!

Amazing.

The atmosphere inside is great too.

This here is the guest room.

Wow! What an incredible view!

We fell in love with this view.

The whole sweep of the Seto Inland Sea can be seen from here.

The first time we saw it, we knew it had to be here.

I can imagine.

Wait, these chairs here... are they denim too?

They are. We've used denim fabric here and there.

The armchairs, and the edges of the "tatami" mats.

Oh yes! Around the tatami!

Denim is used throughout the renovated Japanese-style rooms.

The sliding doors use a special, fire-resistant denim.

Each of the tatami mats sports a denim frame.

Indigo dyes have a long tradition in Japan, so the novel material fits right in.

Denim also appears on various items in the rooms, allowing guests to appreciate the texture and quality of this material.

This is our store.

- So this is the shop!
- Yes.

It's very stylish!

- And these are our products.
- Right!

Bottoms over here, and tops hanging up on the rack.

What would you say is unique about Kojima denim?

That's a good question - over the last few decades the area has produced so many new variations on the original material.

For example, they produced this fabric with really good stretch.

That's really stretchy.

It's seriously stretchy, which makes it a lot harder to sew into the right shape.

But there is excellent sewing technology in Kojima that even works on fabric like this.

Kojima also produces a lot of school uniforms and other cotton products.

But traditionally, it's always focused on sewing relatively thick fabrics.

That made it perfect for jeans when they first arrived from the US.

Denim is a very thick fabric.

It is.

But people in Kojima were able to sew it, so they began producing jeans.

I see a dress too.

That's right, yes...

Is this denim as well?

Yes, that dress is made from tencel.

Tencel?

Made from wood pulp.

From wood?

They extract the fibers to make tencel.

It's very absorbent, so it's a great dress for hot, humid days like today.

Do you think I could try it on?

Oh, yes - please do!

Thank you!

It's really soft.

Thank you very much.

I love this texture.

I want to wear it all day. It feels so nice.

The Denim Brothers' designs are supported by the skilled workshops and artisans of Kojima.

This local denim manufacturer...

...has decades of experience in everything from weaving to dyeing.

New technology is developed alongside looms over half a century old.

This is a new nylon denim.

Nylon denim?

It's so soft.

In 2019, the firm developed a denim made by dyeing nylon.

Most artificial fibers
can't be dyed with indigo.

I didn't know that.

But a client requested it.

That's quite an ask!

It was really difficult.
It took three to five years to develop.

Three to five years?

I'm guessing you can't share the secret behind it.

It's a secret, yes.
We do have a patent on it.

It's very well designed.

It's also water repellent, so we use it at our hostel.

We have items of clothing made from this material which we provide to our guests as sauna wear.

Some people like them so much they ask where they can buy them.

We're delighted it's such a popular fabric.

That's wonderful.

Denim in a sauna!

The workshop's artisans are constantly working to develop new technologies...

...while Yamawaki and Shimada work to find novel ways to showcase them.

What will they come up with next?

Nishiawakura lies in the northeastern mountains of Okayama prefecture.

Okayama is one of Japan's biggest producers of "hinoki" cypress.

The village is almost totally forested, 80% of which is cedar and cypress plantations.

Andy visits a woodworker who makes furniture from hinoki cypress.

Oshima-san? Hello.

- Hello.
- I'm Andy.

Thanks for coming today.

He's met by furniture designer Oshima Masayuki, the firm's head.

- This is your work?
- It is.

I'd love to try it out.

It's very smooth, isn't it?

Hinoki cypress is just so lovely.

Not just the distinctive fragrance but its texture.

And it's so light!

That's right.

It's rare to be able to lift a chair with one hand!

It's just so soft and appealing to touch.

I want to keep stroking it. It's like stroking a baby's cheek!

It's very soft, yes.

Lovely.

It's because cypress wood contains a lot of air.

Oh, that's interesting.

Yes, the structure of the fibers is a little different from a wood like oak.

It contains a lot more air which keeps it much warmer in the winter, and creates this gorgeous, smooth texture.

Oshima is best known for this Windsor chair, made from cypress.

It's around half the weight of a similar chair made from other broad-leaf trees such as oak.

The pale elegance and soft texture of cypress are key features.

There's a reason Oshima opted to develop this Windsor chair.

Like many other mountain villages in Japan, Nishiawakura is losing its population.

15 years ago, it decided to revitalize the local area through forestry.

Oshima was a furniture craftsman in Hida, Gifu prefecture.

He took up the challenge and moved to the village, where he set up a new furniture studio.

I used my usual techniques and they didn't work.

Sitting on it was fine, but it broke if you threw it.

Hinoki cypress is a coniferous tree that only grows in Taiwan and Japan.

Its softness long made it unsuitable for western furniture which demands rigid toughness.

Oshima spent two years creating his own plans and designs.

The result is a light, sturdy Windsor chair made from cypress.

The product won global acclaim, introducing hinoki cypress furniture to the wider world.

It only grows from Taiwan to Fukushima in Japan.

I see.

So it's very familiar to Japanese people. Common, even.

I agree, yes.

But not so much outside Japan.

It's rare.

It doesn't grow in the West where this style of furniture was created.

So you had to develop new techniques?

Basically I discovered that rigid woods will snap rather than bend.

Hinoki cypress will actually curve.

It has more bounce to it.

It's springy, you mean?

Exactly. It's got resilience.

Not to go into too much detail, but as long as each piece is supported between two points like this, it can be curved, and then returned to its original shape, and it won't break.

So I came up with 3D designs that leverage these stresses, that can handle this tension.

It's designed to flow with the tension in the wood.

Oshima used the wood's unique qualities in his techniques and designs to produce a whole range of furniture.

The graceful arms of this chair are created with a plane.

Two thick legs extend from its seat.

The six legs help redistribute the weight of the user.

This stool is also made from hinoki cypress.

It's useable as is, but also serves as a cushion and small table for people who prefer to sit on the floor.

This is where Oshima's furniture is made.

Watanabe Yoko heads the workshop and makes furniture herself.

She trained as an artisan in Gifu but was drawn to Oshima's work and moved to the village.

- May I touch it?
- Sure.

You're working on the seat right now?

That's right.

Oh, it's so soft! It feels amazing.

Thank you.

- Very smooth.
- It's incredible.

Wow.

The legs are all done, but the seat isn't finished yet.

It's still too rough.

- Too rough?!
- This is rough.

It seems good to me, but this is rough?

Not good enough.

What are the difficult aspects of working with hinoki cypress?

Are there any elements that make it a particularly difficult material to work with?

It's a very soft, smooth wood, which is great, but unfortunately that means we have to be careful not to sand it too much.

What happens if you do?

It ends up very bumpy.

And then it's unusable.

The texture feels all wrong.

And, of course, once wood has been sanded too far, it can't be fixed.

You can't turn it back.

No, exactly.

So we need to be careful to sand it down to just the right point.

Oshima and his team have put hinoki cypress furniture on the map.

But it wasn't all smooth sailing.

In 2015, the workshop was destroyed in a fire.

It was a massive blow, of course.

You lost your stock too.

We did, yes.

And all our machinery, we couldn't produce anything at all.

So I decided that I wanted to use the local lumber to bring some positivity into the world.

Oshima turned a disaster into a new opportunity...

...using local lumber to rebuild the workshop, and setting up the "TSUGITE" project.

He adopted a woven structure so that he could use short pieces of wood and thinnings from local cedar groves.

A total of 600 volunteers and locals helped put it together.

What's the appeal of this area for you?

Well, when I first moved here, one of the first things that struck me was that there were so many people in the area who relied on the trees to make a living.

Being able to learn from these people as I make furniture was something I hadn't experienced before.

It's helped me pass on their ideas and philosophies to customers.

I've really learned so much since I came here.

I see.

I feel like this space perfectly encapsulates all your ideas, your lifestyle, and your values.

I've learned what happens when you maintain a forest.

When I first moved here, a lot of them were in bad shape.

But as you start to tidy them up, the forests become much brighter.

The local water improves, the flavor of the rice gets better.

And you get fireflies.

Fireflies?

"Hime-botaru," native to the local forests.

Our work's created so many positive surprises.

I had no idea.

What we see in this landscape is the natural world, of course, but it also reflects how we live.

There are everyday struggles with designs and so on.

And all of it shapes the landscapes we live in.

At the end of the day, our designs are only possible because people fifty years ago chose to plant some trees.

I'd like to focus on that as I move forward.

Okayama's original designs are being reshaped and updated by people who have been drawn to this region.

To me, Okayama feels nostalgic, but also futuristic.