One&Co has collaborated with OMOTENASHI Selection, an organization that has foreigners living in Japan judge products and identify the best of Japanese crafts, to launch an exhibition of 10 award-winning products. One&Co visitors will be able to experience the history, culture, technology and beauty of Japan in Singapore. In the coworking space, which is an everyday space for business people, visitors will be able to see and touch a variety of Japanese crafts. Furthermore, our Japanese community conductors can introduce visitors to the functionality, design and background of the crafters.
We also hope that the stories of how traditional Japanese crafts have been reinvented to suit modern times will inspire new innovations. One&Co hopes to create a new platform to connect Singapore with Japan and its craftsmen through the medium of traditional Japanese crafts. We look forward to seeing you at the exhibition.
<Exhibits>
①Hiragana
Rediscover the beauty of Japanese characters through jewelry
Hiragana is a series of innovative jewelry that makes us rediscover the greatness of Japan’s traditional characters. While Japan boasts a beautiful, flowing syllabary called hiragana, many Japanese people do not seem to be aware of its charm, and it appears negative to use Japanese characters in logos and advertising. The hiragana jewelry series was created in hope of conveying the beauty of Japanese hiragana to people both in Japan and abroad. The jewelry is made of gold and silver, which is hand polished by an experienced professional to produce its beautiful forms.
https://omotenashinippon.jp/prize/selection/2018/02-056/?la=en
②OMOSHIROI BLOCK
Ingenious tear-off memo pads let you explore beautiful Japanese scenery
Omoshiroi Block is a unique memo pad designed based on the belief of sustaining memories in sculpture. It looks like a memo paper cube at first, but as the paper on the pad is used up, an intricate paper art embedded inside is gradually revealed. Each sheet, which is uniquely and intricately designed, is stacked up manually, one by one. A special attention is paid to the texture of the paper to offer a pleasant feel when tearing it off. The products are inspired by beautiful designs, including famous architectural landmarks of Japan, world heritage sites, and national treasures.
https://omotenashinippon.jp/prize/selection/2020/2000-01-012/?la=en
③Portable High Quality Brush with Makie
Premium quality brush set enhances your daily makeup routine
This luxury portable makeup brush set is designed and produced with quality and usability in mind. The powder and cheek brushes, made from blue squirrel hair, feel tender and smooth against the skin. The lip brush is made from high-quality weasel hair, which has a bit more resilience and elasticity, to let you precisely delineate lip lines. The Kumano Brush® is manufactured in a special way that does not cut the tip of the hair to achieve an excellent touch. A Japanese Maki-e style picture is drawn on the axis (printed on a silk screen), making it a perfect gift for someone special.
https://omotenashinippon.jp/prize/selection/2019/1900-01-087/?la=en
④SHIRASAGI sibo series
Colorful Urushi lacquer tableware makes dining table extra special
The SHIRASAGI sibo series is a table ware series made with traditional Shibo-urushi method in which protein is mixed into the urushi lacquer to cause a chemical reaction so that the lacquer becomes sticky and thick. The lacquer applied on the product creates an uneven surface of a distinctive texture. Dishes applied with Shibo-urushi finish have a fine, leather-like texture that fits well in the hand. In addition, with careful coating, the products can be used safely with hot foods such as curry and stew as well as dark colored foods. Produced locally in Yamanaka Onsen, a hot spring resort in Kaga, Ishikawa Prefecture.
https://omotenashinippon.jp/prize/selection/2020/2000-02-028/?la=en
⑤Artisan teapot
Exquisite teapot representing metal craftmanship of Tsubame City
Artisan teapot is a high-quality teapot made of carefully selected materials from Tsubame city, Niigata and Takaoka city, Toyama. Tsubame city is world-renowned for its metal products, where many of skilled metalworkers work hard and improve their skills day by day. Together with the coloring and processing techniques used in Takaoka city, where is famous for its refined copper products, this exquisite teapot came to life. Each piece is carefully produced manually by skilled craftsmen.
https://omotenashinippon.jp/prize/selection/2019/1900-01-040/?la=en
⑥KIRIE BIJOU
Light-as-air jewelry series introducing “KIRIE”, Japanese paper cutting art
Inspired by “Kirie,” which is Japanese paper cutting art, KIRIE BIJOU is a jewelry series made from paper and gold foil. Kirie cutouts and paper are made of completely water-repellent durable materials while giving a feeling of airiness. The brilliance of precious metals remains the same, and it is so light that even those of a bold design can be worn for a long time without causing ear pain. The exquisite texture of foil and urushi lacquer are used to produce faintness, making it looks like antique jewelry or ancient art.
https://omotenashinippon.jp/prize/selection/2020/2000-02-033/?la=en
⑦SUMU Cutlery Series
Zirconia cutlery series guarantees stress-free dining experiences
Made from zirconia, SUMU is a cutlery series that is 50% lighter than conventional metal cutlery. Zirconia has three characteristics. First, it is derived from minerals and its hardness is second only to diamonds and rubies. Secondly, it is also composed of two different kinds of crystals with different features, making it pliant and both durable and flexible at the same time. Lastly, it is a ceramic sintered at a high temperature of approximately 1,400 degrees. Since it is metal-free, Zirconia is suitable for people with metal allergies. SUMU cutlery does not affect the flavors of dishes as absolutely no metallic ions are released.
https://omotenashinippon.jp/prize/selection/2020/2000-01-043/?la=en
⑧Single leather compact wallet ICHI
A single piece leather wallet with brilliant functionality and style
While most of the wallets are comprised of several layers, ICHI is made by folding a single piece leather with minimal sewing. ICHI wallet has three main features: a great combination of thinness and sufficient storage capacity, stylish design, and superb durability. It employs a construction that only four layers of leather overlap each other when the wallet is folded. It allows you to store coins and cards without overlapping to avoid the wallet from becoming bulky. It uses Pueblo vegetable tanned leather from a tannery in Italy, which has a unique washi-like texture letting you enjoy dramatic change of colors through aging.
https://omotenashinippon.jp/prize/selection/2020/2000-02-040/?la=en
＜About OMOTENASHI Collection＞
OMOTENASHI Selection is a collection of products and services that reflect the spirit of Japanese hospitality. We started the award in 2015 with the desire to share these amazing products with the rest of the world.
OMOTENASHI Selection works together with over 20 privately owned companies. Accreditation is awarded through a combination of physical inspections by international residents of Japan and quality inspections by Japanese specialists. The evaulation criteria sections “global” and “omotenashi” are used to evaluate craftsmanship and thought for the end user. They also consider creativity and modern ingenuity through the use of traditional practices and materials.The OMOTENASHI Selection Award is given to products and services that are recognized to be “overflowing with the unique charms of Japan that should be shared with the world”.
We also hope that the stories of how traditional Japanese crafts have been reinvented to suit modern times will inspire new innovations. One&Co hopes to create a new platform to connect Singapore with Japan and its craftsmen through the medium of traditional Japanese crafts. We look forward to seeing you at the exhibition.
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