New exhibition of Nambu Ironware by KAMASADA, a long-established The exhibition will be held at designshop Kamasada from 9/28. The "Iwate Morioka Kamasada Studio Tour + Master Architect Tour" will also be held in conjunction with the exhibition.

designshop Inc. (Head office: Minami-azabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative: Hiroshi Mori), to commemorate the 115th anniversary of Nambu Ironware Kamasada Workshop (hereinafter "Kamasada") in Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture, and the 25th anniversary of designshop azabu, will hold a special exhibition "Kamasada Nambu Ironware Light and Crystalline Forms" [Dates: September 28, 2023 (Thu) - November 5, 2023 (Sun)] will be held at designshop azabu. In conjunction with the exhibition, a "Iwate Morioka Kamasada Studio Tour + Maestro Architecture Tour" is also planned and held. Visitors will be able to see architects such as Kingo Tatsuno, famous for designing Tokyo Station, and other famous architects and important cultural properties.

1、New main visual

Kamasada Nanbu Ironware Forms of Light and Crystals

Kamasada Nanbu Ironware Forms of Light and Crystal - kamasada 115th / designshop 25th anniversary

Official website of the exhibition: https://www.designshop-jp.com/kamasada/

This year marks the 115th anniversary of the founding of Kamasada, a company that has continued to explore the ideal of Nambu ironware for the times.

For 25 years, designshop has introduced the company through three exhibitions and the book "Living with Nambu Ironware".

This exhibition introduces the mysterious forms of the natural world, "crystals" and "light," which have long been a source of interest for the representative of Kamasada, Nobuho Miya, along with the shapes of Nambu ironware from two perspectives.

From microscopic images to new works with "crystals" as motifs, we will reconsider Nambu ironware from a microscopic point of view. The second exhibit will explore Nambu ironware and light, from lanterns and candlesticks to lighting. The Tokyo Design Shop will exhibit new works, and Kamasada in Morioka, Iwate, will hold special exhibits of all but the newest works, as well as a special exhibition in his atelier, which is not usually open to the public. We hope this will be an opportunity for you to discover the charm of Nambu ironware in a new light.

The Azabu area where the designshop is located, along with Arisugawa-no-miya Memorial Park, where the former Nanbu Domain (Morioka Domain) used to live, has many place names related to Iwate, such as "Nanbu-zaka" and "Morioka-cho Police Box.

Why not visit the park when you come to Iwate Prefecture?

Exhibition Outline

Exhibition Title: Kamasada Nanbu Ironware Forms of Light and Crystals

　　　　　Kamasada Nanbu Ironware Forms of Light and Crystal

Dates: September 28 (Thursday) - November 5 (Sunday), 2023 11:00-19:00 (Kamasada 9:00-17:30)

Admission : Free Please check the official website for the opening days.

Location: Tokyo Venue: designshop azabu (1F Shiro Bldg., 2-1-17 Minami-azabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo)

　　　　　　Tel 03-5791-9790

　　　　　　URL https://www.designshop-jp.com/kamasada

　　　　　Morioka venue: Kama Sadahonten (2-5 Konyacho, Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture)

　　　　　　Tel 019-622-3911

　　　　　　URL https://www.instagram.com/nanbu_kamasada/

Sponsor : Nambu Ironware Kama Sada Exhibition Executive Committee

Supported by : Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture, Minato Ward, Tokyo

Cooperation ：YSM Corporation, HAYANO DESIGN Co,

　　　　　Travel Link Co., Ltd. and White Building Executive Committee

Grant : National Tax Accountants' Kyoeikai Cultural Foundation

2、Hemisphere

3, Calcite

6, Nambu Ironware Crystal

Iwate Morioka Kamasada Studio Tour + Master Architect Tour

Iwate Morioka Nanbu Ironware Kamasada + Master Architecture Tour

Details and application page: http://travel-link.jp/archives/26729

In conjunction with the exhibition, "Iwate Morioka Kamasada Studio Tour + Master Architecture Tour" will be held on October 28 (Sat), November 2 (Thu), and November 4 (Sat), 2023. The New York Times announced "52 Places to Visit This Year" and Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture was introduced second after London, England. Visitors will be able to see the townscape of Konyacho, Morioka City, where Kamasada is located, with its mix of Western and Eastern architectural beauty, famous architects such as Kingo Tatsuno, famous for designing Tokyo Station, and buildings that are important cultural properties. You will also have a rare opportunity to visit the production atelier of Kamasada, where Mr. Nobuho Miya, the representative of Kamasada, will explain the production process of Nambu ironware and its tools, and you will be able to purchase a limited number of non-standard products for tour participants. We hope you will enjoy the charm of Morioka from a different perspective.

Outline of the tour

Tour Name: Iwate Morioka Kamasada Studio Tour + Master Architect Tour

　　　　　Iwate Morioka Nanbu Ironware Kamasada + Master Architecture Tour

Dates: Saturday, October 28, Thursday, November 2, and Saturday, November 4, 2023

Planning Company : Travel Link Co.

　　　　　Full member of Japan Association of Travel Agents, Registered Travel Agency No. 3-227 by the Governor of Iwate Prefecture

　　　　　Kimiko Kitada, General Travel Service Supervisor

　　　　　No.6 Odori Bldg. 4F, 3-2-2 Odori, Morioka-shi, Iwate

　　　　　TEL 019-658-8644 (weekdays 10:00-17:30)

Planned tour sites

Kamasada (Workshop tour), Rush Matkyu (Historical building), Former Morioka Bank Head Office (Kingo Tatsuno, Manji Kasai, National Important Cultural Property), Konyacho Banya (Historical building), Iwate Public Hall (Koichi Sato / Hibiya Public Hall design), Kita Hotel, Morioka Museum of History and Culture (Kiyonori Kikutake), Morioka Takuboku and Kenji Youth Museum (Tsutomu Yokohama, National Important Cultural Property), IBC Iwate Broadcasting System Morioka Takuboku/Kenji Youth Museum (Tsutomu Yokohama, National Important Cultural Property), IBC Iwate Broadcasting (Junzo Sakakura), Aioi Morioka Building (Kenzo Tange), Iwate Medical University Hospital Building 1 (Manji Kasai), Iwate University Faculty of Agriculture / Former Morioka High School of Agriculture and Forestry (National Important Cultural Property)

7、Nambu Ironware production process casting photo koji Sugawara

8, Kamasada Studio

About KAMASADA Kamasada Studio

Morioka's Nambu ironware is said to have originated when successive lords of the Nambu domain summoned iron founders and potters to live under Morioka Castle. Blessed with high-quality raw materials, the clan made efforts to protect and nurture the industry, which has developed over the past 400 years. Nambu ironware is one of Iwate Prefecture's representative traditional crafts and is attracting worldwide attention.

Kamasada was founded in 1908 in Konyacho, Morioka City as "Miya Tetsubin Store" and has been making Nambu ironware for 115 years this year. For three generations, Sadakichi Miya, Shotaro Miya, and Nobuho Miya have maintained the traditional manufacturing process while continuing to produce Nambu ironware with a modern design that fits in with modern life, thereby supporting the traditional culture of Iwate and Japan.

Nobuho Miya

Nobuho Miya, the representative of Kamatei, studied at Kanazawa College of Art and Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, where he deepened his research on materials in parallel with the production of his works. He has been producing kettles using Japanese pig iron and has acquired a patent for A.D.I. (extra strong cast metal production), aiming to create ironware as a tool for daily life, incorporating modern sensibilities while inheriting traditional techniques. He has exhibited at the Victoria and Albert Museum (U.K.), the Metropolitan Museum of Art (U.S.), the Salone del Mobile (Milan), and a solo exhibition in Stockholm, and has received numerous awards overseas. He has also been active in Japan, repairing and creating the sheath hall of the national treasure Chuson-ji Konjikido, receiving the Iwate Prefecture Outstanding Engineer Award, and being certified as a traditional craftsman. His mature craftsmanship shines through in the forms he has stripped down to the utmost limit, with an eye for function.

About designshop Inc.

designshop is a 50 year old white building located in Azabu, Tokyo. designshop offers people around the world superior products that are suitable for simple and quality life, not flashy, but long-lasting and not influenced by trends.

It has been 25 years since designshop opened in 1998.

We would like to continue to gradually increase the number of products that can be called "the original form of design" that have the potential to be sold for 2, 30, and even 100 years beyond generations, such as the Nambu ironware from Kamasada that has been used for over 100 years, and Sori Yanagi's products. Above all, we want our customers to be satisfied with our products and use them for many years to come.

Hiroshi Mori, President of designshop Inc.

After working at Chuo University's Faculty of Economics, he worked at Interoffice, an imported furniture manufacturer dealing in European Vitra and other products, before opening designshop in 1998, dealing in top interior brands from Japan and around the world. He selects simple, high quality, and long-lasting durable products such as Kamadera. Recently, he has been expanding his business to the world with a focus on Japanese craftsmanship by utilizing the know-how gained from his own store, launching original brands, and producing products for domestic manufacturers. products produced by designshop are also sold at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City.

Company Profile

Company name: designshop Inc.

Location: 1F Shiro Building, 2-1-17 Minami-azabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Representative: Hiroshi Mori, President

Business description: Development, wholesale, and retail of general merchandise, furniture, and home electronics

URL ： https://www.designshop-jp.com