Nara Prefecture is home to ancient capitals, history and tradition. Its historic and cultural links with East Asia mean this is where culture came from the continent, and where it developed. It has many historic temples, shrines and burial mounds, and deer once believed to be divine messengers walk its streets. Small wonder that Nara's young creators are shaping regional designs that speak to all 5 senses. Join us on a design hunt in Nara, where Japan's ancient landscape meets modern sensibilities.
Design Hunts track down unique, regional designs all around Japan.
Today, we're in Nara prefecture.
With around 1400 years of history and culture, Nara prefecture is where Japan's national foundations were laid.
Centuries-old crafts and creations can be found here.
Deer, believed to be divine messengers, still roam the streets.
It's an extraordinary place.
Nara's sensitive, evocative designs are deeply rooted in history.
Scents, shapes, and sounds soothe, inspire, and enthrall us.
Join us in Japan's ancient capital of Nara.
Our first design is deeply entwined with "shodo," the expressive art of Japanese calligraphy that uses ink and a brush.
Sumi ink production came to Nara from China along with Buddhism.
True sumi ink offers its user rich shades and a soothing scent.
Over the centuries, people began to add beautiful patterns to the inkstones, giving rise to a new kind of artistic expression.
Andy visits a workshop that's made sumi ink for generations.
Hello...
What a wonderful smell.
Hello!
Nagano-san, I'm Andy.
Hello!
A pleasure to meet you.
Likewise.
There's a distinctive scent in here.
That's the smell of sumi ink.
I thought so.
Yes.
Nagano Atsushi is the seventh-generation head of this 150-year-old workshop.
You work in here?
I do, and I live here too.
It's your home.
I built it with my father.
Nagano gives Andy a tour.
Oh, it's very black!
It is.
No wonder!
The ink does get everywhere.
Every corner...
What is sumi ink made from?
It's made from soot left over from burning.
Soot.
Black soot and animal glue, so gelatin.
That works as an adhesive.
I melt the gelatin and mix it with the soot to make raw ink.
It's like clay.
Nagano adds a fragrance to remove the scent of gelatin, before kneading the raw ink.
Once evenly distributed, he pushes out any air, and forms a ball with a smooth surface.
You get a ball like this.
It's so shiny!
Yes, like a rice ball.
This is stretched into a cylinder and pressed in a wooden mold, imprinting a beautiful, delicate pattern.
Wow!
And, done.
That's beautiful.
We print letters or images onto the ink.
A wooden mold?
Yes, it can take a year to carve, and a single mistake can ruin it.
Wow, that's extraordinary.
The soft ink is left for a year or two to dry out naturally.
Final touches, such as gold leaf, are added to create a stunning ink stick that's far more than a simple tool.
Wow, look at all these! And these here are peculiar.
Oh, yes!
Like musket balls.
Yes, exactly! I copied their shape.
It was a request from abroad.
An artist?
I think they might be making something like prayer beads?
We've made some using cookie cutters, and all sorts of custom requests.
There's so much potential in broadening people's perspectives on sumi ink.
So we want to accept any offers we can.
I think it's worth trying unusual or first-time requests.
Nagano designed this ink himself.
It highlights the soothing and distinctive scent of sumi.
May I?
Go ahead.
It's...
a little strong.
I love the scent.
It's really kind of nostalgic.
The ingredients and the box it's stored inside are all designed to maximize the scent.
Though I can't give you details!
A secret!
It's a little different from the usual smell.
Yes, it's been heightened.
I see, yes.
It's really lovely.
But what led you to focus on the scent specifically?
Well, sumi ink is for writing.
You create a liquid with an ink stick and water.
However, one of our customers told me that they were actually throwing out the liquid ink.
Really?
They don't use it.
What they enjoy is grinding the ink stone, savoring its fragrance.
The act of creating ink.
That was the part that mattered to them.
Interesting.
And so when they've finished, they discard the ink.
Throw it away.
I realized that scent was one way to highlight the appeal of sumi ink.
Fragrance, beautiful carving and patterns, artistic expressions: nobody needs all those things in order to write something.
I felt that these three aspects of sumi ink were something that other writing utensils simply don't offer.
The design for these mask motifs reflects a deep love for Nara's long history.
Around 1400 years ago, at roughly the same time as sumi ink, a masked theater form called "gigaku" came to Japan.
This inspired the masks used in Noh theater.
And Japan's very first capital was built a little south of here, in the Asuka region.
Asuka, yes.
"Gigaku" began there, and gradually developed outwards.
It was an international city, then.
A cosmopolitan region.
Very much so.
Nara is a living embodiment of Japanese history.
Absolutely.
I really hope my designs can express all those centuries of history.
Sumi ink designs that reflect the very origin of Japanese crafts.
The art of "tankin" involves hammering out tools from metal.
It began in Nara as a way to make Buddhist altar fittings.
Now one artist is using "tankin" techniques to make ornamental kettles.
The large handles are rounded like plant tendrils, while the spouts are short and charming.
The kettles' round design is deeply appealing.
Shaula is visiting the artisan who makes these kettles.
Her workshop is in an old house in Nara.
Hello.
Hello.
Nice to meet you, I'm Shaula.
I'm Nakamura.
I've been looking forward to today!
Metalworker Nakamura Yumi moved to Nara 10 years ago to pursue her craft.
Thank you for having me!
So... this is where you work!
Yes.
Wow...
So, all your work is done here?
Pretty much, yes.
I thought I might show you how I work on a teapot like this one.
I start by making a template like this.
I use this to make a reference sheet, which I place against a copper sheet.
Then I use this, as a reference, as I hammer the piece out.
That's how it's done?
Yes, this is just a single sheet that's been shaped into a bowl.
With "tankin," you're taking these flat sheets and hammering them into three-dimensional shapes.
Now, if you did that with paper, you'd get wrinkles and creases.
Right.
It's actually the same with metal.
I hammer those creases to change the thickness and height of the copper.
That's the basic approach with "tankin."
Interesting.
The metal is repeatedly heated then hammered, until the shape is complete.
Nakamura serves Shaula a cup of tea made using one of her creations.
It's an oolong blend made with wild tea leaves from Taiwan.
Nakamura has studied the tea ceremonies of both China and Japan.
The copper kettle softens the water, enhancing the flavor of the tea.
Here you are.
Thank you.
I don't think anyone's ever made tea for me with such care.
Really? I hope you enjoy it.
It smells wonderful.
The copper heightens the flavor.
It's so good.
This handle is really unusual, isn't it?
I wanted something that would enhance the atmosphere and setting of a tea room.
So I chose to exaggerate the curve of the handle.
The handle on this one here is even more exaggerated.
It really does suit the setting.
It does.
When I put the focus on the handles, I felt it changed the atmosphere around the table or space where it was placed.
It's a practical tool, but also an objet d'art, I think.
That's my goal, anyway.
They're so beautiful.
A tool and objet d'art that can transform an atmosphere.
Nakamura worked in interior design for 5 years after graduating art school.
Yet she found herself passionately drawn to metalwork.
She learned her skills from scratch, and switched tracks.
The very first item she made was a kettle.
She wanted one that would look beautiful when left out on a table.
Following this, she moved to Nara, and is now practicing her craft in a deeply creative region.
The key to these organic shapes lies in the details.
This distance is really important.
Because the shape is so simple, details like this make all the difference.
Also, the rounded handle here matches the larger round handle at the top.
They have the same diameter.
I think appealing designs work because of little details like this.
You may not notice them, but they affect you.
They're soothing, or exciting.
All of it lies in the details.
The bottom of these two items lines up, too.
It's a little thing, but it tightens that corner of the room.
When I worked as an interior designer, I learned a lot about details shaping the atmosphere of a room.
I see.
So I have a habit of thinking about my work in terms of entire rooms, or larger spaces.
I often tour buildings, and I love structures that have a universal beauty, whatever their age.
I want to make something that will last in the same way.
I suppose that's the kind of beauty I'm working towards.
Wow.
So I'm interested in how you approach making a new design.
Well, I have an exhibition in Kyoto at the moment.
Here are some sketches.
I start by drawing out the kind of kettles and teapots I want to make, then check the balance of the handles, the heights and widths.
Then I decide what to use.
Right.
Nakamura's designs start from a vision of a small crowd of kettles.
These pair a kettle with a burner, creating what looks like a series of historic buildings.
It's a charming landscape made up of careful details.
They go to visit somebody in Nara who collects Nakamura's work.
Wow! Seeing them like this, they feel so vibrant.
It's very different from examining them individually.
Because the handle designs are very deliberate, they form a landscape when you see them in series like this.
That's definitely something I take into account.
What drew you to Nakamura-san's work?
They're exciting - they lift my spirits.
I agree!
My morning starts with heating water in one of her kettles.
Watching the steam rise is a wonderful start to the day.
Getting to do it every morning is a real gift.
Kettles with a universal beauty that brighten everyday life.
A truly wholesome design.
Our final design is a cutting-edge speaker unit that's turning heads.
Andy visits a workshop in Nara.
Hello.
Hello.
Hello.
Manpei-san and Anna-san?
Yes.
A pleasure, I'm Andy.
Welcome, we're the Tsurubayashis.
Musical architect Tsurubayashi Manpei, and graphic designer Tsurubayashi Anna.
The couple makes speakers by hand.
Their workshop is a renovated former sushi restaurant.
The banquet room upstairs is now a listening space.
How lovely...
It's enormous!
We listen here, and also hold musical events sometimes.
What a wonderful space!
We invite guests to come along and mingle with artists, while listening to their music through our speakers.
This is it?
Yes, this here is our 12-sided speaker.
Sound emerges from every one of its 12 sides.
So this is the ideal shape.
A regular speaker projects sound in one direction.
A unit might have three speakers, for high, mid, and low sounds.
But natural sounds combine all those together, projecting sound from a single point in every direction.
It expands from there.
We wanted to mimic this natural soundscape.
I see what you mean.
The 12 planes are divided between high, mid and low tones.
This design brings all of them together, achieving a more natural sound.
Because the sound spreads in every direction, reverberations around the room make music sound richer, and more dynamic.
Sound enthusiast Andy makes field recordings as a hobby.
He has a listen for himself.
The first piece is by an artist called Aoyagi Takuji, titled "Tea Flowers."
I'm intrigued.
That's incredible.
It's uncanny.
It feels like the vocals come from behind the front plane.
It has depth.
It must be bouncing off the back wall.
It sounds a little strong on the right.
Right.
This is fascinating!
It really does come from all around - it envelops the room.
Next up, a special recording: the sound of Milan's central station.
Andy recorded it himself 16 years ago.
Shall we?
16 years.
Yes, it's been 16 years.
I feel like I'm traveling, which arouses all kinds of emotions and memories.
It really heightens the imagination.
What an amazing effect!
The 3D soundscape of the speakers transports listeners to a distant land.
The speakers were inspired by the desire to hear manmade music with the natural resonance of birdsong.
The result was a sound that blends into the surrounding atmosphere.
There's an artwork by Uemura Shoen titled "Sound of Insects."
I came across it in a gallery one day, and it was so clear to me that the women were listening to the sounds of the insects outside, with the instruments as background noise.
Both elements came together to create this pleasurable atmosphere.
I saw this and knew I wanted to recreate it.
So that's the concept behind this speaker.
It is.
And there are a number of new discoveries that we've made thanks to this speaker.
We didn't shape it so much as... it broadened our own horizons.
Japan's very first capital was located in Asuka, Nara prefecture.
The Tsurubayashis invite Andy to an experimental project they are holding here with their 12-sided speaker.
So we're at a historic shrine.
We are, and I'm sure you can feel how special this atmosphere is.
Let's have a listen to the speaker.
I can't wait.
Each location presents a unique soundscape that can be heard nowhere else in the world.
Lovely.
That's incredible.
When you first hear the music, even among the sounds of nature, your ears focus on the manmade sounds.
But that slowly fades away, until it synchronizes with the natural soundscape.
Eventually, they reach a perfect harmony.
Then the birds come in at the perfect moment.
The timing was perfect.
It really was!
Impeccable timing.
Just wonderful.
I like that it's not clear if we're adapting to nature, or if nature is adapting to our music.
Tuning in to all of the sounds nature has to offer.
The couple began this experimental project in 2020 in cooperation with a local university.
It's titled "Sound Strata."
After soaking up nature sounds, the group finishes each session by listening to music.
It's a fascinating project.
And this is where you hold sessions for the workshop?
Yes, right here.
At this very spot.
There's live music at the end, sometimes.
But you can also hear electronic sound through the speakers.
The music ends up with this wonderful mixture of raw, live sound, and electronic sound through the speakers.
It lit me up with excitement.
People always say the music at traditional festivals is a gift to the local gods.
That never really clicked for me.
But our first workshop was two hours of natural sounds, and closed with human melodies, and it suddenly made me feel incredibly grateful for the music.
Gratitude?
Yes, and when I felt that, I finally understood why they say that festival music is a divine offering.
It's sound in its purest form, which is a new experience, I think.
Your project is much more than a simple experiment with sound.
I find that really amazing.
Nara's many designs appeal to all our senses.
I found my time here to be truly enriching.