Design Icons
Several prominent Japanese industrial designers emerged during the 20th century, probably the most celebrated of which was Sori Yanagi. These designers helped establish Japan as a major force in industrial design, blending traditional Japanese aesthetic principles with modern manufacturing techniques and international market demands, during Japan's post-war economic boom.
Riki Watanabe
Riki Watanabe was a pioneering Japanese industrial designer influenced by the Bauhaus movement and Bruno Taut. He established Japan's first design studio in 1949 and became instrumental in developing Japan's post-war design culture.
Famous for his Himo Isu (String Chair) and the Hibiya Clock in Tokyo, Watanabe blended traditional Japanese aesthetics with modernist principles and continued designing well into his 90s!
His contributions were widely recognised (honours included the Gold Medal at the 1957 Milan Triennale) and he was a key advocate for industrial design in Japan, helping to educate a new generation of designers.
Takeshi Nii
Takeshi Nii (1920-2007) was a Japanese designer best known for his foldable Nychair X lounge chairs. A third-generation owner of a Kendo equipment company in Tokushima, he created the first Nychair X in 1970 to offer a comfortable, practical, and affordable seating solution.
Celebrated for its minimalist design, the Nychair X earned multiple awards, including the Good Design Award and Long Life Design Award. Nii’s work is in MoMA’s permanent collection and continues to inspire furniture designers worldwide.
Masahiro Mori
Born in 1927 in Saga Prefecture, Japan, Mori graduated from Tama Art University in 1952 and began his ceramics career in Nagasaki. He joined Hakusan Porcelain in Hasami in 1956, designing everyday tableware rooted in simplicity and accessibility.
In 1960, he received the first Good Design Award from the Japan Design Committee for his soy sauce bottle, followed by numerous international accolades.
After leaving Hakusan in 1978, he he remained a consultant and continued designing for the brand while mentoring young designers. His work has been exhibited globally including at the Deutsches Porzellan Museum and the National Museum of Art in Tokyo.
Sori Yanagi
Probably the best known designer outside Japan, Sori Yanagi (1915–2011) studied art in Tokyo and worked with designer Charlotte Perriand before founding the Yanagi Industrial Design Institute in 1952. In 1977, he was appointed director of the Japanese Folk Art Museum in Tokyo.
Renowned for merging Western industrial design with Japanese craft, he designed furniture, lighting, tableware, toys, and vehicles, winning many international accolades on the way to becoming one of the most significant figures in post-war design.
