S ha pe s of Tok yo b y Johnny Waldman of Spoon & Tamago Tokyo is a unique city where old and new, past and future, are seamlessly intertwined. One of the threads of consistency is monozukuri: a spirit of craftsmanship that is as alive today as it was hundreds of years ago. Johnny Waldman, founder of Japan-focused design site Spoon & Tamago, guides us through some of his favourite designs in the city.
01
Food Waste Ware For years, Japanese designer Kosuke Araki has been exploring plant-based materials and the techniques for processing them in an attempt to find alternatives to synthetic plastics. In particular, he has focused his exploration on techniques rooted in Japanese culture. This eventually led to a project documenting the food waste we produce on a daily basis, and making a series of tableware from it. Araki acknowledges that food is a part of life: we eat to survive. But it was the lack of appreciation for our food that led him to create Food Waste Ware in 2013, updating the series with new designs under the name Anima in 2018. The process incorporates urushi (Japanese lacquer) into the tableware, which adds a polished look, but also practical strength. “Historically, urushi craft has a close relationship with food,” the designer explains on his website, as the natural lacquer had antibacterial properties that made it suitable for serving. kosuke-araki.com
©Kosuke Araki
©Kosuke Araki
