I actually didn’t want to go to Japan again, but they really appreciate it when you visit and go out of their way to help. The first two times I was there, I had a predominantly representative function, lots of parties and interviews. This time they asked me to visit a factory and a traditional carpentry workshop (less space than a living room) and to make a design especially for these people. The rest of the programme was packed full of interviews, visits and meetings.
The handicrafts that still exist in Japan are of exceptional quality. The tools, techniques and materials that are used and the respect for them are particularly inspiring. Reading between the lines, you realise that they assume that this way of working will disappear one day. The enormous amount of time and attention they put into their work is out-dated. Craftsmen are too expensive or earn too little (which is already the case). The factory, even though they call it a ‘workshop’, is a different story. They still work in traditional a way, even for the emperor of Japan, but they also have machines. They can do everything and operate at the very highest level. The possibilities there are endless.
What was very special was their enormous love of wood. I have never seen such a collection of wood. Not only the variety of wood, but also the quantity and quality is unprecedented. There were even trees for which they had flown especially to Europe!
We have devised five different concepts that will now be worked through as soon as possible. They want to present the first models as soon as September.
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