Draw the Circle Installation

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The ‘Draw the Circle’ installation, currently displayed at the Shinpukan, is the perfect representation of this new Kyoto, and the mixed culture of this city.

For this project, designer Miz Tsuji collaborated with traditional lantern makers Kojima Shouten. Takuma Inoue, the creative director of the project says originally he was asked to produce some Christmas decorations for the space but he wanted to do something which was more relevant. “A Christmas tree just didn’t seem right. We wanted to represent the culture of this city. I wanted to use the lantern as a canvas to express the mixed creativity of Kyoto. Miz’s illustration always tells a story so I thought it would be a perfect collaboration which wasn’t just about the visuals but also added some depth”.

This 220-year-old family business Kojima Shouten is currently run by Mamoru Kojima-san and his two sons, Shun-san and Ryo-san. Late last month we had the pleasure of visiting their studio in Higashiyama and it was really interesting seeing the family work together. Like any other family, they quarrel and tease each other, but at the end of the day they are a tight unit, creating masterpieces that represent venerable craftsmanship.