DESIGN TALKS

Since ancient times, bamboo has played an important role both in the everyday life of the Japanese and in the nation's culture and art. Bamboo can be seen everywhere, not only as the material for many kinds of products, but as a widespread motif in arts and crafts symbolizing, for example, auspicious events. Even today, bamboo is integral to life in Japan, used in everything from food to clothing and housing. Our guest, Tatsuyuki Kosuga, 5th generation owner of a 116-year old bamboo craft shop (founded 1898), will be our guide to the traditional bamboo designs still seen today and the innovative uses bamboo has inspired in modern designers.

Time, the way we mark each moment of each day. Countless works of art and commercial products are made with time in mind. On today's program we welcome lighting designer Kaoru Mende, and take a look at designs that express the temporality of life, and discuss how people in Japan think about the passage of time.

This time, Andy leaves the studio and heads to Shobu Gakuen, a support center in Kagoshima Prefecture for people with intellectual disabilities. The center's motto is, "To create is to live", and the impressive works of art and design created there are garnering a lot of attention, both in Japan and abroad. As Shin Fukumori, the center's director, gives Andy a tour of the facilities, we discover how Shobu Gakuen has become a breeding ground for sensational art.

Soaking in a hot spring, eating great food, exploring a different local culture, making new friends - many Japanese lodgings offer all of this under one roof. Today's guest is Toru Iwasa, an editor of a lifestyle magazine who has spearheaded the creation of a "natural inn" in Niigata Prefecture. From the excellent service to the relaxed environment to the gardens that showcase the subtlest changes of the seasons, we look at Japanese lodgings, and how they intersect with the world of design.

Japan is home to innumerable steams, rivers and lakes, and images of water hold a special place in the hearts of the Japanese. From a single drop of dew falling into a pond, to the spectacular spray of a waterfall, to the quiet quiver of a gentle breeze over the surface of a lake, water can evoke both the beauty and the fragility of life. Today's guest, garden designer and Buddhist priest Shunmyo Masuno, discusses the aesthetics of designing with water.

The evocative, energetic curves found in Japanese design - in the roofs of temples and shrines, in swords and in family crests - reflect an admiration for the curving forms of nature. Contemporary Japanese designers exhibit a unique mastery of the curve. Today's guest is Shoryu Hatoba, a painter of family crests who employs traditional methods passed down through generations of his family. Join us as we explore the role of curves in Japanese design.

Children are overflowing with creativity and uniquely sensitive to new experiences. A child's schooling environment is an important part of her formative years - it's no exaggeration to say that what happens at school will change the course of her life. This week, architect Reiko Tomita discusses the schools that define our communities, and how design is shaping new educational trends in Japan.

Since ancient times, the color black has been an integral part of design in Japan, from samurai armor and lacquerware to the plaster walls of buildings. Today's guest, the calligrapher Sisyu, describes how she uses traditional black ink to explore new forms of expression, and helps us answer the question of what exactly the color black means to the Japanese.

Zipangu, the Land of Gold. Around the 13th century, that was the name by which many Westerners knew Japan. In the 16th century, the development of gold mining in Japan made possible the construction of golden temples, golden teahouses and even solid gold Buddha statues. Gold is expensive, but also soft and easy to process, and it is still used today in a wide range of fields. Today we welcome Hakuga artist Takuro Noguchi into the studio to help us explore the world of designing with gold!

"Aqua design" involves filling a tank of water with plants, animals, and other living things to create a stunning work of art. In Japan, an island nation with lots of aquariums and a variety of unique craft skills, the field of aqua design has blossomed. This time, our guest is Hajime Nakamura, an "aquarium producer" who will give us a firsthand demonstration of how he creates his beautiful aqua designs.

As interest grows in living a richer, more enjoyable life, something called "Seikatsu Kogei" - lifestyle or living crafts - have gained increasing attention. These crafts that are not traditional handcrafts, nor mass produced wares, are imbued with the spirit of their makers, who in a typically Japanese way, create by hand, select materials with care and aim to come up with new designs suited to contemporary lifestyles. We welcome as our studio guest, woodwork designer, Ryuji Mitani, to explore the roots of the beauty that dwells in form

The moon has played a huge role in human culture, and Japan is no exception. The Japanese language is rich with words that describe the moon's phases and its mysterious beauty; the moon is often spoken of in Japan as more of a "friendly neighbor" than a celestial body. Today's guest, Akihiko Toto, is working to bring new life to the ancient art of karakami, a form of traditional papercraft that originally came from China. Join us as we take a look at works of art that incorporate the moon.

Clay has been deeply connected with human life since ancient times thanks to its ease of collection and use. In Japan, the development of the tea ceremony led to discovery of the wabi-sabi aesthetic in such things as tea ware and the earthen walls of the tea room, thus fostering its own clay culture. This time we invite plaster craftsman, and seasoned clay handler, Shuhei Hasado, to join us as we explore the many clay designs that have been passed down to our day, as well as the new possibilities there are for clay.

Eating has always been a central part of human existence - our kitchens may be the best indicator of how we live day to day. As lifestyles in Japan grow increasingly diverse, the very concept of "the kitchen" is being reevaluated. Architect Naomi Tanaka joins us as we delve into the designs and philosophies behind today's kitchens.

In the Buyo style of traditional Japanese dance, the act of dancing expresses not only emotions such as joy and sorrow, but also concepts such as respect for nature. In Noh and Kyogen, each movement has been refined over centuries, reduced to its simplest and most beautiful form so that its symbolic meaning is clear to every member of the audience. Today we welcome dancer and choreographer Yukio Suzuki to the program as we discover the beauty of movement in Japanese culture.