From Kikkoman to couture: 100 iconic Japanese designs now on display

On the way to the press launch of the "Japanese Design Today 100" exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Manila, I could have used as few of the exhibit pieces to help me navigate the urban jungle of Metro Manila: a warm coat with large pockets to shield me from the massive thunderstorm; a motorcycle to transport me from Taguig City to Malate; or maybe Honda Aircraft Company’s HondaJet to allow me to skip the horrendous traffic in the streets.

The exhibit features everyday Japanese artifacts, classified into classic Japanese design, furniture and housewares, tableware and cookware, children, stationary, hobbies, healthcare, and disaster relief.

Craft-like, minimalist, thoughtful, cute (kawaii), and compact. Curator Hiroshi Kashiwagi used these words to describe the specimens inside the exhibit, but might as well have been using them to talk about the design, flow, and construction of the travelling exhibit itself.

With subdued lighting and simple, clean displays, the Tall Galleries of the Metropolitan Museum had a zen vibe to it. With only 100 pieces representing the best of Japanese traditional and modern design, visitors will get to experience and understand the concepts of minimalism and compactness that the Japanese practice every day.

The electric rice cooker (Toshiba RC-10), Canon digital single-reflex lens (DSLR) camera, Casio G-Shock watch, and even the Kikkoman Soy Sauce Dispenser bottle are some of the things that most Filipinos are already aware of, use, and are integral to our daily lives. "Japanese Design Today 100" gives a in-depth explanation on how designers and engineers develop products with the end-user in mind.

There are also a lot of products made of wood (a wooden IV stand, a feb desk, and a folding screen) and other natural materials that craftsmen from the different regions of Japan take pride in making.

Other noteworthy items that showcases the ingenuity and design solutions of the Japanese include:

15% Ice Cream Spoon, 01.vanilla / 02.chocolate / 03.strawberry: A trio of small spoons designed to transmit the warmth of the user’s hand to the ice cream, making it smoother and easier to scoop.

Issey Miyake’s “No. 1 Dress”: A wearable dress to can be fold “flat” makes use of revolutionary method of making clothing items like shirts, skirts, and pants by folding the cloth in three dimensional patterns, and making cuts in certain pieces. The fabric is made from recycled fibers.

Walkman WM-2: For Pinoys old enough to remember using this together with cassette tapes, the WM-2 was a redesign of the first generation model and features new external structure better suited to the basic concept of enjoying music outdoors.

Shinkansen Series N700 Advanced: Though also presented as a photo for practical reasons, one source of Japanese pride and marvel of engineering is the high-speed bullet train. Despite its current top speed of 300 kilometers per hour,  the shinkansen continues to evolve through application of the latest technology.

First Face Mask for Babies: Both kawaii and practical, the baby-sized mask is used to prevent infection for infants aged 1 and a half and up. Small and dome-shaped, it provides plenty of space around the mouth for easier breathing.

At the BSP Gallery, adjacent to the "Japanese Design Today 100" exhibit, is the "Discourse in Design: Philippine-Japanese Cultural Linkages" exhibit. A special exhibition on the 60th year of Japanese-Filipino friendship gathers local designers who have participated and engaged in a collaboration or cultural exchange program with Japan.

Curated by industrial designer and design professor Myrna Sunico, the exhibit features works by Kenneth Cobonpue (Yoda chair and chiquita), Budji Layug (half-moon bamboo sofa), metal furniture pieces by Ann Pamintuan, and other artists.

Wood, bamboo, rattan, piña, t’nalak (from abaca), wicker, paper and capiz, upcycled fabric, ceramic, and metal-made items spotlights Filipino designers’ innovative and unexpected approaches to various indigenous and traditional materials to come up with world-class products and works of art. — BM, GMA News

Japanese Design Today 100 and Discourse in Design runs from June 30 to August 19 at the Metropolitan Museum of Manila, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Complex, Roxas Boulevard, Manila.