The Rebirth of Plants

Hida

Hida is an area known for its master carpenters, the Hida-takumi, whose distinctive and impeccable technique made them highly sought after throughout history.

Written by Marisa Garreffa

Photographed by Mari Luz Vidal

Creative Direction Stylist Andrew Trotter

Hida is an area known for its master carpenters, the Hida-takumi, whose distinctive and impeccable technique made them highly sought after throughout history. Furniture making remains at the heart of Hida industry today, as innovation brings fresh life to historic methods. Japanese people love the simplicity of straightgrain timber, the clean lines found throughout the culture with its traditional buildings. The KISARAGI collection combines this love with a deep respect for natural resources and for future generations

The Hida mountains are filled with fastgrowing trees such as the iconic Japanese cedar, which has never before been used for furniture, as its grain is too soft to tolerate horizontal stress. This abundant resource is now Hida’s unique material, thanks to a compressing technology that makes the cedar hard enough to produce strong and durable furniture, while skilfully recreating the iconic aesthetic of beautiful, straight-grain timber. Kirasagi is a traditional word meaning “the rebirth of the plants”, capturing the rebirth of these cedar forests as a renewable material.

From the front view, we feel the depth of the space, and from the back view the subtle curved line is the result of experienced handcraft that works both with and against the machine created grain.

Every piece of furniture in the Kirasagi collection is designed to emphasise the beauty of this elegant wood, which is deeper in colour than original cedar and never stained. Created by Motomi Kawakami, one of the greatest product designers in Japan, whose focus and dedication to beauty are evident in the Kirasagi dining chair. A refined piece, its smooth surfaces and careful curves are elegant while fitting perfectly to the human body.

Comfort is a key priority of all Hida furniture and with this chair the body weight is supported by the stability of the framework, which enables each point of the chair to disperse its pressure. From the front view, we feel the depth of the space, and from the back view the subtle curved line is the result of experienced handcraft that works both with and against the machine created grain. A pleasure to rest your body into, and a beautiful design object to have in the home.

This play with lines can be seen in the perfectly straight grain of the cabinet. The top is separated from the main body so that the container seems to be oating, a dance of clean and crisp detail with enough space that the piece feels light.

Kirasagi is the perfect continuation of a furniture making tradition that stretches back to 1920, when the Master Craftsmanship of Hida was born.