One and only beauty. A stack of annual rings is a design that only the nature that the mountain of the god of Japan raises. Technology that lasts 1000 years. A masterpiece that traditional craftsmen who hardly remained in Japan carefully finished one by one. A miracle that the climate of Japan occurred. Warm and soft touch and mouthfeel are comfortable, lightweight and excellent in keeping warmth retaining ability is Japanese cedar. The annual rings piled up for years in the mountain of god are still alive, to meet someone.

I want to make the world happy through design. Solve the problems in the world, to challenge the children of the future.

The Gift Made Only in Kamiyama. How the SHIZQ Project Began Japanese cedar used to be the main building material in Japan. Many cedars were planted after World War II due to a national policy. However, their market value dropped when cheap imported trees arrived in Japan with free trade and the demand for cedar fell. Green Desert When plantations are left unmanaged, the evergreen cedars block the sunlight with their thick foliage. Abundant local vegetation has been lost, ultimately leading to hard ground with little water-holding ability. Thus, the volume of Akuigawa, a limpid river running through Kamiyama, has decreased. How Can Design Help? A designer who moved from the large city of Osaka to rural Kamiyama started the SHIZQ (“droplet”) project in 2013. Initially, woodworking professionals had only negative things to say about cedar. “Consumers hate the two tone colors of growth rings.” “Dishes cannot be made from soft cedar.” But we did not give up. With breakthrough ideas and innovative creative design we found new value in cedar.We found craftspeople to work with us and make SHIZQ happen.