Arita is a town located in the Saga Prefecture of Japan, known for producing Arita porcelain. The story goes that, back in 1616, ceramic rocks were discovered in Arita’s Izumiyama mountains, and that discovery blossomed into a locally produced, handcrafted porcelain industry. Arita celebrates its 400 year anniversary this year, and in honor of the town and its exquisite crafts, Ken Okuyama Design helped organize the Arita 400 Project at the recently passed Maison et Objet fair in Paris, bringing together architect Kengo Kuma, veteran film and television star Beat Takeshi, and Creative Director Kashiwa Sato with the goal of creating a forward-thinking design using Arita porcelain.
Kashiwa Sato
Beat Takeshi
Kengo Kuma