Dezeen Magazine

Crockery from Marumitsu Poterie

Showcase: Japan presents contemporary Japanese design in a virtual marketplace

Dezeen promotion: Shoppe Object's virtual homeware fair Shoppe Online is presenting Showcase: Japan, a handpicked selection of gifts, homewares and accessories from 25 Japanese brands.

Showcase: Japan sells a wide variety of goods that combine traditional Japanese craftsmanship with modern, progressive designs from brands including Kimoto Glass Tokyo, Style of Japan, Kamawanu and Aderia.

Glassware from SGHR Sugahara
Top image: crockery from Maurmitsu Poterie. Above: glassware from SGHR Sugahara is among the products at Showcase: Japan

Semiannual New York design fair Shoppe Object chose the pieces in collaboration with the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), which it is selling on its digital platform Shoppe Online.

The aim is to showcase "some of the most ingenious contemporary designers, artists, craftswomen and men, who are working on expanding their presence outside of Japan," Yukari Niikura, fashion and design project coordinator and consultant at Japan External Trade Organization explained.

A photograph of chopsticks from Style of Japan homeware
Visitors can browse colourful chopsticks from Style of Japan

The brands are showcasing their pieces in a virtual show. Among the goods on sale will be dresses in shibori dye – a type of traditional Japanese tie-dyeing technique – glassware, minimalist candles, makeup brushes and sculptural objects.

Visitors will also be able to buy socks from Yahae made from natural materials, delicately crafted wooden animals from Polepole Animal and handmade glassware from SGHR Sugahara.

Wooden animals from Polepole Animal
Polepole Animal will showcase its wooden toys

Also displaying their collections at the online fair are Hoff, Kiko + & gg*, Marumitsu Poterie, Nawrap, Nishiguchi Kutsushita, Nousaku, Plywood Laboratory, Saralam, Seki Kanetsugu, Shaquda, Sikigu, T Nishikawa Kyoto, Takada Tawashi, Takarajima Senkou, Takazawa Candle, Tokyo Kodo, OUPS and Zikico.

This will be the fourth season that Showcase: Japan has partnered with Shoppe Object, and it will also feature as part of Shoppe Talk, Shoppe Online's live-streamed events.

Glassware by Kimoto Glass
The virtual marketplace will also sell pieces by Kimoto Glass

Showcase: Japan will present a film, The Note, which was directed by Javier Irigoyen. It will take a closer look at the brands on display at this season’s Showcase Japan.

The event will also host a virtual discussion on Shoppe Talk about Japan's design scene. It will also take a closer look at the brands showing at this season's Showcase Japan.

Showcase: Japan will be featured on the business-to-business Shoppe On/Online Marketplace until January 2022.

To view more about Showcase: Japan visit its Instagram.


Partnership content

This article was written by Dezeen for JETRO as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

More images

Showcase: Japan by Shoppe Online
Showcase: Japan by Shoppe Online
Showcase: Japan by Shoppe Online
Showcase: Japan by Shoppe Online
Showcase: Japan by Shoppe Online
Showcase: Japan by Shoppe Online
Showcase: Japan by Shoppe Online