Winner: Retail interior (small) of the year 2025. L/O and Katata Yoshihito Design have designed the interiors of Tojiro Knife Gallery in Osaka, Japan.

Tojiro Knife Gallery Osaka is the flagship store for Tojiro in the Kansai region, transforming a renovated property into a contemporary retail space that expresses the tradition of Japanese cutlery culture and the craftsmanship of skilled artisans.

The space integrates two functions: a maintenance room and a knife gallery. The maintenance room replicates Tojiro's factory environment in Tsubame-Sanjo, using identical machines and materials and allows visitors to observe knife sharpening through a large window.

The facade features galvanised spangle material, evoking the factory’s industrial aesthetic.

By utilising the Yoroi-Bari technique and an advanced magnetic fixing system that incorporates cutting-edge veneer technology, the gallery achieves a balance between the beauty and safety of Japanese knives, offering visitors an immersive experience.

Judges comments: "The product design language is meticulously carried through the space; everything seems to be cut or bladed. There's a strong sense of narrative, but it's also really fluid. There's an element of theatricality, but it's not just theatre for theatre's sake. It actually has meaning in terms of promoting the durability of the product."

Studio: L/O and Katata Yoshihito Design
Project: Tojiro Knife Gallery Osaka