This exhibition showcases the “tools for expressing thought” used daily in both professional and personal lives by the members of the Japan Design Committee—leaders of the Japanese design industry.
When deeply immersed in the act of creation or organizing thoughts, creators always have a “tool” by their side in which they place their absolute trust. Following the concept of the 2005 exhibition “Designers and Tools: Writing Utensils for Objectifying Ideas,” which received a significant response, this 2026 edition updates the theme to reflect today’s diverse creative environments.
The venue will display the actual tools used by the members alongside the traces of their thoughts and handwriting produced by them. We invite you to experience the origins and atmosphere of design through the tools that support designers active at the forefront of their fields.
Message from Gen Suzuki, Exhibition Derector
“Sketching is a movement back and forth between the subjective and the objective.” These are the words of Taku Satoh, director of the 2005 exhibition Designers and Tools. Even in today’s world, where new technologies continue to proliferate, this back-and-forth movement remains at the heart of design. Through the everyday tools used by members of the Japan Design Committee—from founding members Yusaku Kamekura and Sori Yanagi to its current members—this exhibition offers a glimpse into their thought processes.
Exhibition Outline
- Title: The 798th Design Gallery 1953 Exhibition “Designers and Tools 2026”
- Dates: April 15 (Wed), 2026— June 8 (Mon), 11:00 a.m.− 8:00 p.m.; closing at 5:00 p.m. on the last day ; free admission
- Venue: Matsuya Ginza 7th floor, Design Gallery 1953
- Organizer: Japan Design Committee
- Cooperation: GEN SUZUKI STUDIO
- Exhibition Director: Gen Suzuki
Please refer to the Matsuya Ginza website for the opening hours and other information.
Participants
Naoto Fukasawa｜Product Designer
Kenya Hara｜Designer
Keiko Hirano｜Designer/Visionary
Ichiro Iwasaki｜Product Designer
Makoto Koizumi｜Designer
Kengo Kuma｜Architect
Masayuki Kurokawa｜Architect/Product Designer
Shin Matsunaga｜Graphic Designer
Kaoru Mende｜Lighting Designer
Ryuji Mitani｜Woodwork Artist
Hiroshi Naito｜Architect
Yugo Nakamura｜Interface Designer
Taku Satoh｜Graphic Designer
Reiko Sudo｜Textile Designer
Gen Suzuki｜Product Designer
Yasuhiro Suzuki｜Artist
Kinya Tagawa｜Design Engineer
Toshiyuki Tanaka｜Museum Designer
Shunji Yamanaka｜Designer
Special Exhibits
Yusaku Kamekura｜Graphic Designer
Sori Yanagi｜Industrial Designer
