1. KEN OKUYAMA CASA

KEN OKUYAMA DESIGN, represented by industrial designer Ken Okuyama, opened a shop in May 2010 in the Gotenzeki area of Nanukamachi.
Mr. Okuyama, the representative who is active overseas under the name “KEN OKUYAMA” is famous as “the first non-Italian to design a Ferrari”.

KEN OKUYAMA CASA stores items of the KEN OKUYAMA DESIGN brand that exquisitely fuses advanced technology transmitted to the production area with contemporary design.
It has won global acclaim, including many prestigious awards.

In recent years, he has also designed railroad cars, and is attracting increasing attention from railroad fans.
Actually, the current Yamagata Shinkansen bullet train “Tsubasa” and “Toreiyu Tsubasa” were also designed by KEN OKUYAMA DESIGN.

In addition to design consulting, KEN OKUYAMA DESIGN also develops and sells its own brands such as automobiles, interior products, and eyeglasses as a one-stop shop.

2. Appearance of the shop

Appearance of KEN OKUYAMA CASA.

It is the second store located from the entrance of Gotenzeki.
It is noticeable by its red curtain.

3. Inside the shop

Here is the inside of the shop.

Original products of the KEN OKUYAMA brand were lined up in an orderly manner.

The first thing that caught my eye in the store was this display, which had a strong presence.

It seems that it is the type of body used when actually making a car.
I saw this for the first time.
Tomica, a car designed by Okuyama, is also on display and for sale, so if you see my second son (4 years old), he will be happy to jump.

At KEN OKUYAMA DESIGN, we are also taking on the challenge of outstanding manufacturing with Japanese craftsmen.
First of all, a collaboration product with Yamagata’s representative company “Tendo Mokko”.

It is a company involved in the production of the table tennis table that became a hot topic at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
A design that embodies the design philosophy of KEN OKUYAMA DESIGN, “Modern” and “simple”.
I have been fascinated for a while.

This is a scoop (cup) created as “Gen-emon kiln”, one of the three major Arita porcelain kilns.

The three-legged form and the polka dot pattern were really messy gems.
The polka dots on the surface are individually dug by craftsmen.
Ideal for gifts and gifts (^-^)

On the wall inside the store, the design drawings of the products that I had worked on were also displayed.
You can see design drawings of Ferrari, luxury train “Train Suite Shikishima”, tractors and other Yanmar products.

The shop is said to be visited by a wide range of customers, from small children who like cars to students who are interested in design and people who come in search of gift items.
Certainly, time has passed in a blink of an eye just by looking at it.

4. Café corner

There is also a café corner where you can take a break.

I had today’s coffee “ORIGINAL BLEND.”

I was relaxed to enjoy the scent without any habit.

By the way, these coffees, cups, saucers, spoons, etc. are actually sold in the store, so please have a look if you are interested.

5. Featured Products

Let me introduce the recommended products of KEN OKUYAMA CASA!

① ORIGAMI Nanbu Tekki ｜ Teapot [Iwachu Co., Ltd., Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture]

A teapot that expresses a polyhedron that looks like it is folded with origami paper, and features sharp edges.
The know-how and technology cultivated over many years of rock casting have successfully realized a complex polygonal silhouette.

The handle is said to have the image of the simplest and most beautiful Japanese sword.
This is also used in the suite of JR East’s luxury train “Train Suite Shikishima” designed by Okuyama.

② RINGO L ｜ Cup [224 porcelain, Ureshino City, Saga Prefecture]

A cup with a cute shape that imitates the shape of an apple.
If you pour beer toward the overhanging part inside, you can enjoy the bubbling of the golden ratio.

It’s a versatile mug, and the size is just enough to hold one can of beer.
A versatile mug that is useful when you want to drink plenty.

③ FUKU S ｜ Teapot [Yamagata City Kikuchi Hojudo]

A teapot for a relaxing time.
In a gentle and generous form, the handle creates a tactile shape of the beauty of the sword.

The excellent heat retention and sharpness of the spout, which are unique to iron materials, surprise the user.
In addition, the attached tea strainer is also designed so that the tea can be extracted from the tea leaves in the most delicious way.

The inner cast enamel has been carefully baked in a kettle to achieve strong durability.

Extracts the sweetness and astringency of tea in the best balance.
It can be widely used for Japanese tea kyusu, black tea, Chinese tea and other tea utensils, coffee drip pots, sake bottles such as sake bottles and cold sake, and soup bottles.

④ SIZUKU ｜ Cutlery [Yamazaki Metal Industry, Tsubame City, Niigata Prefecture]

A cutlery with a beautiful appearance that uses the soft “fluctuation” of the water surface as a motif.

In order to express “fluctuation” precisely, we adjusted the balance of unevenness through trial and error.
In order to take in the ambient light, Yamazaki Metal’s original all-butler finish is applied to the main body.

In 2016, SHIZUKU received the prestigious Red Dot Design Award.
Yamazaki Kinzoku Kogyo, which produced this product, has also worked on the cutlery used at the Nobel Prize banquet.

The introduced products can also be purchased from the KEN OKUYAMA CASA website.
There are many wonderful products on display, so please take a look.

KEN OKUYAMA HP

6. Parking Lot

There are three affiliated Parking Lots below.
You will get a ticket for free parking up to 30 minutes for purchases of 3,000 yen or more.
* Please pick up your ticket at the shop after your purchase.

・ YT Park
・ Nanokamachi Parking Plaza
・ N-GATE

7. Lastly

Finally, I received a message from KEN OKUYAMA CASA.

“We will continue to provide” modern, simple, timeless “products that add an accent to our customers’ lives.
Please drop in at KEN OKUYAMA CASA when you come nearby. “