Dialogue - Field -
"Follow your heart."
Kenji Sato of Nohara, a husband-and-wife team that creates everyday tools and ornaments using textiles they encounter in various places and carefully crafted leather, says he holds this sentiment close to his heart.
Based in a small old house on the plateau of Nagano Prefecture, the company creates things in tandem with the seasons, drawing inspiration from the bounty of the fields and mountains and the people who live there.
It has been about a year and a half since our last conversation. Sato-san has moved from Tokyo to Saku City, Nagano Prefecture, and now finds himself in an environment where he is completely at the mercy of nature. What changes in his state of mind have occurred?
And how did he develop his driving force for curiosity about manufacturing? It was in his honest strength to not suppress his curiosity and to follow his heart's impulses.
Nature is within reach and you can feel the four seasons
I settled in Nagano a year and a half ago. The old house I ended up living in is rich in land, with a wood stove and a shack. Above all, the mountains are rich in blessings. Although the plants grow in the same place, they are all different shapes, and they grow straight up towards the light, receiving the blessings of the land.
Sato says that his daily routine has also become more conscious of the sun and the moon. He wakes up with the sunrise, relaxes at home after sunset, and adjusts his physical and mental rhythms to face the task of crafting.
During her walks and mealtimes with her pet goats, she listens to the state of the plants and the songs of the birds that tell her the seasons, and uses this information to inspire her creative work.
When he moved, he was worried about the temperature in the middle of winter. In an environment where the surrounding plants wither and the temperature feels below zero, he squints his eyes at the smallest of scenery. Even things that are easily overlooked, such as the beauty of water lily buds and small flowers, are filled with life.
"Compared to the city center, there is less information available here, which is why the beauty stands out and can be felt. Nagano is a place where the atmosphere changes every day and is always calm, so living there is very comfortable."
Breathing new life into the world through human hands
Life is shaped by encounters and coincidences, and sometimes leads us to unexpected places.
My encounter with Okubo Yohei of Shimanto Leather Shop, a shop in Shimanto, Kochi Prefecture that tans all leather by hand, through a friend was almost an inevitable one.
Okubo tans and dyes deerskin using primitive methods, without using any machines.
Just as the light of plants and water are all different colors, the appearance of leather nourishes its life with time and exudes a story like a life.
Just as people influence each other, things and people influence each other.
The deerskin that has been created over many years is transformed by Sato into wallets and leather accessories.
A breathtaking exhibition
Before an exhibition, I try to circulate my energy. I focus as much of my attention on the exhibition, prepare my mind and body, and diligently work on the creation of my work.
The second exhibition at Utsushiki featured candles from "rinn to hitsuji," a Kyoto-based company that creates ray of light; deerskin from Okubo of "Shimanto Leather Shop;" works from "Nohara x iai," as well as wallets and bags, and about 120 other items.
Among the works on display this time are artworks that delve deeper into the artist's own self, which he began working on last winter.
"The scenery that appears before our eyes holds memories that only we can see. For me, artwork is about creating those scenery, and bringing richness to people's lives. I want to create things that have meaning simply by existing, apart from their practical use."
Knocking on the door of curiosity
"Creating things is a form of healing for me."
I always bring needles and thread with me wherever I go so I can embroider whenever I want.
For Sato, living and making things are connected.
His driving force is seeing people happy. And even as his interest and concerns about what he makes change, he says that the one thing he values most is honesty.
"Perhaps the important thing is to look at your daily life, get moving, and 'try making something first.' Recently, I've been drawn to the material called glass. Rather than closing the lid on your curiosity because you don't have time to learn, make time and try to tackle it first. I feel that such a process will always connect somewhere and become a source of nourishment for your daily creations."
After this conversation, it's difficult to live life by following your own voice honestly. Perhaps there may be moments when you feel this way. Rather than trying to be obedient and "honest" in order to get closer to the image that others expect of you, it's better to value the voice of your heart and be "honest" with your intuition. Sato's journey so far has taught us the importance of paying attention to every moment, enjoying what we have, and cultivating a rich daily life.
Interviewer and writer: Yoshiaki Ono
Nohara Works Exhibition "The Wind Goes Around"
Flowing, flowing, the wind of breath is a promised journey where the light of the past gathers
Animals draw close to us with their gazes, and plants caress us on the wind. With the overlapping fragments of memories as guideposts, we continued to weave our memories during the winter. Let's meet in a corner of the field, wrapped in the spring sunshine.
Deerskin from Shimanto, Kochi Prefecture A scrap of leather hiding in the shade An old piece of cloth passed down with great care These beloved children who came to our hands after a long journey
The wallets and bags we use every day, the clothes and wrappings, whether we have something to carry or not, our fingers and hearts stretch out, and we are inspired by the spring wind blowing through the spinning of threads and threads.
