Dialogue - Field -

"Manufacturing without a reason"

That may sound misleading, but after listening to the Sato couple from Nohara, who are holding their third exhibition at Utsushiki, those were definitely the words that came to my mind.

During the interview, I felt as if I was enveloped in a spring haze; their voices were full of air, and I felt as if they were communicating to me in ways other than words that time is calm and direction exists freely.

Nohara has arrived at his current life through the accumulation of "now", and he moves his hands as things naturally happen. This is a story that makes you feel that life is guided by each and every encounter, the things you have seen, touched, and felt. Be sure to read it with a cup of delicious tea in hand!

Not on the outside, but on the inside

Kenji and Nohara originally studied fashion at a vocational school and worked in the apparel industry. Kenji left the company and started his own independent studio, sharing it with a friend, before returning to the company for a while. Then, they finally started working under the name "Nohara."

Hearing that, it seems like he had always wanted to make a living by creating things under his own name, but surprisingly, looking back on the time when he left the company for the second time, he says, "In fact, I was thinking that I didn't need to force myself to make a living by creating things."

When he first went out on his own, he had an experience where he tried too hard and ended up damaging his health, so he says he wasn't particularly keen on making things alone.

"At the time, I was talking with a friend about wanting to open a guesthouse in the middle of nature. I had experienced a positive change in myself through meditation, so I wanted to create something like a meditation center."

After quitting his job, he went on a trip with a friend to visit temples and meditation centers in Thailand, Laos, and India. Although it was a meditation center, he had no specific plans for what he would do when he returned, and the trip was just for the sake of traveling. He even told his partner, Nohara, that he was going to "go for an indefinite period of time"!

You might find something.

Even though I have never traveled abroad for an extended period of time, it is not hard for me to imagine the indescribable sense of anticipation and excitement that comes with setting off on a trip or going on a long journey.

However, the day comes when the journey will come to an end. What prompted him to return home?

"As I continued traveling, I felt like I was finding the continuation of what I was looking for in my own life. Rather than going out to look for something, I felt like I already had everything within myself, and that's when I wanted to come back and start living with my partner, Nohara."

We just had a strong desire to live our own lives.

As he speaks, Kenji's eyes seem to be filled with a soft yet certain light, as he has walked his path with his eyes focused not on the outside but on the inside, not on what is far away but on what is next to him and at his feet.

"field"

After his travels, Kenji returned to the path of manufacturing.

Looking back, even at the time when he wasn't thinking about making things alone, he would make small items like trinket boxes as gifts for friends living far away.

Rather than making things alone to make a living, maybe I'll do farming or something else. I'm starting to change course with the feeling that "I don't have to make a living by doing only this."

He also told us that the words of Utsushiki's owner, Ono, who said, "When you become independent, let's hold an exhibition here!" gave him the push he needed.

And the group name "Nohara" is, of course, the name of their partner, Nohara-san. When I asked Kenji why, he simply said, "I guess it was because it was there."

"We wanted to work together as a duo, so I didn't want to use my name. It's something important to me, and it was already there, so I decided to use this name."

On the other hand, his partner Nohara says that the name of this activity "gives him a place to belong."

"Although it's called 'Nohara,' Kenji actually does most of the work, so I just help out with parts and stuff. But because my name is there, I feel like I have a place there."

Perhaps the "field" exists as a kind of "life" that can never be lived alone, and that depends on people supporting each other.

Reflections of life

This is the third Nohara exhibition at Utsushiki. The works on display have a different look each time, and the energy grows with each exhibition.

"Our work is always a reflection of our state of affairs, so it's always different. In particular, I feel that the things we create naturally change as our lifestyles change according to the place where we live."

Both Kenji and Nohara grew up in the Kanto region. Wanting to live their lives in an environment with more nature, they left Tokyo, where they had been living, and moved to Nagano about four years ago. Then, in the fall of last year, a connection came round and they moved to a mountain village in Kyoto.

"In Nagano, I had a lot of fun, working in the fields and dyeing with the plants I grew, which was a first for me. As I gradually started to live in nature, I started to create things that reflected that."

Speaking of changes, the previous exhibition mainly featured accessories, but what is striking about this exhibition is that there are many clothes on display.

Kenji says that although he had been making clothes for his partner Nohara, he had never worn what he made himself. He says that because he had people close to him who made nice clothes and he liked vintage clothes, he hadn't put much effort into making them into his own creations.

The opportunity came to Kenji last spring. When he dyed fabric with the plum and cherry blossom wood he was given, the colors were so beautiful that he naturally thought, "I want to make the most of these colors by dyeing a large piece of fabric, and then use it for clothing..."

"It feels like a step forward has been made since then. However, the workshop in Nagano was too small to make clothing in earnest, but it was around that time that I was fortunate enough to find my current home in Kyoto. Then, without even realizing it, I was building a large work table for making clothing and creating a spacious layout. I think a number of different events came together to lead to the trend of making clothing."

The things we create change according to the environment we live in. It may seem like a given, but it can be difficult to realize that humans are influenced by the environment and culture in which they live unless you listen carefully to your inner self.

"Right now, we're living a life of making things ourselves. We've started repairing our house and taking care of our own space. With that in mind, I thought, "Okay, then I'll make some clothes, and if I make some, I'll wear them too." I feel like I'm becoming more open-minded."

Having gone through various times in his life, "I finally feel like the seeds of what I want to create are beginning to emerge. I don't know if it's a shortcut or a detour, but... I feel like I'm at the turning point of my creative process."

As he speaks, Kenji's shoulders are relaxed, and it is clear that he is more and more light-hearted and simply going with the flow.

Finally, when asked what he would like to do in the future, he answered, "Rice farming."

"Rather than being completely self-sufficient, I would be happy if we could eat rice and vegetables that we have grown ourselves. I think I will start making clothes for working in the fields from now on. I think I will make things that are needed in daily life at any given time. I'm sure the things I make will become more refined as I live my life."

The things they want to make for their daily lives and the things they want to make for business always seamlessly intertwine and influence each other. Nohara's works will surely continue to grow in size and reflect their lives, gently and surely enveloping the people who pick them up.

After this conversation <br>During the interview, there were several times when it seemed rude to even ask questions.
This may be because, at each moment, they are walking down the path they are on, listening to their own inner voices.

It doesn't seem like he's walking towards something solid, but rather that he's swimming by accepting uncertainty and comfortably going with the flow at each moment.
I couldn't fit everything into the article, but the presence of Nohara nodding beside Kenji while he was talking and the relationship of their energy may be more than just the name of the show; it is the very essence of Nohara's work.

I can't wait until the next time I can see these mirror-like works that reflect their entire lives and could not have been created by one person alone.

Interviewer and writer: Noserumi