Dialogue - Grey Wolf -

It all started with Russian literature

Sato-san has always loved old things, attending a vocational school to study interior design and visiting antique markets to look for Japanese chests to use in competitions. After graduating, he started working at an architectural design firm in Tokyo.

He started out working on designing large facilities, and as he recalls, "The buildings were too big for me."

At the same time, I became interested in things that were not reflected in blueprints, and rather than creating buildings with new materials, I became attracted to antiques, where a single piece of old furniture can transform a space.

"Haiiiro Ookami" opened in July 2011. Many of the antiques were purchased in Russia, and the store's name comes from a Russian folk tale.

First of all, why did the store decide to focus its product lineup on Russian antiques?

"I love Russian literature, and writers like Dostoevsky describe spaces in minute detail, down to the color of the curtains and the legs of the desk. After reading his writings, I imagined that there must be something special about the tools that were born from his attention to detail. When I actually went there, just as I expected, I found tools and utensils that were similar to antiques in Japan. For example, there was a gorschok, a milk jar. It was used for cooking, and its appeal is that you can feel the presence of people's lives there even though it was more than 100 years ago."

The place where we are in sync

When the store first opened, it was close to where Nishibeppu-san was working, so the two naturally became closer as they went back and forth between their stores.

The first exhibition at "Yellow Wolf" was Nishibeppu's exhibition.

"Originally, it was a shop that only handled antiques, but one day we held our first solo exhibition of his work. At the time, we had no knowledge of exhibitions, and we held the exhibition in about two weeks, including direct mailing photo shoots. We didn't use any reference material to structure the exhibition, and we saw it through to the end without any prior background. We were attracted to the joy of using objects to create a space and to create a place to share it, and that's where we linked up."

This was a turning point, and as they continued to work as a unit at events and exhibitions, they decided to open a store together, and in February 2014 the store took on its current form.

Nishibeppu is in charge of art and decoration, while Sato is in charge of containers and techniques. Their abilities are polar opposites, which is why the current "Hiiro Ookami + Flower Shop Nishibeppu Shoten" was born.

"What made me happiest was when people who came to buy just the flowers and the containers saw the plants in the containers and said, 'I want the whole thing.'"

A space woven together by the "old" and the "fresh"

The opposing elements of antiques and fresh flowers coexist at "Haiiiro Ookami + Flower Shop Nishibeppu Shoten."

When you open the door at the end of a short corridor in an old apartment building in Aoyama, Tokyo, you are greeted with a deep scent reminiscent of a lush forest. A variety of aged vessels of various sizes and shapes and wild plants jump into your eyes.

Since we started working together, we haven't had any set rules between the two of us, nor have we clearly shared a concept for the restaurant.

"What we both have in common is not wanting to sell things, but wanting people to experience the worldview that we express. We don't share the same desire to do things in the same way, but I feel like we have similar things that we dislike."

A small mirror in the forest

The "Yellow Wolf + Florist Nishibeppu Shoten Exhibition" has been held since June 20th.

This is the fourth exhibition and features over 200 works, including a new piece, "Small Mirror in the Forest," as well as Russian folk costumes selected by Sato.

Aside from their practical use, the works possess a beauty that is meaningful simply by existing there.

The exhibition will run until June 28th. Come experience the scenery that can only be found here.

[Exhibition Information]

Yellow Wolf + Flower Shop Nishibeppu Shop ExhibitionKesnoe Zercalo – A Small Mirror of the Forest –

There is always a gateway to a mysterious world near you. Don't forget it.
I want to spend it forever

Saturday, June 20th – Sunday, June 28th
No breaks during the period 13:00-18:00