Soji

Soji is a series of daily use items and it is designed by japanese design studio Mute. This series consists of Sara (plate), Hako (stacking case), Wan (bowl) and Tutu (canister), and each piece is made from Sen (castor aralia) and is produced by Unomatudo.  

The design studio Mute believes in producing products that are ordinary tools used in daily life, and not creating for decoration or solely for use on a special day. They want to design something with high function, something usable but something beautiful that you still can use without being afraid of damaging it. What is the point of owning something that you can't have the joy of using? The trick is the impeccable quality and materials that are durable. 

This is a series that exhibits the natural beauty of the wood in which they are made, and takes great pride in old japanese carving traditions. The series is made with by Yamanaka who is famous for its carving wheel called Rokuro, and it is also treated with Yamanaka-shikki (japanese lacquer ware) which focuses on the technology of making great wooden objects. I would say that Yamanaka has succeeded!

I think that the Soji series is not only beautiful, but also very practical. Mute has done well with the idea of not considering the visual part of it, but also the practical part. I like that you can stack them and keep them as a group so that you can enjoy them with each other while not in use. The beauty of the natural wood is undeniable, but I like that they have used red as a pop-color as a bright contrast on some of the pieces of the series.  

If you would like to see more from Muto, you have to visit either www.unomatudo.co.jp or www.mu-te.com.