“Transformation – ZEN METAL GARDEN”

Five Small & Medium Enterprises from Kawaguchi City Exhibit at Milan Design Week for the Second Consecutive Year

Five metalworking companies from Kawaguchi City in Saitama Prefecture — a city renowned for manufacturing — collectively known as BASE TIMES kawaguchi, together with designer Kazuhito Ishida (Professor, Faculty of Architecture and Design, Kyoritsu Women’s University), will exhibit for the second consecutive year at “Milan Design Week 2026,” the world’s largest design festival, held in Milan, Italy from Monday, April 20 to Sunday, April 26, 2026.

BASE TIMES kawaguchi began its activities in 2018 following the Kawaguchi Open Factory event. Through the collaboration of local workshops and designers, the group has explored the possibilities of metal. By combining the advanced processing techniques each company has cultivated, they are taking on new challenges in value creation.

This year’s theme is “Transformation – ZEN METAL GARDEN –”. BASE TIMES kawaguchi possesses exceptional craftsmanship that elevates a single metal sheet into countless forms — a true metamorphosis (transformation). This delicate and beautiful processing technology and expressive style are presented in an installation that draws upon Japan’s Zen aesthetic. The “Kawaguch-air” chair collection, which earned wide acclaim last year, is composed of designs that incorporate the uniquely Japanese sensibility for perceiving changes in nature, treating reflected scenery as part of the design itself.

As in the previous year, the venue will be Palazzo Litta, one of Milan’s historic buildings. In a space where the magnificent palace architecture of the West resonates with the precise metalworking craftsmanship of Japan, visitors will be invited into a new aesthetic experience.

Milan Design Week 2026 — BASE TIMES kawaguchi Exhibition Information

Dates: Tuesday, April 21 – Sunday, April 26, 2026

Venue: MoscaPartners Variations, Palazzo Litta, Corso Magenta 24, Milano

Organizer: MoscaPartners Variations  http://www.moscapartners.it/

■ General Director / Designer

Kazuhito Ishida (Kazuhito Ishida Design Studio / Professor, Faculty of Architecture and Design, Kyoritsu Women’s University)

Earned a Master’s degree in Fine Arts from Tokyo University of the Arts. After working at an interior design firm, he established Kazuhito Ishida Designstudio in 1998. In addition to interior design, he focuses primarily on product design for furniture and everyday living items. Major awards include the Silver Prize at Design Forum, the Grand Prix at the PORADA DESIGN AWARD, and the Good Design Award. He currently serves as a Professor in the Faculty of Architecture and Design at Kyoritsu Women’s University, where he is engaged in mentoring the next generation.

■ Participating Companies

• Kaneyoshi Co., Ltd. Founded 79 years ago. Rapid delivery powered by state-of-the-art metalworking technology and equipment.
• Shinko Stainless Polishing Co., Ltd. Founded 65 years ago. A team of professionals specializing in design polishing.
• Fujitec Co., Ltd. Founded 63 years ago. Bending specialists working across architecture, civil engineering, sheet-metal fabrication, and art.
• Maeda Co., Ltd. Founded 78 years ago. Using steel fittings and decorative metalwork techniques to beautifully stage spaces.
• Onuki Wire Mesh Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Founded 101 years ago. Dedicated to wire mesh — a partner who thinks together with clients from the specification stage.

Cooperation: Kawaguchi Chamber of Commerce and Industry

(Left) Perspective image of the space. This year’s theme is “Transformation – ZEN METAL GARDEN –”.

(Right) Exterior view of Palazzo Litta, the exhibition venue.

 

About “BASE TIMES kawaguchi”

BASE TIMES kawaguchi is a project in which local workshops (machikouba) from Kawaguchi City, Saitama Prefecture, pool their advanced metalworking techniques and collaborate with designers to create new value. To date, the group has produced a wide range of works, sharing the possibilities of manufacturing through the fusion of technology and design.

Since 2022, the group has hosted the “Kawaguchi Machikouba Art Festival.” Through exhibitions and workshops, they have created opportunities for local manufacturing professionals, children and students, and designers from across Japan to experience Kawaguchi’s technical prowess and the appeal of art. These activities have led to new commissions and collaboration inquiries from companies and designers throughout Japan.

As Japan’s small workshops continue to decline year after year, BASE TIMES KAWAGUCHI aims to expand the potential of these workshops through bold challenges and to build a new foundation that connects to the next generation of makers. Projects that would be difficult to realize alone have been overcome and brought to life through the cooperation of multiple companies. Going forward, the group will actively pursue overseas expansion, working to elevate the value of local workshops, generate international collaborations, and open new markets.