From June 10th (Wednesday) to 12th (Friday), at the "Interior Lifestyle 2026" trade fair held at Tokyo Big Sight (Koto-ku, Tokyo), the Shimizu Minoru Laboratoryof the Department Department of Living Environment Design Faculty of Art and Design, exhibited student product design works, following their participation last year.
This exhibition is one of Japan's leading international trade fairs, bringing together the latest lifestyle designs from Japan and abroad, including general merchandise, furniture, home textiles, and tableware. It attracts many buyers, manufacturers, and designers every year.
This exhibition featured products themed around "a new experience with incense" and "characters that express inner worlds." Many attendees stopped to admire the works, which were born from the individual sensibilities and worldviews of each student, showing great interest in their originality and potential for commercialization.
"A New Incense Experience" is the graduation project of Haruka Miyauchi (Orio High School), who graduated from the department in March 2025. With the theme of elevating "fragrance" into a new experience, she focused on the "shape" of the smoke rising from incense and proposed a product that visually represents the invisible scent. Her original idea attracted the attention of visitors, and there was a lively exchange of opinions regarding the concept and product development. Currently, Himeno Ogawa (Fukusho High School), a fourth-year student in the same research lab, has taken over the design development for mass production and commercialization, and is continuing the project.
The "Character Expressing the Inner World" is a work by Wakana Torii (Genkai High School), a third-year student in the same department. Based on an original character inspired by her own inner world, she created products that gently accompany everyday life. The approachable and warm design has been well-received by a wide range of generations, and buyers and manufacturers have expressed their expectations for its product development.
During the exhibition, the students themselves explained the concepts and background of their works. Through dialogue with visitors, they learned about market perspectives and the challenges of commercialization. Both works were the subject of concrete discussions about their commercial potential, making it a valuable opportunity for the students to experience their connection with society.
* This project is a collaborative effort between industry and academia with Atlas Chemicals Co., Ltd.
[Department of Living Environment Design / Industry-Academia Co-innovation and Research Promotion Headquarters]
