매거진 C (Magazine C) Vol.5 : K Chair

02 Intro

08 Letter From C
A word from the publisher

12 Quotes
Words from world-renowned designers and architects paying tribute to Karimoku Furniture’s passion and craftsmanship.

14 5 Cities, 5 Homes
Those who choose Karimoku 60’s K Chair believe in the value of skill, philosophy, sincerity, and careWe visit the homes of people who cherish everyday life and live with intention to capture diverse scenes of the K Chair
Tokyo, David Buchler / Artist & Koichi Tanabe / Web Designer
Singapore, Wu Yan Long / Graphic Designer & Artist
Taichung, Wei Liao / Graphic Designer
Seoul, Suyel Bae / Co-founder of MMMG
Kyoto, Tatsuro & Naoko Funayama / Couple56 Karimoku FamilyTracing three generations of Karimoku Furniture - from a small woodworking factory to a brand that has upheld essence over efficiency

62 Iconic Chair
First introduced in 1962 as Karimoku Furniture’s inaugural self-branded product, the K Chair embodies the company’s design philosophy through its neat form, sturdy structure, and accessible price
68 Karimoku House
A warm and comfortable interior styled entirely with Karimoku 60 furniture-defined by subtle hues, functional usability, and delicate details

75 About Karimoku Furniture
Founded in 1940 by Shohei Kato in Kariya, Aichi Prefecture, Karimoku Furniture has grown from a small woodworking studio into Japan’s leading furniture manufacturer, bridging its past, present, and future

80 Karimoku Perspectives
Through its sub-brands - Karimoku New Standard (KNS), Karimoku Case, and MAS - the company continues to practice respect for wood, spatial philosophy, and the pursuit of truly good furniture

88 Defining Karimoku
An interview with Masatoshi Kato, President of Karimoku Furniture, the third-generation leader expanding the family business while upholding his forebears’ craftsmanship

92 The Karimoku Spirit
A conversation with Ikuji Yamada, Executive Director of Karimoku Furniture, who has spent over four decades mastering diverse fields within the company and helped create Karimoku 60 with Kenmei Nagaoka

96 High-tech & High-touchInside the Karimoku Furniture factory, where advanced automation handles precision work and artisans’ delicate hands elevate the final quality

110 Karimoku People
From wood-drying to processing, polishing, assembly, upholstering, inspection, and delivery - eleven workers share their thoughts on the entire journey behind each piece of furniture
114 Digest
From wood-drying to processing, polishing, assembly, upholstering, inspection, and delivery - eleven workers share their thoughts on the entire journey behind each piece of furniture

118 Special Interview - Kenmei NagaokaA dialogue with Kenmei Nagaoka - design activist, champion of long-life design, and creative director of Karimoku 60 - who revived the K Chair for a new generation

126 Long-life Object
Objects curated by D&DEPARTMENT stores in Japan and Korea that embody not only the maker’s hand but also the curator’s philosophy of long-life design

140 Opinion - Naomi Pollock
Architect & Journalist Naomi Pollock on the Japanese concept of monozukuri through the K Chair ? a reflection on the quiet devotion of those who make things with utmost care

148 Viewing Rooms
From cafes that welcome new guests every day to artists’ studios that feel like home, scenes of the K Chair offering moments of comfort wherever it is placed

148 Opinion - Kenya Hara
Designer and educator Kenya Hara on the K Chair’s quiet yet enduring presence - a long-life design shaped by Japanese aesthetics and sustained by daily life

162 Modern Japan
Food - Acacia, a restaurant representing Yoshoku - Western-inspired Japanese cuisine evolved uniquely within Japan’s food cultureInterior Design - Villa Serena, a 1960s urban mansion that set new standards for practical and hygienic living in JapanArchitecture - The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, where Western spatial functions merge with the Japanese sensibility of placeFashion - Beams, a lifestyle select store that introduced the idea of selling an American lifestyle rather than just products

180 Opinion - BIG-GAME
An interview with BIG-GAME, the design studio that collaborates with Karimoku New Standard to create “global furniture from local wood”

186 New Wave
The next generation of Karimoku Furniture - from Standard A in Korea to Kumano in Japan - expanding the possibilities of wood with timeless yet contemporary sensibilities

192 Chairpunk
A reinterpretation of the K Chair by Studio EAEA, a furniture studio that champions warmth and accessibility through wood

194 Chair Index
My favorite chair

196 Outro