As an affiliated brand of MUJI, it’s safe to say IDÉE is equally design-led and with a focus on modern living. Interestingly, the Tokyo-based company started as a Western antique business in 1975 and started its own furniture design, production and planning only a few years later. The product range sees collaborations with emerging designers worldwide, and includes furniture, interior accessories, greens, arts, music, and there are even full-fledged cafés. Operating exclusively within Japan, IDÉE stores are a mecca for modern design aficionados, and can be found in both Tokyo and Osaka. As of late, IDÉE has opened another outpost in the sprawling metropolitan area of the Japanese capital, and this time it’s at Gransta Tokyo, the newly opened underground shopping arcade of Tokyo Station, one of the city’s major transport hubs.
Called IDÉE Tokyo, the store measures approx. 166 sqm. (1,787 sq.ft.) and features a brand new retail concept. Obviously, it stocks tightly curated design goods from a variety of categories, such a furniture, lighting, tablewear and home objects, but it’s all supervised by the specially appointed and acclaimed designer Naoto Fukasawa. Mind you, IDÉE Tokyo will also see a rotation of in-store exhibitions by a rotation of designers and artist from Japan and abroad, held at a dedicated all-white gallery space at the back of the store, and other events, also held under the watchful eye of Fukasawa. The inaugural exhibition, entitled Incomplete Perfection, presents a series of hand-produced white porcelain objects by Japanese ceramic artist Taizo Kuroda (on through Sep 1).
IDÉE Tokyo
Tokyo Station, 1-9-1 Marunouchi, Level B1 (Marunouchi)
Tokyo 100-0005
Telephone: +81 3 52248861
Mon-Sat 8am-10pm
Sun 8am-9pm
Publishers Note
Just to be clear – superfuture® is a design blog and not a political commentator. No surprise there. The scope of our content has always been global and borderless, however that can often mean covering projects in countries where we will not agree with the politics or actions of those countries. In a world that’s as screwed up as ever right now, the focus of our support is to those designers, architects and other creatives who aim to make the world a more liveable one – as opposed to people that try their hardest to destroy it. So if a project hits our desk and we like it based on its design credentials, we may choose to publish regardless of its location or creators nationality. superfuture® has always been inclusive and hopes for all current wars, aggression, violence, hate and extremism to end.
