Kagoshima: Stories in Craft from South Japan returns for its third edition at the 2025 London Design Festival,
bringing together a compelling selection of traditional and contemporary makers from Japan’s southernmost region.
The exhibition runs from 13th to 21st September at wagumi, the Japanese design store located at London’s Oxo
Tower Wharf.
This year’s spotlight is on woodworker Shintaro Oku, who will travel from Kagoshima to lead wood carving
demonstrations on 14th September and a hands-on chopstick carving workshop on 15th September. Working
under the KOPPA brand, Oku transforms camphor wood off-cuts into smooth, textural forms that honour the character
of the material. His zero-waste approach and philosophy of living within one’s craft have earned him recognition across
Japan’s contemporary craft movement.
The exhibition also features twenty one other makers whose work expresses the region’s rich cultural identity and deep
connection to the place. From the shimmering, hand-cut glass of MIRIYU Kōbō to the shrine-rooted folk toys of Kōbō
Miyaji, the event explores the enduring creativity of Kagoshima. Ceramicist Kaori Sasaki of Nohara-ya kiln fuses
Okinawan yachimun forms with the black Satsuma tradition using local clay and volcanic ash, while Shōbu Gakuen
showcases vibrant work made in inclusive studios for artists with learning disabilities.
Visitors can also explore the delicate textures of traditional handmade paper by Tsuruta Washi, and taste organically
grown teas from Yamaguchi-en, a pioneering family-run farm in the Satsuma region.
www.wagumi-j.com or follow @kagoshima_stories on Instagram.
Exhibition Details:
Kagoshima: Stories in Craft from South Japan
13–21 September 2025
Open Monday to Sunday, 11am–6pm
wagumi, Unit 1.09, Oxo Tower Wharf, Barge House Street, London SE1 9PH
Wood Carving Demonstration with KOPPA: 14th September