Our source of inspiration for this sofa is the islands of Japan, floating on the serene seascape of the
vast Pacific Ocean. The world’s largest ocean, the Pacific extends seemingly endlessly from Japan
far across to the North American coastline and down to the shores of South America. A few little
islands floating in this vast Pacific make up the Japanese archipelago. We can see this massive
ocean from Japan, but just how far it extends is beyond our imagination. Also, the Sea of Japan,
which is situated between Japan and Korea and separates Japan from Mainland China, has a shape
and color distinct from the Pacific. The mainland Asian cultures that came to Japan across the
sea from China and Korea have been handed down, remained and evolved independently. These
facts have made Japan a distinctive nation. A great number of priceless legacies that were lost in
countries such as China and Korea have been preserved in many areas in Japan, and still survive
today. All of this inspired us to imagine a sofa that could offer the feeling of magnificent scale like
that of Japan surrounded by the Pacific Ocean.
The seating surface was kept as thin as possible while providing a comfortable, well-cushioned
feel when sitting. To give it a greater rebound and resilience, we used a 50mm pocket coil inside
the 100mm seating surface and placed feather bags inside to give the surface a smoother ridgeline
for a more delicate touch. To give the whole sofa a softer appearance, cushioning urethane and
resin cotton were inserted for a gentler look throughout. We consider the sofa’s seating surface
to be another layer of daily living apart from the floor, and we designed it to be a space where you
can stretch out and relax like you would do on a tatami mat – lying down barefoot, listening to
music while reading a book, or relaxing with kids or pets. The backrest is kept low to emphasize the
spaciousness of the seating surface within the home. It provides just the right amount of softness
and functionality as a backrest, as well as the sofa comes with standard gusset cushions that offer
full support for your back.
The brass legs with adjusters, made using a lost wax casting method, can be extended smoothly,
and the trumpet-shaped bases cover a wide surface to stay firmly on the floor. Brass legs can be
chosen in gold and gray colors. The brass on the gray legs is colored through a catalytic reaction.
This coloring technique does not use paint, so the color will not fade. The pieces connecting the legs
have a special shape produced by using a process called extrusion molding. Several hundred tons of
pressure are exerted on a metal block that passes through a die to push out a unique-shaped pipe.
The brass parts produced in this way may be the only ones of their kind in Japan.
A variety of sizes are available to fit all sorts of needs. This sofa also can be used separately as a
daybed or ottoman.