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There is news … and there is BIG news. This is a BIG one! There is a Fashion event in Dubai from June 13th to 15th called Fashion Factor. (Incidentally, the Dubai Fashion Week, which is held in February and September, is one of the largest fashion-related events in the world, after Milan, Paris, New York and London.)
And Yes! Our SHU-HA-RI belts will make it on the runway!
If you’re in Dubai, please let us know: we may be able to get you free tickets for the show. Panel discussions start at 16:00, Shows start at 19:00 (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) And if you can’t make it in person, you are welcome to visit the event on the metaverse instead! →https://lu.ma/q7jwgx15
This is an appeal to all our clients and testimonials: The information that you share can help other people like you!
For instance, Jonathan kindly shared on the testimonial corner info about his builder. https://bartokdesign.com/91-references/surrounded-by-nature.php This not only helps fellow Japanese bath lovers navigate the traditionally conservative environment of construction companies and find one with experience and a positive attitude. BUT… Also, to bring new business (potentially big business!) to your reliable and passionate builder.
If you already sent us photos to share in our testimonial corner, please send info about your builder! (homepage, phone number etc. I will try to mask it to prevent automated spam as much as possible.)
If you still didnt, or have additional photos: YES! it can make a difference to other friends looking for help and inspiration. Please share!
Last but not least, if you have tricks about cleaning tubs, covering tubs, repairing tubs, reselling and trading tubs, heating, filtering water or whatever is related, please let me know. I will post it in the FAQ for everybody`s convenience and delight!
Thank you in advance for the kind cooperation! iacopo
In every ancient culture, across continents, the snake is revered as a symbol of wisdom, power, and wealth.
We hope wisdom, power, and wealth will flow into your life in 2025!
The snake is also a symbol of circularity and new beginnings as embodied by the enigmatic symbol of the Ouroboros.
And two snakes twisted together are used as the insignia for the medical profession: a powerful imagery that conceals deep symbolism spanning from the mysteries of Ra to the oriental culture of Kundalini Yoga.
But if I may add what I think is the most stunning take from our cold-blooded friends, it is that:
they do not walk or run.
but still, they can reach their target and find their way.
They flow. ~>゜)～～～ ~>゜)～～～ ~>゜)～～～
This is not an argument about letting go, or some other zen-nish wisdom.
I am personally enjoying everyday holstering and bolstering (even if sometimes getting frustrated…)
but the realization that you can glide elegantly through the ups and downs of life like a snake, is inspirational.
When the wind is blowing too strong on my face I will try to keep in mind this mantra:
“let it flow…”
And when it is not enough… I will enter in my ofuro, open the hot water, and let it flow!
Our client and friend Lorenzo from LA completed his dream house, designed by Tadao Ando. And the house was featured on AD 2025 special issue (world class 100 projects) We supplied for this project the ofuro and accessories as well as the shoji, benches and some other furniture. It is an amazing project and I think that pictures will be more eloquent than words! That said, I welcome your comments or questions, I am sure that Lorenzo will like to virtually show you around…
In Japan we are suddenly experiencing cooler mornings and evenings.
Autumn, with its crisp air and shining sun, its foliage, and traditional festivals is here. However, as I don`t like cold weather, autumn reminds me that winter is approaching, so I am already missing the torrid summer and feeling a little melancholic.
For this reason, as the shirts are replacing the T-shirts here in Japan, I decided to grab a few days’ extension of heat in sunshine Dubai!
Following on from 2000 and 2002, I was invited to the Global Family Office Investment Summit, a family office event, again this year.
I’m also planning to give a 5-minute presentation speech: I’m going to talk about opportunities for sponsoring projects and events at the Osaka Expo (Belgian pavilion, tea room project and others).
It will be easier for me to meet on the 12th as I am free from the morning until my 23:00ish flight.
But what is the tea room project?
As you may know, I am now involved in some “2025 Osaka Expo” pavilion construction projects (Italy, Belgium, Spain, Serbia, Mozambique, Botswana, San Marino, Uruguay, Panama etc.)
Actually, I was also the AoR for the Indian pavilion, designed by Rajeev Sethi. We obtained the building permits at the end of May.
Anyway, the Indian trade promotion agency had some internal troubles and decided to switch to a prefabricated pavilion, the infamous X-type (；ﾟДﾟ) This is very sad because the pavilion was beautiful and expressed the arts and crafts of India. But there is another “missed opportunity” element: a famous Japanese architect, (let’s call him KK) designed a tea room for the project. But of course also this part is going to be aborted (；ﾟДﾟ)
The tea room has a very powerful symbology as a tool to spread mutual understanding: it is the quintessential tool for implementing peace.
The original concept of Rajeev was to use the tea room to arrange top-level and highly symbolic one-to-one meetings between heads of state because as you know tea ceremony is all about two people leaving their weapons and armor outside and opening to each other differences.
Actually, KK is very passionate about this project. I never saw him deeply involved in other pavilions he designed (Portugal, Malaysia, etc.) but he flew with 2 assistants to India and met with Indian craftsmen just 1 week before the shocking turnaround from the ITPO ( ；∀；)
I can privately share his design and the heartwarming photos of his trip to India to those interested.
But I did not give up on the dream to create the tea room anyway: actually up to 5 of them with different designs (the sketch below is a placeholder).
I am in contact with E-design (the company managing the design of the exterior areas under the design supervision of Arch. Fujimoto – the designer of the ring)
To cut a long story short, I am looking for ideas and sponsors to make this project happen but there is a very tight timeline to take control of the situation.
The teahouse project can be sponsored directly (for instance by offering tea in cups with a logo on them) and indirectly (as naming rights, through the media and news feeds) and can even be managed to produce sales.
Needless to say, after the expo is over, the sponsor would have the right to reuse and transfer the tea room anywhere in the World – and I think that this “legacy” value alone is worth the involvement. (To build the tea room and 240m2 original design Japanese garden we will need the sponsor to invest about 1 million USD)
I prefer not to share presentation material here for copyright and privacy reasons, but feel free to reach to me for further information.
You can see the kumiko craftsmanship, the process of turning square timber into round sticks, and the final finishing touches to the bathtub using a hand plane. And at the end, we and the Dubai team all ate watermelon together with the grandpa, grandma: even more than the filming until now, this was definitely a scene belonging to movie set!
A client and friend in Singapore set up an apartment for guests and equipped it with a hinoki bath but since it is rarely used they are considering renting or selling the property.
As they already have an ofuro in their main house, this beauty will need to find another loving household.
Anybody interested? Of course, it is possible to ship, but a “new family” in Singapore would be the easiest and cheapest solution.
Specs are:
Japanese Hinoki wood AB grade bathtub (quartersawn)
L1300mm x W750mm x H650mm (ext. dimensions) 560mm(deep)
Price is 550,000 JPY (and you will have to do the moving)
Conditions are pristine, practically never used.
Get in touch with iacopo at japan@bartokdesign.com for further info or to organize a viewing.
I am glad to re-publish here the proposal do salvage and re build a beautiful temple that was doomed for demolition in 2022.
the long tail of the pandemy froze the situation for a couple of years but now the countdown has been s
et up again and the d-day is now December 2024.
so we have 2-3 months to find a candidate and 2-3 months for the actual dismantling work.
I am sharing below the information of 2 years ago.
Exchange rate and shipping costs should have become more favorable as well, so please let us know your advice 🙌
I am not sure if it is sad news or happy news, …but yes! we can definitely turn it into a 100% happy news!
An old temple (called Josen-ji) located in Kameyama (Aichi prefecture) will be demolished in early 2023. The building is said to be at least 150 years old (but judging from the photos I think even more)
The elegant noyane (double roof) slanted iri-moya roof (a mix between hip roof and gable roof) is finished with the “hongawara” roof tiles which means that there are 2 separate parts, one for the concave and one for the convex components.
The size of the hon-do (main hall) is about 11m x 11m + external corridor.
It seems unbelievable, but they are also going to demolish and dump the gorgeous gold plated altar and massive scuptured ranma panels (；ﾟДﾟ)！
we had many lovely stories and adventures with out customers and friends, but the one I am about to share reaches into the legendary.
first of all the subject: Santiago, Colombian architect operating in Los Angeles and star in the shooting of the special on Bartok design that was aired by NHK few years ago.
We have been in touch since 2009 (for some 15 years!), done 3 projects together, shared information and dreams… and now we finally meet in Tokyo!
Santiago is on a solo trip towards the traditional town of Arimatsu near Nagoya and he was so kind to give me a ring.
First, we headed to our workshop in Chiba and then to meet our top batter craftsman, the shy but warm-hearted Wada San.
The meeting was crowned by a glorious sushi dinner at the shop run by a grumpy as much as sweet couple.
Now that we could connect also in the real world I am sure many more adventures are waiting for us!
This is quite amazing, also because I do not know how it could happen that our paths did not cross before.
Steve Beimel is a Californian guy living in Kyoto for some 50 years. He is leading a project that has been on my wishlist for years: making traditional crafts shine. It is not just a matter of saving, preserving or protecting. Beautiful things have the inner power to shine, and Steve is master in giving them right push into the limelight.
As the famous Mendelhsson quote recites: “tradition is the tendering of the fire, not the worship of the ashes”.
And definitely Steve knows the path as well as walks the path.
He ran a customized experiences travel agency for foreign tourists in search for the true japan but just before Covid he shifted full time to the https://www.japancraft21.com/ project.
I think I cannot describe his aim and mission as well as he does, so I would like to encourage those interested to get in touch with him directly.
Let me just say one thing: not only he is generously supporting talented craftsmen and renovating a gorgeous machiya but taking advantage of new regulations in the japan building standard law, he is taking the lead in building from scratch the first Machiya in 80 years!
I have the feeling that the two of us will find many projects to cooperate on, and you will learn a lot about him here in the future. But the bridging of the traditional knowledge to the new generations cannot wait, so I decided to share his info with the Bartok community with the hope that you also could find your personal projects to develop together with Steve.
