Overview

For the production of trophies presented to employees in recognition of outstanding achievements at Shimadzu Corporation, Hyakutaro Oiri participated in the project by providing conceptual planning and overseeing the production process. Inspired by Shimadzu’s vision of becoming “a forest of Shimadzu,” where the diverse dreams of its employees come together, encourage one another, and continuously enhance corporate value, the concept focused on diversity and the imagery of forests and trees. In addition, traditional techniques rooted in Kyoto, the birthplace of Shimadzu, were incorporated to propose a “forest of trophies,” each with its own unique character. The glass component of each trophy bears the name of the respective award, while the base is crafted using a variety of traditional Japanese materials and techniques, including mother-of-pearl inlay (raden), Kitayama cedar, Nishijin textiles, yaki-haku (burnished gold foil), and washi paper. The trophies are designed to represent a growing forest: as departments and individuals receive awards multiple times, the diversity of trophies increases, symbolizing the continued growth of the “Shimadzu Forest.” Although the assembly of the trophies may appear simple, the fitting between the glass and base components involves subtle variations inherent to handcrafted work. Some fittings are loose, others tight, and some require delicate adjustment—challenges that cannot be resolved through uniform processing alone. Only through Hyakutaro Oiri’s deep understanding of both the properties of diverse materials and the essential techniques behind each traditional craft was it possible to create trophies that harmoniously integrate such a wide range of materials.  

Key Points

  • The project involved not only production management, but also concept development and proposal from the idea stage
  • “Diversity” emerged as a key theme across many internal discussions at Shimadzu
  • Traditional techniques were incorporated to reflect Shimadzu’s founding location: Kyoto, a city of comprehensive traditional craftsmanship
  • Rather than a one-time internal event item, the trophies were designed to be desired year after year and suitable for long-term display