Akita Woodwork

Very special chairs with a feel of the verdant Tohoku forests

Tables and chairs that describe stunningly beautiful arcs are used in locations such as Lounge Komorebi and the SHIKI-SHIMA Suite Room. The flowing curves of the wood are combined with upholstery the color of young leaves. The specially designed backs of the chairs in the lounge spread out like branches from a tree trunk, evoking the silhouettes of Tohoku trees.
They were created by AKITA MOKKO, the only company in Japan that uses the wood bending technique to make furniture, in collaboration with Ken Kiyoyuki Okuyama, who was in charge of interior design. A series of prototypes were produced until they were perfected. Each one designed individually for this very special train, they have been meticulously planed and curved to fit against the human body. This relaxing area is enhanced by furniture that exquisitely harmonizes the esthetic sense of the designer and the skills of the experienced artisans.

The only Japanese brand to specialize in bentwood furniture for over a century

AKITA MOKKO was established in Yuzawa, Akita Prefecture in 1910. Ever since then, it has continued to engage with the manufacture of furniture using beech from the Tohoku region. It was the first company in Japan to adopt the bentwood furniture technique invented by Michael Thonet in the mid-19th century. A rod of wood is steamed at a temperature close to 100 degrees Celsius and placed in an iron mold where it is bent into shape. The bent wood is then carefully planed and polished, before being assembled to create a chair leg. AKITA MOKKO has worked in collaboration with famous post-war Japanese designers such as Sori Yanagi and Isamu Kenmochi, who were thrilled by this sophisticated technique. Created with an unwavering esthetic that is determined to make the wood even more beautiful than when it was standing as a tree, this furniture is loved by each generation that uses it.