This wooden flower vase was my graduation project at university. At the time, what occupied my mind was simply that I love people and I love flowers. My approach to the project started with the straightforward desire to make a wooden vase. After graduating, I became a designer at an interior shop, and I believe the origin of my passion for enriching everyday life can be found in this work.

Looking back now, I realize that my creative process as a student often began from a rather superficial place. I also remember my advisor, Professor Hattori, who gave me many references. One vivid memory is him telling me about Oskar Schlemmer’s stage design.

I still feel that my graduation project is a precious piece—one in which I didn’t know what the “right answer” was, but one that allowed me to face what I truly wanted to create and devote time to it.