Serendipity

Mr. Ashida has his home and workshop near Tokyo in an area with quiet rolling hills. He mainly creates bespoke furniture. Using his extensive experience and technical knowledge, he designs and creates according to the needs, preferences and lifestyles of his clients.

A piece of furniture has an important purpose - it must be functional but it also should impart beauty and comfort to everyday life. Keeping this principle close to his heart, Mr. Ashida built his own house and uses the furniture he makes. Living with his own furniture helps him improve his designs and create new ideas. He pays attention to the unpretentious quality of everyday life, which enables him to create simple, functional, sturdy yet beautiful pieces for his clients.

As a child, Mr. Ashida discovered the joy of making things with his own hands. The beginning of his woodworking career, however, can be traced back to the time he spent in The United States. At 18 he began his woodworking studies at a university and learned the craft from American furniture makers. He found himself increasingly captivated by the qualities of wood, which can be transformed into many forms through the use of various processing techniques - shaving, bending, laminating and polishing. He also found another intriguing aspect of woodworking - the art of piecing together different wood grains to form the most attractive combinations. During these early years, he found himself fascinated by the disciplines of the profession - designing in pursuit of function as well as beauty, meticulously calculating the drafts and finally realizing the pieces through the repetition of precisely planned work.

Wood is a precious natural resource that takes many years to grow. A woodworker can draw out the maximum potential from wood and give it new life as furniture.

Mr. Ashida is motivated by a hope that his furniture will be used for many years and passed on from generation to generation. And he hopes to continue creating with a belief that people will always love functional, beautiful design.

Mr. Ashida has his home and workshop near Tokyo in an area with quiet rolling hills. He mainly creates bespoke furniture. Using his extensive experience and technical knowledge, he designs and creates according to the needs, preferences and lifestyles of his clients.

A piece of furniture has an important purpose - it must be functional but it also should impart beauty and comfort to everyday life. Keeping this principle close to his heart, Mr. Ashida built his own house and uses the furniture he makes. Living with his own furniture helps him improve his designs and create new ideas. He pays attention to the unpretentious quality of everyday life, which enables him to create simple, functional, sturdy yet beautiful pieces for his clients.

As a child, Mr. Ashida discovered the joy of making things with his own hands. The beginning of his woodworking career, however, can be traced back to the time he spent in The United States. At 18 he began his woodworking studies at a university and learned the craft from American furniture makers. He found himself increasingly captivated by the qualities of wood, which can be transformed into many forms through the use of various processing techniques - shaving, bending, laminating and polishing. He also found another intriguing aspect of woodworking - the art of piecing together different wood grains to form the most attractive combinations. During these early years, he found himself fascinated by the disciplines of the profession - designing in pursuit of function as well as beauty, meticulously calculating the drafts and finally realizing the pieces through the repetition of precisely planned work.

Wood is a precious natural resource that takes many years to grow. A woodworker can draw out the maximum potential from wood and give it new life as furniture.

Mr. Ashida is motivated by a hope that his furniture will be used for many years and passed on from generation to generation. And he hopes to continue creating with a belief that people will always love functional, beautiful design.

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