Magazine C: K Chair Issue 5 English Edition
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Description
Book Introduction
About the 5th Issue of C
The K chair, first introduced by Karimoku Furniture in 1962, is a sleek and durable example of a “long-life design” firmly rooted in authenticity.
Symbolic in form and meaning, the chair shaped Karimoku's identity through its refined craftsmanship, care, and sincerity.
In 2002, designer Kenmei Nagaoka reintroduced it as the Karimoku 60, spurring renewed attention and wider awareness.
Easy to assemble, disassemble, and repair, the K Chair retains a timeless appeal, inviting users to rediscover the beauty and value of everyday objects.
In this issue, Magazine C explores how the K Chair integrates into everyday life across five cities?Tokyo, Singapore, Taichung, Seoul, and Kyoto?through the perspectives of its users.
The team also visited Karimoku Furniture's headquarters and factory to document the K Chair's history and production process in depth.
In addition, the issue features a special interview with Kenmei Nagaoka, creative director of Karimoku 60, as well as conversations with world-renowned designers such as Kenya Hara and BIG-GAME.
Together, these stories illuminate the spirit of monozukuri and the enduring power of long-life design that the K Chair embodies.
The K chair, first introduced by Karimoku Furniture in 1962, is a sleek and durable example of a “long-life design” firmly rooted in authenticity.
Symbolic in form and meaning, the chair shaped Karimoku's identity through its refined craftsmanship, care, and sincerity.
In 2002, designer Kenmei Nagaoka reintroduced it as the Karimoku 60, spurring renewed attention and wider awareness.
Easy to assemble, disassemble, and repair, the K Chair retains a timeless appeal, inviting users to rediscover the beauty and value of everyday objects.
In this issue, Magazine C explores how the K Chair integrates into everyday life across five cities?Tokyo, Singapore, Taichung, Seoul, and Kyoto?through the perspectives of its users.
The team also visited Karimoku Furniture's headquarters and factory to document the K Chair's history and production process in depth.
In addition, the issue features a special interview with Kenmei Nagaoka, creative director of Karimoku 60, as well as conversations with world-renowned designers such as Kenya Hara and BIG-GAME.
Together, these stories illuminate the spirit of monozukuri and the enduring power of long-life design that the K Chair embodies.
index
02 Intro
08 Letter From C
A word from the publisher
12 Quotes
Words from world-renowned designers and architects paying tribute to Karimoku Furniture's passion and craftsmanship.
14 5 Cities, 5 Homes
Those who choose Karimoku 60's K Chair believe in the value of skill, philosophy, sincerity, and care
We visit the homes of people who cherish everyday life and live with intention to capture diverse scenes of the K Chair
Tokyo, David Buchler / Artist & Koichi Tanabe / Web Designer
Singapore, Wu Yan Long / Graphic Designer & Artist
Taichung, Wei Liao / Graphic Designer
Seoul, Suyel Bae / Co-founder of MMMG
Kyoto, Tatsuro & Naoko Funayama / Couple
56 Karimoku Family
Tracing three generations of Karimoku Furniture ― from a small woodworking factory to a brand that has upheld essence over efficiency
62 Iconic Chair
First introduced in 1962 as Karimoku Furniture's inaugural self-branded product, the K Chair embodies the company's design philosophy through its neat form, sturdy structure, and accessible price.
68 Karimoku House
A warm and comfortable interior styled entirely with Karimoku 60 furniture—defined by subtle hues, functional usability, and delicate details
75 About Karimoku Furniture
Founded in 1940 by Shohei Kato in Kariya, Aichi Prefecture, Karimoku Furniture has grown from a small woodworking studio into Japan's leading furniture manufacturer, bridging its past, present, and future.
80 Karimoku Perspectives
Through its sub-brands ― Karimoku New Standard (KNS), Karimoku Case, and MAS ― the company continues to practice respect for wood, spatial philosophy, and the pursuit of truly good furniture
88 Defining Karimoku
An interview with Masatoshi Kato, President of Karimoku Furniture, the third-generation leader expanding the family business while upholding his forebears' craftsmanship
92 The Karimoku Spirit
A conversation with Ikuji Yamada, Executive Director of Karimoku Furniture, who has spent over four decades mastering diverse fields within the company and helped create Karimoku 60 with Kenmei Nagaoka
96 High-tech & High-touch
Inside the Karimoku Furniture factory, where advanced automation handles precision work and artisans' delicate hands elevate the final quality
110 Karimoku People
From wood-drying to processing, polishing, assembly, upholstering, inspection, and delivery ― eleven workers share their thoughts on the entire journey behind each piece of furniture
114 Digest
From wood-drying to processing, polishing, assembly, upholstering, inspection, and delivery ― eleven workers share their thoughts on the entire journey behind each piece of furniture
118 Special Interview - Kenmei Nagaoka
A dialogue with Kenmei Nagaoka ― design activist, champion of long-life design, and creative director of Karimoku 60 ― who revived the K Chair for a new generation
126 Long-life Object
Objects curated by D&DEPARTMENT stores in Japan and Korea that embody not only the maker's hand but also the curator's philosophy of long-life design
140 Opinion - Naomi Pollock
Architect & Journalist Naomi Pollock on the Japanese concept of monozukuri through the K Chair ― a reflection on the quiet devotion of those who make things with utmost care
148 Viewing Rooms
From cafes that welcome new guests every day to artists' studios that feel like home, scenes of the K Chair offering moments of comfort wherever it is placed
148 Opinion - Kenya Hara
Designer and educator Kenya Hara on the K Chair's quiet yet enduring presence ― a long-life design shaped by Japanese aesthetics and sustained by daily life
162 Modern Japan
Food ― Acacia, a restaurant representing Y?shoku ― Western-inspired Japanese cuisine evolved uniquely within Japan's food culture
Interior Design ― Villa Serena, a 1960s urban mansion that set new standards for practical and hygienic living in Japan
Architecture ― The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, where Western spatial functions merge with the Japanese sensibility of place
Fashion ― Beams, a lifestyle select store that introduced the idea of selling an American lifestyle rather than just products
180 Opinion - BIG-GAME
An interview with BIG-GAME, the design studio that collaborates with Karimoku New Standard to create “global furniture from local wood”
186 New Wave
The next generation of Karimoku Furniture ― from Standard A in Korea to Kumano in Japan ― expanding the possibilities of wood with timeless yet contemporary sensibilities
192 Chairpunk
A reinterpretation of the K Chair by Studio EAEA, a furniture studio that champions warmth and accessibility through wood
194 Chair Index
My favorite chair
196 Outro
08 Letter From C
A word from the publisher
12 Quotes
Words from world-renowned designers and architects paying tribute to Karimoku Furniture's passion and craftsmanship.
14 5 Cities, 5 Homes
Those who choose Karimoku 60's K Chair believe in the value of skill, philosophy, sincerity, and care
We visit the homes of people who cherish everyday life and live with intention to capture diverse scenes of the K Chair
Tokyo, David Buchler / Artist & Koichi Tanabe / Web Designer
Singapore, Wu Yan Long / Graphic Designer & Artist
Taichung, Wei Liao / Graphic Designer
Seoul, Suyel Bae / Co-founder of MMMG
Kyoto, Tatsuro & Naoko Funayama / Couple
56 Karimoku Family
Tracing three generations of Karimoku Furniture ― from a small woodworking factory to a brand that has upheld essence over efficiency
62 Iconic Chair
First introduced in 1962 as Karimoku Furniture's inaugural self-branded product, the K Chair embodies the company's design philosophy through its neat form, sturdy structure, and accessible price.
68 Karimoku House
A warm and comfortable interior styled entirely with Karimoku 60 furniture—defined by subtle hues, functional usability, and delicate details
75 About Karimoku Furniture
Founded in 1940 by Shohei Kato in Kariya, Aichi Prefecture, Karimoku Furniture has grown from a small woodworking studio into Japan's leading furniture manufacturer, bridging its past, present, and future.
80 Karimoku Perspectives
Through its sub-brands ― Karimoku New Standard (KNS), Karimoku Case, and MAS ― the company continues to practice respect for wood, spatial philosophy, and the pursuit of truly good furniture
88 Defining Karimoku
An interview with Masatoshi Kato, President of Karimoku Furniture, the third-generation leader expanding the family business while upholding his forebears' craftsmanship
92 The Karimoku Spirit
A conversation with Ikuji Yamada, Executive Director of Karimoku Furniture, who has spent over four decades mastering diverse fields within the company and helped create Karimoku 60 with Kenmei Nagaoka
96 High-tech & High-touch
Inside the Karimoku Furniture factory, where advanced automation handles precision work and artisans' delicate hands elevate the final quality
110 Karimoku People
From wood-drying to processing, polishing, assembly, upholstering, inspection, and delivery ― eleven workers share their thoughts on the entire journey behind each piece of furniture
114 Digest
From wood-drying to processing, polishing, assembly, upholstering, inspection, and delivery ― eleven workers share their thoughts on the entire journey behind each piece of furniture
118 Special Interview - Kenmei Nagaoka
A dialogue with Kenmei Nagaoka ― design activist, champion of long-life design, and creative director of Karimoku 60 ― who revived the K Chair for a new generation
126 Long-life Object
Objects curated by D&DEPARTMENT stores in Japan and Korea that embody not only the maker's hand but also the curator's philosophy of long-life design
140 Opinion - Naomi Pollock
Architect & Journalist Naomi Pollock on the Japanese concept of monozukuri through the K Chair ― a reflection on the quiet devotion of those who make things with utmost care
148 Viewing Rooms
From cafes that welcome new guests every day to artists' studios that feel like home, scenes of the K Chair offering moments of comfort wherever it is placed
148 Opinion - Kenya Hara
Designer and educator Kenya Hara on the K Chair's quiet yet enduring presence ― a long-life design shaped by Japanese aesthetics and sustained by daily life
162 Modern Japan
Food ― Acacia, a restaurant representing Y?shoku ― Western-inspired Japanese cuisine evolved uniquely within Japan's food culture
Interior Design ― Villa Serena, a 1960s urban mansion that set new standards for practical and hygienic living in Japan
Architecture ― The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, where Western spatial functions merge with the Japanese sensibility of place
Fashion ― Beams, a lifestyle select store that introduced the idea of selling an American lifestyle rather than just products
180 Opinion - BIG-GAME
An interview with BIG-GAME, the design studio that collaborates with Karimoku New Standard to create “global furniture from local wood”
186 New Wave
The next generation of Karimoku Furniture ― from Standard A in Korea to Kumano in Japan ― expanding the possibilities of wood with timeless yet contemporary sensibilities
192 Chairpunk
A reinterpretation of the K Chair by Studio EAEA, a furniture studio that champions warmth and accessibility through wood
194 Chair Index
My favorite chair
196 Outro
Detailed image
Publisher's Review
About C
Magazine C, co-created by Grandeclip and brand-based periodic Magazine B, is a documentary magazine that focuses on one iconic chair in every issue, introducing the design and lifestyle people build around it.
Through a deep dive into the industry and chairs of all kinds―from ones seen on the street to icons that have shaped public spaces―Magazine C aims to shine a light on designers, brands, manufacturers, collectors, and chair enthusiasts, as well as uncover how each design has changed contemporary life.
Grandeclip is a startup launched by Bongjin Kim, the founder of Korean food delivery platform Baemin.
Under the business ethos of “Do small things in a great way,” Grandeclip endeavors to discover and highlight the value of seemingly small or everyday things—like a clip.
Magazine C, co-created by Grandeclip and brand-based periodic Magazine B, is a documentary magazine that focuses on one iconic chair in every issue, introducing the design and lifestyle people build around it.
Through a deep dive into the industry and chairs of all kinds―from ones seen on the street to icons that have shaped public spaces―Magazine C aims to shine a light on designers, brands, manufacturers, collectors, and chair enthusiasts, as well as uncover how each design has changed contemporary life.
Grandeclip is a startup launched by Bongjin Kim, the founder of Korean food delivery platform Baemin.
Under the business ethos of “Do small things in a great way,” Grandeclip endeavors to discover and highlight the value of seemingly small or everyday things—like a clip.
GOODS SPECIFICS
- Date of issue: October 29, 2025
- Page count, weight, size: 202 pages | 170*240*20mm
- ISBN13: 9791199529403
- ISBN10: 1199529400
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