Takaokaya

KYOTO, JAPAN

With more than 1,200 years of history in the old capital Kyoto, you cannot help but be overwhelmed by the beauty and deeply ingrained culture Japan has to offer. Kyoto is renowned for fine craftsmanship in a number of industries, and we can fairly say cushion making is one of them.

Takaokaya is a third generation family business that has made its mark in the futon and cushion industry since 1919. Mr Takaoka originally set up a futon workshop and had continued success with supplying his ready made futons to up market Japanese department stores. With each generation the Takaoka’s have continued to refine their craft and further expand into a delightful range of cushions.

The Ojami cushion is an original design developed over the last decade by third generation owner Mr Takaoka. The unique geometric shape is inspired by the ancient Japanese beanbag toy called ‘tedama’, or ‘ojami’ in Kyoto dialect. This traditional Japanese toy was filled with azuki beans, and brought joy to many Japanese children in the post war period.

Every cushion is handmade by a small group of artisans from the Takaokaya studio. Preserving traditions and utilising the talents of their team to produce quality product is intrinsic to the Takaokaya brand.

“People in Japan, are re-evaluating their lifestyles and what matters most to them. While mass production has brought benefits, something is missing. That is heart and soul. If we use products with heart and soul, then our lives will be made much, much richer and more meaningful!”

Curio is excited to collaborate with Takaokaya to produce a stunning range of Ojami denim cushions, that reflect the spirit and essence of such a fascinating culture. The denim range, features denim that has been selected from mills in Hiroshima and made with utmost care in their Kyoto workshop.

Shop our range of Takaokaya cushions