Press Release
The Akita Collection, World Class Furniture from Japan
October 14, 2015
Hagiwara Furniture MFG. CO,. LTD.
Yasuo Hagiwara, President
Hagiwara Furniture MFG. CO,. LTD. exhibits prototypes (3 types of tables and 1 type of chair) of their signature
furniture collection at the 2015 LIVING & DESIGN International Trade Show. Rooted in traditional Japanese
culture and superb craftsmanship, the unique furniture draws on the design concepts of Toshiyuki Kita, a
well-known product designer/producer from Osaka, who has championed the use of softwoods from coniferous
trees to create world-class furniture.
New concept brand will be called “The Akita Collection”.
Coniferous trees account for half of Akita Prefecture’s 820,000 ha (two million acres) of forest. More than four
hundred years ago Samurai Lord Hideyoshi Toyotomi used wood from Akita Cedars to build Fushimi Castle, a
legendary palace that once stood in Kyoto.
Last year, Mr. Kita asked Akita’s prefectural government to take a fresh look at Akita’s traditional cedars and help
us extol the superiority of Akita cedar furniture and lumber to the rest of the world. This was the beginning of the
Akita Cedar Furniture Development Project.
Akita prefecture has launched the “Akita Wood First” campaign to encourage the use of local wood in order to
stimulate the region’s forestry and lumber industries and revitalize local communities. Hagiwara Works, Ltd. is
proud to play a role in this campaign by promoting Akita cedar furniture to the rest of the world.
As its scientific name “cryptomeria japonica” suggests, Japanese cedar is one of the most distinctive Japanese trees.
While its soft and light weight nature often makes Japanese cedar difficult to process, we employ time-honored
techniques and skills in order to overcome these challenges and create cedar table and chair prototypes.
Hagiwara Furniture MFG. CO,. LTD. (Akita City) is spearheading the project in partnership with Fujishima Wood
Industry Co., Ltd. (Kita Akita City), a leader in advanced lumber technology.
Our furniture is scheduled for release in July 2016 (Subject to change).
＊＊＊＊＊ Contact: Hagiwara Works, Ltd. ＊＊＊＊＊
＊＊＊＊＊ Address: 1-4-10 Mukaihama, Akita City, Akita, 010-1601 Japan ＊＊＊＊
＊＊＊＊＊ Phone: +81 18-862-4862 Fax: +81 18-863-3741 ＊＊＊＊＊
＊＊＊＊＊ Email: info@hagiwara-kagu.com ＊＊＊＊＊
Product Guide:
1. Akita Collection A: Table
Cedar table with glass tabletop. (*1)Apron board’s shell construction created from cedar pieces bonded to
surface of beech core. Unique Japanese (*2)hearth-style frame tabletop.
Solid angular lines combine with glass tabletop to create modern feel.
Total weight: 34kg (glass tabletop: thickness 5mm; weight 17kg)
75 lbs. (glass tabletop: thickness 1/5”; weight 37.5 lbs.)
Size: 1600mm (63”) x 850mm (33.5”) x height 720mm (28.5”)
2. Akita Collection B: Chair
Cedar legs with Italian leather seat. Wood sections that widen slightly towards the back are joined by angled
and other various shaped mortises and tenons.
Distinguished Italian leather seat combines with soft, simple cedar wood to create a baroque inspired yet
contemporary chair that gently resonates with the soul.
Chair arms can be set on table top, lifting chair from floor to allow robot vacuum to clean beneath.
Weight: 6kg (13-1/3lbs.)
Slightly lighter 5.5kg (12 lbs.) chairs with high-grade fabric seats are also available for easy handling.
3. Akita Collection C: Table
Cedar tabletop made from 120mm to 150mm (5 to 6-inch) wide joined cedar strips. Two-in-one cedar-beech
(*3)hybrid plywood legs are connected to each other on top by round mortise and tenon. Legs are connected to
tabletop by mortises and tenons.
Soft curved legs combine with cedar table top to create simple and calm feel.
Weight: 24kg (53 lbs.)
Size: 1600mm (63”) x 850mm (33.5”) x height 720mm (28.5”)
4. Akita Collection D: Section Table
Table sections with laminated cedar table tops. Laminated cedar (*4)heartwood and (*5)sapwood arranged and
shaped to give table a gentle yet contemporary feel. Japanese hand drum inspired legs create a sense of
harmony. The table is 1600mm (63”) x 850mm (33.5”) when all five sections are put together.
Table sections come in three shapes; Circle, Isosceles Triangle and Rectangle. Sections can be combined to
form various shapes and sizes depending on the need.
Dimensions
Round Table: Diameter 450mm (17-3/4”) x Height 460mm (18”); Weight 3.25kg (7lbs.)
Isosceles Triangle Table: 750mm (29-1/2”) x 750mm (29-1/2”) x Height 460mm (18”); Weight 6.3kg (14lbs.)
Rectangular Table: 900mm (35-1/2”) x 600mm (23-1/2”) x Height 460mm (18”); Weight 8.5kg (18-3/4lbs.)
Appendix
Company profiles
Hagiwara Furniture MFG. CO,. LTD.
Founded in Akita City at end of Edo Bunsei era (1819 – 1830). Hagiwara Furniture MFG. CO,. LTD.
currently designs and sells furniture to public and private institutions, and manufactures and sells
custom-made furniture to individuals.
Major Works and Accomplishments
Taisho Era (1912 to 1926): Designated as key manufacturing base in Akita
1947: Began molded beech plywood production experiments
1952: Manufactured lounge room set using formed lamination technology
1954: Received Small Enterprise Agency’s Award
（ Began manufacturing furniture designed by Katsuhei Toyoguchi, Isamu Kenmochi, Nobuyuki Onizuka,etc.）
1955: Produced furniture for Governor of Akita Prefecture’s office using formed lamination technology
Recent Works
Cafeteria and reading room desks, tables, chairs and sofa for Akita International University Library
Judge’s bench and furniture for Akita District Court
High back chair for waiting room, furniture for hospital rooms, and dining chairs and tables for Akita Red
Cross Hospital
Formed lamination art bench, desks and chairs for Akita City Nigiwai Koryukan
Fujishima Wood Industry Co., Ltd.
Established in Kita Akita City in 1961.
Fujishima Wood Industry saws various types of wood including Japanese oak. Their superb drying technology
and reliable sizing allows them to meet the most exacting requests. Their drying technology is used not only
for high-end furniture but also speaker boxes and musical instruments. The quality of their products is well
known to major manufacturers throughout Japan.
Laminated wood utilizes resources efficiently since it makes use of wood fragments and chips. It also has a
greater bending strength than solid wood. Laminated wood is made mostly from Japanese oak, beech, cherry,
walnut, zelkova and cedar.
Since laminated wood is suitable for sizes that solid wood is unable to accommodate, we are able to
manufacture made-to-order sizes.
Cedar laminate is made from a mix of heartwood and sapwood that provide uniform strength.
Note:
*1) Apron board: Structural element located beneath desk top board. Connects to upper end of legs to support top board.
*2) Hearth frame: Wood frame structure that attaches to edge of hearths used in Japanese tea houses.
*3) Hybrid formed plywood: Composite wood made from layers of softwood (cedar, etc.) and hardwood (beech, etc.).
*4) Heartwood of Japanese cedar: Central wood of cedar tree. Heartwood is usually redder and harder than surrounding sapwood.
*5) Sapwood of Japanese cedar: Outer wood of cedar tree. Sapwood is usually whiter and softer than inner heartwood