Commercial Spaces NAGAE+

NAGAE+ (pronounced “Nagae ploos”) is a lifestyle brand established in 2015 focusing on metal crafted products originating in Takaoka City of Toyama Prefecture. The brand concept “We Illuminate the World with the Essence of Japanese Aesthetics” comes alive in the first directly managed store located in Jingumae, in the heart of Shibuya, Tokyo. This store not only offers products, but also advocates “the experience of a high-quality communication platform created by Japanese master craftspeople,” and takes the role of a salon which shares and promotes the unique culture. This store also functions as a gallery and has hosted numerous workshops and events since its opening.
The store is located on the ground floor of a commercial complex facing the street, and is divided into a retail area that sells original products and an eatery to try actual tableware. The two areas are divided in a subtle manner aiming to create a comfortable ambience appropriate for both areas while still retaining unity. The retail area displays the merchandise spaciously, along with a counter where service can be provided sitting down. The eatery is called Kobiruya, and visitors can enjoy local sake and dishes featuring ingredients from Hokuriku. The name originates from the word kobiru which means snacks or short breaks in between work, and it is a culinary tradition of the northern Shinetsu and Tohoku areas of Japan. Kobiruya is equipped with a standing bar counter and a large table perfect for workshops, and the excitement can be felt from the streets.
Another feature is the crystalized tin panels developed solely to ornament the walls, ceiling, and household goods of the store. Tin is the signature material of NAGAE+, and this new development underwent various trials and errors to create a new expression of tin. These tin panels, created with the foundry techniques of the parental company Nagae Ltd., is an unprecedented material that catch sunrays like washi (Japanese paper) and shimmer like diamonds.