Kenta HIRAI

This work is created using Yoshino cedar, a prized timber from Nara Prefecture, combined with a specialized bentwood technique known as Free Form Lamination.

The pieces highlight the delicate grain of Yoshino cedar and sculptural forms shaped through flowing, three-dimensional curves.

Born in 1984 in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan.

In 2010, the artist acquired advanced woodworking skills in Hida Takayama, before spending three years working at the renowned Irish furniture workshop Joseph Walsh Studio.

After returning to Japan, the artist relocated to Kawakami Village in Nara Prefecture and established studio Jig in 2017.

Through the use of specialized techniques developed over years of practice, the artist continues to explore the untapped potential of softwood on a daily basis.

Kawakami Village, Nara Prefecture—the place of production—is a small community of approximately 1,300 residents located in the southeastern region of the prefecture.

It is the heart of Yoshino forestry, a tradition spanning more than 500 years, and the birthplace of Yoshino cedar, one of Japan’s most celebrated timbers.