"En" (Connections)

Overview

Japan has always prized the concept of en. The word refers to the intangible connections that link people to one another, as well as to the events and objects around them, with every chance encounter seen as holding some significance. For centuries, the en implicit in lucky charms has been thought to bring fortune in business, or to prevent illness, while the engawa verandas of traditional Japanese homes are valued as a place where these fortuitous bonds are forged. Studio guest, design strategist Eisuke Tachikawa is our guide as we explore a new world of designs born from the concept of en.