Bringing toy design back to the basics, right in the heart of Tokyo.
When we talk about Tokyo - one of the largest, busiest metropolitan cities in the world, we relate the city as the epicenter of Japanese culture, with the latest gadgets, technology, and trends.
While curating some of the loveliest toys and all things kids, a simple, back-to-basics castanet caught our attention. And never did we expect to get to know this very quaint atelier that designs and makes toys, right in the heart of Tokyo in Nihombashi - Tokyo's (and Japan's) predominant financial district. If you have visited Tokyo, Nihombashi is famous for its bridge and it is also home to Japan’s very first department store, Mitsukoshi (After 2 centuries, it is still very much a leading department store today!)
Meet Miyazaki Tsuyoshi of Atelier Fu. - a woodwork artist and product designer, the man behind our bestselling duo, the HELLO WORLD! Newborn Celebratory Personalized Set that consists of a castanet and teether, perfect for baby showers and the teething little ones!
We just had to ask him to show us around his workspace, and of course a little chat on the design behind the Shell Castanet and Knot Teether!
Miyazaki-san, tell us about the design behind the Shell Castanet and Knot Teether!
While studying at a design school, I was very interested in the beauty of Toy design and woodcraft. This series was designed with simplicity in mind, challenging myself by asking “What is simplicity?” By bringing design back to basics, I thought “toys are fun stuff that makes people happy!”.
I hope that I can bring people joy and also closer to art through the simplicity and design of my toys!
What wood is the Shell Castanet and Knot Teether made of, and why did you choose to work with that?
The castanets and teethers are made by hand from Beechwood - a hard and durable wood. When I was making them, I wanted to use wood that is both hard and durable so that the toys withstand daily playtime and use. Another reason is that the colour and grain of Beechwood is light and subtle, hence it doesn’t interfere with the design and motif of the toys.
But if the teethers are made of wood, won’t they be soaked in saliva when the baby chews on them?
Good one here! The teethers and castanets are coated with beeswax and hence it is lightly water-repellent. But don’t worry if your little one just had a good chew of it, just wipe it clean with a damp cloth and air-dry it in a well-ventilated room. Don’t use soap on them, soak them in water, or put them under direct sunlight for a prolonged period of time because these harsh conditions might damage the toy.
Lovely! We would love to take a look at your workspace if possible?
Sure! This is where the magic comes alive!
And on that day, Miyazaki-san was working on some new Shell castanets! Lucky us!
Look at these little SHELL babies on their way to completion! Don’t we just love these behind the scenes?
We asked Miyazaki-san for a photo but he politely declined and joked “Hmmm, I think these little castanets are way cuter than me? (Laughs) But thanks for asking! I guess these castanets deserves more spotlight than me!”
Awww, indeed these castanets deserves some spotlight! And we hope we gave some spotlight to Miyazaki-san through this little mini write-up. :)
Shop the curated collection of Miyazaki-san’s toys below!
And yes we make them even more special as we get Miyazaki-san to personalise them individually with your little one’s name so they will be a lovely keepsake when they grow up!
Not to worry, we ship worldwide with tracking! x
