Located in the hills of Gifu Prefecture, within the historic Mino district, the city of Tajimi has nurtured a ceramic tradition that spans more than 1,300 years. This legacy is deeply rooted in the region’s natural rich clay deposits and water sources, which have shaped not only the material qualities of its ceramics but also the cultural identity of the area.

Tajimi is more than a site of production; it is a meeting ground where artisans and international designers collaborate, bridging past and present, East and West, handcraft and technology — a shared ground.

Under the umbrella title Shared Ground, two related exhibitions — Design with Japan and Tile Works — offer different perspectives on this evolving dialogue, presenting objects, prototypes, and products developed in collaboration with local manufacturers and craftsmanship.

The exhibitions offer a window onto the work of international designers who developed projects in collaboration with local partners. With a respect for heritage yet sharing curiosity for experimentation, each piece reflects a conversation between traditional craft and contemporary design,   

Both designers have participated in the Design with Japan, a programme that forges connections between emerging Swiss designers and Japanese manufacturers. Its aim is to nurture an intercultural collaborative environment that pushes the boundaries of design. The first edition of the programme took place in Tajimi, where designers and local manufacturers work hand in hand to develop projects. Presented by the Swiss Embassy in Japan and the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia, in collaboration with Tajimi Custom Tiles, and makers in the Tajimi area.

Learn more about the project and their journey starting in Fall 2024: Open Call 2024 , In Tajimi

Exhibition period: 10 – 19 October, 2025  
Opening hours  11:00–19:00 
Venue:  CIRCLE, 2F Caminito, 1-3-1 Higashi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0011  

Presented by the Embassy of Switzerland in Japan and the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia, in collaboration with Tajimi Custom Tiles, Miyama, and Method Inc.; with the support of Presence Switzerland, Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA); sponsored by Création Baumann Japan Ltd., Sonova Japan Co., Ltd., and USM U. Schaerer Sons K.K. 

＊Running in parallel, Tajimi Custom Tiles will present the exhibition Tile Works at the exhibition space (Place)PLACE by method next door. 

Press tour and Opening reception
9 October 2025  
Press tour  16:00 – 17:30  
Opening reception  18:00 – 20:30  
Ambassador of Switzerland to Japan Mr. Roger Dubach, along with the participating designers, Noelani Rutz and Anthony Guex, will be in attendance.
※ Press tour and opening reception will be co-hosted with the Tajimi Custom Tiles 

is a Swiss product designer based in Zurich. After gaining experience working for Shigeki Fujishiro in Tokyo and Jörg Boner product design in Zürich, she opened her own studio in 2023 focusing on product design and cultural mediation. With a keen eye for detailed simplicity, her hands-on approach commits to a thoughtful combination of traditional craft, material research and pragmatic solutions. @noelanirutz https://noelanirutz.com/

Bridging the winter landscapes of Switzerland and Japan, this project explores snow’s dual nature. Its permanence in memory and culture, and its impermanence in reality. Though distant, both countries share a deep connection; a long-standing tradition of observing and adapting to snow’s fleeting presence.

“Fleeting landscapes” captures the ephemeral qualities of snow by translating it into a new material. Clay, resistant to temperature and time, preserves the impermanence of form and texture. Whether directly casted snow or observations translated with glaze, it speaks to the seasonal and ecological fragility of snow, its vanishing presence – a quiet reminder of change.

Maker: Sugiura Seito Co., Ltd.
Sugiura Seito Co., Ltd.  are a tile manufacturer founded in 1950 in Tajimi City, Gifu Prefecture. Beginning with the production of mosaic tiles, They have creating high-quality tiles for over 70 years, drawing on the techniques of Mino ware. On a site of approximately 100,000 m², we handle the entire process from planning to production in-house, enabling diverse, small-lot manufacturing with a strong focus on “color, form, and performance.”

More than just tiles, these forms extend slightly from the wall, creating shelves for objects to be displayed. Whether placed in rhythmic patterns or as singular accents, they bring depth and dimension to any room. Beyond the home, these tiles can be used in a commercial setting, for shops and galleries to display products.Produced using locally sourced clay, the tiles are extruded in an L shaped profile. They are finished with unpigmented doroyu, a type of engobe, highlighting the natural variation and subtle textures of the regional clay. This approach celebrates the raw character of the material while maintaining a refined, architectural quality. This piece will be presented in the Tajimi Custom Tiles exhibtion.

Maker:  Marusen Chemical Industrial CO.ltd.
Founded in 1898 as a tableware manufacturing factory, the company is now in its fourth generation. Around 1930, under the second generation, they began producing tiles. From its founding, the company has carried out its own raw material grinding and blending, and even today, with the introduction of large-scale grinding machines, it continues formulations that preserve the original character of the clay. Still today, about 10% of production is dedicated to pottery, primarily using the traditional tatara forming technique passed down through generations. Drawing on the skills cultivated in pottery making, the company is committed to creating products that harmonize with architecture over time and continue to be cherished.

is a Swiss product and interior designer based in Lausanne with a focus on product, furniture, and interior design. With over seven years of experience as a cabinetmaker and foreman in the wood industry, he studied interior design at the HEAD-Genève and earned a master’s degree in product design from ECAL / University of Art & Design Lausanne in 2015. Anthony divides his time between his design studio and his role as Artistic Deputy at ECAL. He collaborates with national and international brands such as New Tendency, Okro, Tectona, Ecal, and Fogo Island Workshops of the Shorefast Foundation in Newfoundland, Canada @anthonyguex, https://anthonyguex.ch/

This project is an exploration of the materiality of porcelain and is rethinking our relation to it. Traditionally, itis shaped in thin layers, and  seen as delicate, almost fragile. Anthony chose to take the opposite approach, to give it more density and volume, to shift its perception, attempting to bring out a more grounded, more sculptural side of porcelain.The forms are deliberately simple, geometric, minimal. They evoke architectural volumes while remaining familiar and accessible. Straight lines interact with softer curves, creating a quiet and balanced tension. This contrast gives each piece its own rhythm and visual dynamic, allowing it to sit naturally within everyday spaces.

Maker: Miyama Co., Ltd.
Miyama Co., Ltd. was established in 1977 in Mizunami City, Gifu Prefecture, a production center of Mino ware especially active in the manufacturing of Western tableware for export. The company has inherited the craftsmanship of “monozukuri” — shaping fine local porcelain materials with precision and firing them at high temperatures. We design and produce original tableware under the theme of “beautiful vessels,” blending the timeless charm of ceramics with everyday functionality to enrich daily life.

Comment from Miyama: We specialize in creating tea-related items — especially teapots — that combine refined design with everyday usability. We are thrilled that, through this program, collaborating with Anthony has enabled our long-practiced craftsmanship to engage with the ideals of Swiss lifestyle. Until now, our designs have traditionally centered on Japanese cultural foundations, and in doing so, we often worked within certain unspoken assumptions. This program has provided a valuable opportunity to step beyond those boundaries, and we are sincerely grateful for it.

Tajimi Custom Tiles
BESPOKE TILES MADE IN TAJIMI, JAPAN – Tajimi City is the heart of Japan’s tile industry, renowned for its centuries-old craftsmanship and innovation. Tajimi Custom Tiles (TCT) specializes in custom-made tiles of any size, shape, color, or texture, utilizing a diverse range of unique production, glazing, and firing techniques. Catering to architects and designers worldwide, TCT provides a seamless process that combines expertise with in-depth consultation. To support creative projects of all scales, TCT offers small-lot production and worldwide shipping. TCT’s core services include fully custom-made tiles, crafted to meet precise specifications for unique shapes and subtle color adjustments, as well as semi-custom tiles, allowing customers to personalize designs by selecting from a broad palette of shapes, textures, and colors.

In Tajimi, traditional molding and firing techniques that have disappeared elsewhere continue to thrive, alongside an exceptional variety of glazes and finishes. The combination of specialized firing methods and countless artisanal glaze variations allows for intricate, highly expressive designs—leading architects and designers to say, “This can only be done in Tajimi.” At its headquarters in Tajimi, Gifu, the company has an in-house laboratory for prototype production and recycled tile research and development, as well as the TAJIMI CUSTOM TILES gallery.

Comment from Tajimi Custom Tiles
Using handmade tiles that captured the traces of snow in the Swiss Alps as samples, Noelani selected production methods suitable for mass production and repeatedly created prototypes until the designs took shape. Although the tile industry in the Mino region has a history of over 120 years, even with the knowledge and skills cultivated over generations, achieving the desired textures and forms proved challenging, requiring numerous adjustments. We are very pleased that this collaboration, combining the Swiss designer’s new ideas with the Mino ware tile industry, has brought fresh possibilities and expanded the potential of traditional techniques and expressions.

“Design with Japan” is a collaborative  programme initiated by the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia  in collaboration with  the Swiss Embassy in Japan. The programme forges connections between the innovative power of Swiss emerging designers and Japanese manufacturers.
 Its goal is to nurture an intercultural collaborative environment that pushes the boundaries of design. 

This collaboration comes to life through the development of a series of prototypes, a project exhibition and media exposure.

Selection Committee of the “Design with Japan” edition 2024-2025
Tsuyoshi Matsuzawa, Managing director of E&Y Co.,Ltd / Professor at the Department of Design and Fine Arts, Osaka University of Arts Junior College / Jury for the Good Design Award
David Glättli, Creative Director and Designer
Laetitia de Alergi, Designer

Exhibition team member
Exhibition Curation | David Glättli
Project Lead and Curation｜Irene Yamaguchi
Graphic Design | Sebasthian Fehr
PR | Naoko Takegata / daily press