Hello everyone! Miyanaga from GP here. 

Hearing about this event might just spark ideas for content creation that can showcase the charms of Japan. I’d like to direct your attention to “Tokyo Creative Salon Nihonbashi 2025,” which took place from Thursday, March 13 to Sunday, March 30!

Tokyo Creative Salon Nihonbashi 2025

The concept: “Crafts of Nihonbashi, Continuously Innovating”

“Tokyo Creative Salon Nihonbashi 2025” was held as a part of “Tokyo Creative Salon 2025,” one of Japan’s largest festivals celebrating fashion and design. This year’s concept was “Crafts of Nihonbashi, Continuously Innovating.”

Nihonbashi is known as a center of innovation—a cultural hub in Japan that has continued to give rise to new ideas by bridging people, culture, technology, wisdom, and more. In line with that background, this event featured content that focused on the sites where many forms of craftsmanship converge and value is created.

A super stylish key visual

Key visuals are an important element that communicates the event’s image with a single glance. As one would expect from a festival about designing, the key visual for this event was incredibly stylish!

The vibrant designs evoked both tradition and modernity, using crafts rooted in Nihonbashi as motifs. There were 16 variations based on the collaborating crafts.

Used not only in promotional materials but also in the design of the main event hub “Open Craft Park” and event novelties, these visuals enhanced the sense of unity across the town for the event.

Diverse event content with a unified concept

At “Nihonbashi Open Craft,” visitors can enjoy a roaming-style experiential event that offers a peek into the hidden side of crafts, helping to rediscover the value of Nihonbashi. The event provides opportunities to encounter Japanese crafts that continue to evolve in a city where tradition and innovation intersect.

An installation: “Nihonbashi – Koinobori Now!”

“Nihonbashi – Koinobori Now!” is, as the name suggests, an installation themed around koinobori (carp streamers).

First unveiled in Washington, D.C. in 2008, this installation included collaboration with companies around Nihonbashi. About 50 koinobori using motifs and materials unique to Nihonbashi could be found gracefully “swimming” in the heart of Tokyo.

There was also a “Touch & Feel the Fabric” corner where visitors could touch the actual textiles used in the project. It was a great chance to physically experience the uniqueness of the materials.

Introducing Nihonbashi crafts in various ways: “Open Craft Gallery”

A variety of content was available to showcase Nihonbashi crafts from multiple angles. In addition to product displays in stores, the event featured videos highlighting the appeal of participating shops, a stamp rally, and more.

The aim was to spark interest in visiting the stores by showcasing their products from various perspectives. Maps and store introduction cards were available, and original guided tours were also planned for weekends.

Appreciating and experiencing crafts at “Open Craft Branch”

“Open Craft Branch” offered exhibitions and workshops in collaboration with craft-related shops and companies spread throughout Nihonbashi.

Workshops themed on koinobori and cherry blossoms were also held at the “Open Craft Park,” allowing visitors to actually create objects by hand—a thoughtful opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the products. At participating stores, you could also find exhibits aligned with the themes, as well as introductions to the creators’ thoughts, offering a deeper insight into the items. 

Additionally, a collaborative project between “suzusan” and “GALLERY crossing” showcased the charm of crafts connecting tradition with the modern age. The venue featured suzusan’s latest collection and works curated by the two brands from four contemporary artists—exhibited and available for purchase. And on Sunday, March 23, there was a luxurious collaboration event between Ito En and suzusan, including a tea seminar and a workshop to experience Arimatsu-Narumi shibori!

Conclusion

In recent years, Japan has been increasingly taking greater steps into the international spotlight, and demand for events catering to overseas guests has grown significantly. This time, we introduced “Tokyo Creative Salon Nihonbashi 2025,” which seemed to be full of potential inspiration for creating content suited to similar events. If this article piqued your interest, make sure to keep an eye out for other upcoming events!