With over 50 years of design experience, Toshiyuki Kita created NUPRI, a representation of his thoughts on the refined sense of beauty found in Hokkaido, Japan. He chose the name “nupri,” meaning “mountain” in the language of the Ainu (Hokkaido’s Indigenous people). Made using Hokkaido-grown Japanese Oak, NUPRI expresses the connection between humans and nature.
No matter where it is placed, this table creates a look of beauty from every angle. As it is designed to be neither rectangular nor completely round, it has endless possibilities for use. The edges are raised slightly to prevent things from falling off.
Standard Size
As shown
Since 1969, Toshiyuki Kita has worked with various European and Japanese manufacturers of home products such as furniture and electronics. His motto is, "Design is a harmony of everything." He has also produced a great number of products with ecological themes such as recycling and reusing. Many such products are part of permanent collections of worldwide museums, such as the New York Museum of Modern Art. He has been a consultant on governmental programs to promote design in China, Singapore, and Thailand, and is the chairman of the judgement committee for the Japan Good Design Award and for the International Furniture Design Competition Asahikawa. He has held several key positions both domestically and internationally within the design industry, and has been involved in promotional efforts of traditional craft and local industry in Japan since 1968.
In 2011 in Italy, he was awarded the Golden Compass Award (International Award for Distinguished Service), and was a judge for the same award in 2016. He has gone on to receive several other awards and serve on judging committees. He is also a professor at Osaka University of Arts, and has published several titles relating to the field of design.
www.toshiyukikita.com