Tomoko Honda Associate Professor

Research overview

Aiming for Sustainable Vitalization of Communities and Industries in Partnership with Local Citizens through Process Consultation Conducting Research While Applying Experience and Accomplishments
As a designer, I have been involved in product design, landscape design, product development for traditional crafts, and more. My experience, which extends well beyond styling products to include a wide range of activities from planning to sales, is held in high regard, and I am currently conducting research that leverages this experience and these accomplishments. In general, on-site involvement in the area of product development tends to pursue short-term benefits, but it is important to apply a continuous effort that involves solid commitment in the same way that it is applied for community vitalization and industry vitalization. I believe that such an attitude is important in my research at Saga University.

■ Designs That Address Social Issues
In general, design is often thought of as how a product is styled, but I believe that much of the design’s role and the processes involved are solutions to the issues that society or businesses are facing at the time. Let us take the pressing problem of Arita ware needing to develop new markets as an example. Arita ware’s strengths lie in the outstanding artisanship involved in its creation, its richly varied, expressive qualities, and the aesthetics and artistry cultivated over its 400-year history. I started a research initiative titled “Arita x Sogetsu” in earnest in 2021, feeling that it would be possible to bring such excellence to markets outside of tableware. This initiative promotes collaboration between Arita ware and the arts. As one example, Arita Plus, an Arita ware maker, and Teachers of Sogetsu Ikebana (Japanese traditional flower arrangement ), have been working together to develop flower vase and ultimately make them commercially available as well as to nurture new markets and develop new forms of artistic expression and held a research exhibition in Tokyo. This initiative aims to ultimately produce commercially viable products and develop new markets while promoting dialogue with ikebana artists, as well as to create new forms of artistic expression.

In the area of community vitalization, I created a sunflower maze at Take no Tanada, which is among Japan’s best 100 terraced rice fields, and I was able to attract many visitors, including local citizens. I am also working with students and local citizens in an effort to promote greater understanding of Arita’s excellence and raise Arita’s appeal in new ways.

In addition, I am conducting research and study of the tableware that is used for lunches at schools because many plastic tableware items continue to be used for school lunches and the adoption rate of reinforced porcelain tableware remains sluggish.

■ Process Consultation for Continuous Engagement
I use a support method called “process consultation” in my research and initiatives because the involvement of the stakeholders is essential above all else in both community vitalization and industry vitalization. Never are the methods and ideas of the researchers and experts pushed unilaterally. Instead, process consultation involves establishing trust with the Arita ware craftspeople, local citizens, and others, exchanging opinions on an equal footing, and encouraging people to think, imagine, and act on their own initiative.

It is hoped that continuous application of research initiatives that use this support method will enable communities and industries to become self-reliant and pursue sustainable efforts.

• 

  Expected Effect of Arita x Sogetsu

• 

  （1）“ARITA x SOGETSU Research Exhibition”—2nd floor, Sogetsu Kaikan, Akasaka, Tokyo
  （2）Flower arrangement by Osen Endo, Ceramic create by Hiroyuki Tokunaga, Proposal ceramics by Karyo Naito, Photo by Yoshiaki Abe, ARITA×SOGETSU
  （3）Flower arrangement by Akane Teshigahara, Ceramic create by Yoshiyasu Harada, Proposal ceramics by Kako Hirai, Photo by Yoshiaki Abe, ARITA×SOGETSU
  （4）Flower arrangement by Akane Teshigahara, Ceramic create by Shinji　Terauchi, Proposal ceramics by Karyo Naito, Photo by Yoshiaki Abe,ARITA×SOGETSU