The definition of design in Japan is changing. Depending on who you speak to, what falls under its umbrella is either shrinking or expanding to include nearly all aspects of modern life.
This year's edition of Tokyo Designers Week (TDW) would be in the latter camp. Spanning 30 sections over 10 days, it is the largest and most ambitious staging of the event since its inception in 1985.
"In the beginning it was just furniture, but now Tokyo Designers Week has expanded to include all types of genres," TDW producer and founder Kenji Kawasaki tells The Japan Times from his office in the capital's Aoyama district. The 25th anniversary of TDW in 2010 was large and organizers have tried to keep the event the same size ever since. But beginning this weekend, according to Kawasaki, "it expands even further."