Today's craftspeople put so much care into what they make that the objects themselves sometimes transcend the idea of being mere "things." When done correctly, their works become art. The people who purchase their work then acquire something more than the object itself — they receive an emotional high.
Industrial designer Seiji Onishi gets that high from aluminum. The 75-year-old from Saitama Prefecture says he has been fascinated with the metal ever since he was 10.
“I grew up at a time when aluminum was everywhere,” Onishi tells The Japan Times. “One day, one of my classmates showed up with a round, metal lunchbox. I had never seen anything like it, I thought all lunchboxes were square, and I decided I wanted it for myself.”