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The Best Episodes of DESIGN TALKS plus

Every episode of DESIGN TALKS plus ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of DESIGN TALKS plus!

What is good design? And what is its power? From traditional to cutting edge, we explore Japanese designs that are literally shaping our lives.

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  1. #1 Fan Favorite
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    DESIGN TALKS plus Season 1 Episode 1 - Anonymous Design
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #1 - Anonymous Design

    S1:E1

    Renowned Japanese product designer Naoto Fukasawa believes that the essence of good design is that it blends into our daily lives, existing outside consciousness. Fukasawa's research into the meaning of design has led him to believe that what we need most today is such anonymous design. As our guest this time, Fukasawa takes us into a new world of design, showing the importance of products we may never have heard of.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  2. DESIGN TALKS plus Season 1 Episode 2 - Railway Design
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    #2 - Railway Design

    S1:E2

    The first railways in Japan were developed using imported technology, brought in after Japan opened its doors to the West in the latter half of the 19th century. Since then, Japan has developed a world-class railway system that includes Shinkansen bullet trains, and that features a variety of uniquely Japanese designs. Riding the rails is an integral part of daily life for so many Japanese. Designer Eiji Mitooka joins us as we investigate the design of Japan's railways.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  3. DESIGN TALKS plus Season 1 Episode 3 - Avant-garde
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    #3 - Avant-garde

    S1:E3

    Japanese culture is often celebrated for its simple beauty. But it has another, very different side. The glamorous, ornate clothing worn by kabukimono and oiran made them popular icons. This avant-garde fashion asserted a sense of self, rebelling against social norms. Our guest is Noritaka Tatehana, who has updated this tradition for the modern age. He will help us explore Japan's avant-garde design.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  4. DESIGN TALKS plus Season 1 Episode 4 - Flowers
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    #4 - Flowers

    S1:E4

    The flowers that grace each of Japan's 4 seasons have inspired many floral designs in both high art and everyday items. The Japanese love of flowers is most obvious in kado, the art of flower-arranging. Kado is not just about visual beauty - the flowers are symbols of life, and are used to express feelings like sympathy and spirituality. Our guest is Takashi Kimura, a kado artist who will take us on a journey through Japanese flower design.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  5. DESIGN TALKS plus Season 1 Episode 5 - Shitsuraeru
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    #5 - Shitsuraeru

    S1:E5

    Shitsuraeru typically means something like "arrange" or "set up", but in the world of Japanese design, it refers to the custom of placing objects in a harmonious way. Beautiful objects like hanging scrolls, bonsai plants and bamboo sunshades are placed in the home, and then replaced, in ways that highlight the passage of time and the changing seasons. Today's guest is Mai Miyake, an artist with a unique style rooted in traditional Japanese beauty. Join us as we explore this fascinating idea of "harmonizing" spaces.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  6. DESIGN TALKS plus Season 1 Episode 6 - Printing
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    #6 - Printing

    S1:E6

    Even as the Internet and digital media play an ever larger role in our lives, interest in traditional printed media is seeing resurgence. You can't replace the texture or expressiveness of physical printed items. Printing in Japan blossomed during the Edo Period, as ukiyo-e woodblock prints and other printed items found widespread popularity. Even today, technological advances in physical printing continue to be made in Japan. With guest Issei Kitagawa, a graphic designer who is the head of a printing company, we discuss printing and design.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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    The 20 WORST Episodes of DESIGN TALKS plus

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  7. DESIGN TALKS plus Season 1 Episode 7 - Yohaku
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    #7 - Yohaku

    S1:E7

    Japanese culture has developed a keen appreciation for "yohaku", which means something like "negative space". In everything from art and entertainment to clothing, food and housing, space is more than just a blank - it is a form of expression that provides room for implication and suggestion. How has the Japanese created beauty in blank spaces? We're joined by graphic designer Shun Kawakami, who is on a quest to bring Japanese aesthetics to the world. Watch and discover the beauty of yohaku!

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  8. DESIGN TALKS plus Season 1 Episode 8 - Reality & Fiction
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    #8 - Reality & Fiction

    S1:E8

    There is a centuries-old theory in Japan that true beauty lie in the gap between reality and fiction. That aesthetic has had an enormous influence on Japanese culture. Studio guest, Tom Kawada of augmented reality design unit AR 3 Brothers, uses cutting-edge technology to create new, genre-bending forms of expression that have sparked widespread interest. Explore the designs born from this Japanese aesthetic, and discover how it is still inspiring designers today.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  9. DESIGN TALKS plus Season 1 Episode 9 - Furumai
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    #9 - Furumai

    S1:E9

    Human behavior is sometimes constrained by design - while some designs are carefully calculated to nudge us towards certain behavior. The Japanese word 'furumai' can refer to physical movement as well as to general behavior. Japanese designs have long been shaped to encourage particular behaviors and etiquette in social life. Studio guest and architect Hiroshi Nakamura joins us to explore designs which focus on the relationship between form and human behavior.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  10. DESIGN TALKS plus Season 1 Episode 10 - Regeneration
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    #10 - Regeneration

    S1:E10

    For centuries Japan has squeezed every possible use out of limited resources; exceptional skill and understanding created great beauty along the way. The spirit of regeneration is also part of Zen Buddhism in which a new perspective provides unused items with new value. Studio guest Fumikazu Masuda is an industrial designer: we explore with him the world of Japanese regenerative design!

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  11. DESIGN TALKS plus Season 1 Episode 11 - Glass
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    #11 - Glass

    S1:E11

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  12. DESIGN TALKS plus Season 1 Episode 12 - Special Selections
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    #12 - Special Selections

    S1:E12

    DESIGN TALKS plus has featured a fascinating variety of designs from Japan and explored the artistic qualities that make them uniquely Japanese. Today we bring you highlights from all the episodes since April 2015. What discoveries did our hosts Andy and Shaula make during these first episodes? Join us as we take a second, deeper look at a wide range of Japanese designs.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  13. DESIGN TALKS plus Season 1 Episode 13 - Floating
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    #13 - Floating

    S1:E13

    For centuries Japan has prized a 'floating' aesthetic in architecture and the arts. The elevated floors of homes and pillars that support traditional architecture all create a unique sense of floating. Designer Gwenael Nicolas discovered that sense of floating in urban Tokyo and has made Japan his base for over 20 years. He joins us in the studio to explore the world of Japanese floating designs that express lightness and freedom.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  14. DESIGN TALKS plus Season 1 Episode 14 - Miniaturization
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    #14 - Miniaturization

    S1:E14

    Japanese have valued small things since ancient times. Bonsai is one well-known, and much-loved, example of Japanese miniaturized design: it condenses the entirety of nature. In modern times, tiny sweets are used as giveaways with products, and carefully detailed figurines are all the rage. Miniaturization in Japanese design has inspired all kinds of new products. Architect Naoki Terada, is pursuing a new world in models, and joins us in the studio to discover a whole universe of distinctly Japanese designs born out of miniaturization!

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  15. DESIGN TALKS plus Season 1 Episode 15 - Bento
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    #15 - Bento

    S1:E15

    Bento have become so popular worldwide that the word now appears in English and French dictionaries. The limited space of a bento box is lovingly packed with a wide variety of balanced foods. Bento bring many happy memories, from the pleasure of opening a bento made by a family member to the fun of eating bento with friends. Photographer Satoru Abe and writer Naomi Abe have sought out bento all around Japan. We'll talk with them about how the bento is a uniquely Japanese way of expressing love through design.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  16. DESIGN TALKS plus Season 1 Episode 16 - Homage
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    #16 - Homage

    S1:E16

    The word "homage" refers to a new work of art inspired by, and paying respect to, historical pieces or traditional designs. The world of traditional Japanese arts and crafts is filled with examples of older works that have been reinterpreted and adapted by later figures. This time we are joined by celebrated cross-platform artist Hiroshi Sugimoto, also creator of a tranquil, modern take on the traditional Japanese tearoom. Find out what homage means to Sugimoto, and how these convictions are reflected in his work.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  17. DESIGN TALKS plus Season 1 Episode 17 - Light and Shadow
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    #17 - Light and Shadow

    S1:E17

    The long eaves of Japanese buildings are designed to shut out direct sunlight, allowing only a gentle glow to fill the rooms within. Interior light fittings wreathed in washi paper create beguiling gradations of light and shade. These subtle tones are known as inei, and this beauty has long been a key tool in Japanese aesthetics. Our studio guest is lighting designer Hirohito Totsune, the man responsible for the illumination of the iconic TOKYO SKYTREE. He reveals a world of Japanese design that plays with a sensitivity to light and shadow.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  18. DESIGN TALKS plus Season 2 Episode 1 - Touch
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    #18 - Touch

    S2:E1

    The field of design is focused not only on the visual beauty of color and form, but also on the possibilities offered by texture. There are many words in the Japanese language to express the feel, grain, or character of surfaces and substances. Recently, digital technology has helped to further develop this ancient sensibility, as it puts a new world of textural designs under the spotlight. Studio guest Kinya Tagawa is part of a new genre of design engineering. Explore how evolving technology has reintroduced the theme of touch to contemporary design.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  19. DESIGN TALKS plus Season 2 Episode 2 - Compact Design
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    #19 - Compact Design

    S2:E2

    As Japanese society makes the transition from growth to maturity, people's desire for material objects is beginning to change. "Compact" has become a key word for those living with fewer, smaller possessions. To enable comfortable living in a country with limited habitable land, compact designs have been produced in Japan for centuries. From stackable boxes and bowls, to sliding screens that change the size of a room, such designs have become part of a traditional aesthetic that finds beauty in simplicity. Explore the thinking behind Japan's compact design with the help of our studio guest, architect Koichi Suzuno.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  20. DESIGN TALKS plus Season 2 Episode 3 - Dyeing
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    #20 - Dyeing

    S2:E3

    Down the centuries in Japan, traditional dyeing methods such as kusaki-zome, and shibori-zome have been used to produce a wide variety of designs. More recently, one new product developed by a Japanese team won attention at the Milano Salone with unique dyed plastics, part of the next generation of dyeing techniques. Studio guest, artist Toru Ishii, uses traditional Japanese dyeing to create new works of modern art. Discover the world of Japanese dyeing!

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  21. DESIGN TALKS plus Season 2 Episode 4 - "En" (Connections)
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    #21 - "En" (Connections)

    S2:E4

    Japan has always prized the concept of en. The word refers to the intangible connections that link people to one another, as well as to the events and objects around them, with every chance encounter seen as holding some significance. For centuries, the en implicit in lucky charms has been thought to bring fortune in business, or to prevent illness, while the engawa verandas of traditional Japanese homes are valued as a place where these fortuitous bonds are forged. Studio guest, design strategist Eisuke Tachikawa is our guide as we explore a new world of designs born from the concept of en.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  22. DESIGN TALKS plus Season 2 Episode 5 - Communication through Sound
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    #22 - Communication through Sound

    S2:E5

    With more and more foreign tourists coming to Japan, and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics on the horizon, a pressing issue is creating smooth communication with visitors who speak a variety of different languages. At the same time, Japan's aging population has led to an increase in rates of hearing loss. This time, our guest is Shinichiro Nakaishi, a proponent of "universal sound design", which has applications to both these issues. Explore amazing new designs that promote communication through sound.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  23. DESIGN TALKS plus Season 2 Episode 6 - Design and Reconstruction
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #23 - Design and Reconstruction

    S2:E6

    March 11, 2016 marks 5 years since the Great East Japan Earthquake, which caused unprecedented damage. Since the disaster, designs related to products, construction, community bonds, and emotional support have all been put forward to help reconstruction. We’ll visit an area that was devastated by the disaster, and talk to Keiji Ashizawa, an architect working in the region. As we look back at “reconstruction designs” featured previously on the show, we’ll also explore the future for design and reconstruction.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  24. DESIGN TALKS plus Season 2 Episode 7 - Cha-no-yu (Teaism)
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #24 - Cha-no-yu (Teaism)

    S2:E7

    One of the signature elements of traditional Japanese culture is cha-no-yu: the way of tea. It is a formal ritual of hospitality in which you make and serve matcha (powdered green tea) for your guests - but it is much more than just that. Over the centuries, cha-no-yu has evolved into nothing less than a philosophy and a lifestyle. Many design ideas birthed from the tea ceremony have exerted a profound influence on today's designers and artists. This time, with tea master Soshin Kimura as our guest, we revisit previous episodes of DESIGN TALKS plus connected to the tea ceremony to explore cha-no-yu design.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  25. DESIGN TALKS plus Season 2 Episode 8 - Design Hunting in Aomori
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #25 - Design Hunting in Aomori

    S2:E8

    On "design hunting" episodes, our presenters head off to discover designs that are deeply rooted in local history and nature. This time Andy and Shaula explore Aomori Prefecture, at the northern tip of the main Japanese island of Honshu. Aomori designs are filled with rich reminders of the area's past and its natural environment, from prehistoric ruins to the famous Nebuta Festival. Our guest is graphic designer Atsuki Kikuchi, who helped design the Aomori Museum of Art. From design traditions related to the snowy climate to the very latest in local craftsmanship, we'll explore the depth of Aomori designs.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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Best Episodes Summary

"Anonymous Design" is the best rated episode of "DESIGN TALKS plus". It scored /10 based on 0 votes. Directed by Unknown and written by Unknown, it aired on 4/2/2015. This episode scored 0.0 points higher than the second highest rated, "Railway Design".