Wunder Kassette

The horse-motif yawning glasses holder is a series that has continued since my early metalsmithing days. Inspired by the Year of the Horse, I kept the "yawn" motif but revisited the expression, angle, and overall balance to refresh the design.

By emphasizing the flowing mane, I gave it an elegance befitting a thoroughbred, while preserving the slightly vacant, goofy charm that only emerges in the moment of a yawn. This piece captures that fleeting instant where dignity and absent-mindedness coexist.

The mane comes in two styles: a natural type and a braided type.

Once known as "Jenny Haniver" and feared as an unidentified creature — a dried ray. And a pure, adorable baby ray drifting gently through the water.

The bizarre and the adorable. These two contradictory charms are captured in a pair of asymmetric earrings, different in shape on each side.

What drew me in was the blurred boundary between "frightening" and "cute" that coexist within the same creature. One ear carries a mysterious silhouette wrapped in legend. The other bears the soft contour of a ray gliding gracefully through the sea.

Each time they sway at your ears, the mystery of the ocean and a sense of play intersect — earrings that carry a story.

A dendritic agate ring bearing a pattern that evokes dappled light filtering through small trees in a forest on a clear morning after snow. The striking 18mm stone takes center stage, set in a free-size ring. Layer it with the included slim ring for a more elaborate look, or wear it alone for quiet elegance. A piece that holds the whiteness of snow and the feeling of light on your fingertips, to be enjoyed year-round.

A record of consignment sales at "Only-Shop," an animal goods specialty store inside the Oarai Seaside Station shopping mall in Oarai, Ibaraki Prefecture.

For this display, I created custom original fixtures specially made for the occasion. The concept: "the archive room of an old research laboratory" — works quietly arranged like specimens stored carefully on aged shelves.

A slightly mysterious and nostalgic space that appeared by the sea breeze. If you are ever in the area, please drop by this little research room.

They look like wings — but look closely and you'll see chicken wings. Inspired by a local specialty, I created earrings with "food" as the motif. A halo added for deliberate divine effect. The chicken wings come in two varieties: "raw" and "simmered," each with a distinct texture. The simmered version features a pearl evoking a soy-braised egg. The raw version expresses plucked feathers. A little punchy humor at your ear.

A collaboration with Asa of cochoga's, with whom I co-exhibit at Design Festa. Created as one piece in the Brass Embroidery Brooch series, this is an Archaeopteryx.

The Archaeopteryx — on the boundary between reptiles and birds — was expressed using an unprecedented technique: embroidering sequins and beads onto brass. Rather than deciding on colors in advance, I let instinct guide the finishing, resulting in an Archaeopteryx with rainbow-colored feathers.

Metal and decoration, planning and improvisation. A brooch born from overlapping different elements, with an expression that could only exist once.

In November 2025, at Design Festa vol.62. We opened a two-day-only fantasy night market in the "dark area" of the venue with the lights dimmed.

Together with Asa of cochoga's, we created a space that felt like stumbling into a marketplace from a distant otherworld. Carefully designed custom fixtures illuminated the works softly, transforming each visitor into a character in a mysterious story. Not just viewing works, but experiencing the space itself — an exhibition condensing everything we care about as creators.

S-hooks featuring creatures that defy their own reputations: a hardworking sloth, a non-slippery eel, a seahorse that curls with its head, a squirrel that never forgets anything. Each creature's defining trait is playfully subverted. Load capacity: approx. 2 kg. Great for hanging accessories or pouches, and fun to link together. A hook that's a little playful in both looks and use.

A natural dendritic agate stone bearing a pattern reminiscent of plum blossom branches. Each stone holds a different scene locked within, no two alike. Czech beads and small garnet beads are added to evoke the lingering mood of early spring branch tips.

As the heart softens to the first signs of spring, a wave of nostalgia and gentle longing remains. A ring that quietly keeps on your fingertip the seasonal memories you might otherwise forget.

A boy, a great beast walking at his side, and a small companion at his feet. A dendritic agate bracelet holding a scene that feels like a page cut from some novel. Matching the stone's sepia tone, antique gold parts and pearls give it an aged feel. The untold continuation of the story lives within you, the wearer.

The mammoth was created in response to an online project called "Just Look at This Exhibition." The goal was first to make its impressive form work as a visual statement.

I referenced academic papers and skeletal specimens, counting vertebrae and ribs one by one. I was conscious of how to convey the mass and balance of a skeleton that once supported such a great body in brass.

An extinct animal, yet one with a strangely tangible presence. A skeleton puzzle that is both impressive to look at and satisfying to assemble.

Wings — organs evolved for soaring through the sky. Insects, mammals, fish, and other creatures from entirely different lineages each developed their own bodies into forms that express the longing for flight. Though their origins differ, they converge toward similar shapes — that is convergent evolution. The Luna moth, the giant dragonfly, the Bonin flying fox, and the flying fish. Each of their wings has been crafted into a pony hook to wear in your hair.

A record of my first participation in Hakubutsu Festival! — an event that celebrates science and history as entertainment.

Under the limited conditions of "short setup time, solo setup," I pushed to construct the brand's world within those constraints, experimenting and refining to create a maximally inventive display.

The highlight was my entry into the event's main program "From Scholarship to Entertainment": I exhibited the mammoth and cassowary skeleton puzzles, allowing visitors to touch the pieces and assemble them themselves.

The booth became a small research laboratory that tickled intellectual curiosity.

A series of paper knives shaped like the tails of aquatic and ancient creatures: the frilled shark, the legendary oarfish, the spectacled caiman, Tyrannosaurus rex, Mosasaurus, and Megalodon. Made for myself — someone who tends to accidentally cut the contents along with the envelope — these are tools for cleanly opening only the envelope. The blades carry the forms of creatures that lived across water and time.

May 2023. With a baby due in August and limited budget and time, I kept asking myself "how do I express my world?" — handling everything from design to fixture making on my own. Helping me on setup day with unsteady hands was Asa of cochoga's. It was a memorable first step on the grand stage of Design Festa.

The rough-edged fixtures and works from that time are the foundation on which I have built improvement after improvement. The groping passion of that moment, and the exhilaration of racing through it with my unborn child — all of it remains an important origin of everything we do.

The landmark first collaboration with Asa of cochoga's. A brass embroidery brooch featuring the ancient fish, the coelacanth.

Using an unprecedented technique — embroidering sequins and beads onto brass — it took over 10 hours total to complete. Vivid color is brought to the golden brass, as if dressing it in a gown.

Phosphorescent material was used for the eyes — it glows faintly in the dark. A special work born where different materials and techniques meet.

Cats are the world's most familiar housemates — and yet the ones who will never quite do what you want. You think you're keeping them, but somehow they have taken control of the household. Plenty of people enjoy that arrangement, surely.

A cat mid-yawn makes you inexplicably want to cause mischief. The act of sticking glasses into its mouth might be a small act of rebellion by humans who are usually made to feel like servants.

The first work created in the Brass Skeleton Puzzle series. The skeleton at the National Museum of Nature and Science's "The Big Mammal Exhibition" was so endearing that I spent a month giving it form.

The echidna is a creature I have long felt deeply drawn to — I even traveled to Australia just to meet one. A monotreme that lays eggs despite being a mammal: that slightly anomalous position is part of what makes this skeleton so fascinating.

A puzzle to enjoy the mysterious and charming presence that emerges from this collection of small bones.

Away from the bustle of Harajuku, tucked quietly in an alleyway — Design Festa Gallery, a renovated old apartment. A record of my participation in "Toriten 6," a bird-themed open-call exhibition held in one of its rooms.

For this display, I resized my large fixtures to fit this small space. A display that packed my entire world into a condensed environment.

All works on display were "birds" in keeping with the exhibition concept. I hope the birds resting in this wandered-into apartment room brought visitors some joy.

True to its name (written with kanji meaning "hundred tongues"), the shrike mimics the calls of other birds. Despite its small body and endearing tail-bobbing habit, it is actually a ferocious hunter.

The shrike has a peculiar habit called "hayanie" (larder behavior): it impales captured prey on thorns or wire and leaves it there.

Those unfortunate prey items are placed not on a branch but on Kyoto silk braided cord — elegantly pinned and crafted into a bracelet.

The motifs are: Japanese skink, giant Asian hornet, and Japanese crayfish. An accessory that is perfectly shrike — where grace and cruelty coexist.

A spoon series created for a bird-themed event. The motifs are birds that live near water: the shoebill and greater flamingo, beloved zoo favorites; the great egret and red-crowned crane, classic subjects in Japanese painting; and the crested ibis and Oriental stork — both once extinct in Japan, now surviving through reintroduction.

Their standing poses are crafted as spoons standing quietly in a pond of sweets. A series that adds the feeling of a rich waterside to snack time.

The cassowary is one of the creatures I was captivated by when I saw it in Australia. Later, seeing its skeleton at the National Museum of Nature and Science led me to create this work.

A ratite like the ostrich that cannot fly, yet possesses a devastating kick. Its feathers and skeleton retain many features reminiscent of dinosaurs.

The number of vertebrae and proportions of each bone were reproduced as accurately as possible. A skeleton puzzle combining visual impact and structural fascination.

A fantastical bracelet that seems to hold memories from an ancient age. The star is a miraculous dendritic agate stone bearing the silhouette of a feathered dinosaur. The delicate fern-like inclusions feel as though life from tens of millions of years ago still breathes within it. Surrounding it are white coral evoking a skeleton, and moonstone holding soft, gentle light. Handcrafted original skull parts by the artist add wild strength and jewelry-like elegance in equal measure. A beautiful story of evolution woven from "bone and feather."

A dendritic agate ring bearing a pattern that looks like a Christmas tree. On the back of the stone, a reindeer silhouette is hidden — hold it up to the light and its form quietly appears. Virgin Mary beads with a bronze lustre and star-shaped Czech glass are added, giving it a Gothic air where prayer and celebration intersect. A quiet, singular piece that holds within it the very time of waiting for Christmas Eve.

The shape of a wing reveals the way each bird lives. Long wings, pointed wings, rounded wings. The swan carries itself far, the peregrine closes the distance, the owl descends in silence. Each wing has been crafted into a brooch to wear. Pin it to a garment, stole, or bag to embody the nature of that wing. Which wing will you wear today?

A ring of natural stone bearing a radial pattern like a sunflower, paired with Czech beads. A flower as bright as the symbol of summer, yet the stone's coloring is faintly sepia — evoking a landscape from a distant memory. The intensity of the sun, the smell of the wind, a season that cannot return. A ring that holds both vibrancy and quiet nostalgia tucked beneath the brilliance.

A scarf ring series capturing the gestures of small birds exactly as they are: snuggling Java sparrows, a palm-sized parrotlet, a lovebird blissfully getting scratched, a coquettish cockatiel, a Java sparrow showing end-of-days energy, and a budgerigar warming up. Reversible — front shows birds perched on the scarf; back shows them peeking out from behind. Enjoy each personality at your neckline.

Wings — organs evolved for soaring through the sky. Insects, mammals, fish, and other creatures from entirely different lineages each developed their own bodies into forms that express the longing for flight. Though their origins differ, they converge toward similar shapes — that is convergent evolution. The Luna moth, the giant dragonfly, the Bonin flying fox, and the flying fish. Each of their wings has been crafted into a brooch to wear. A series born from contrast with bird wings, to quietly enjoy both individuality and commonality.

You open a cherished book and find it — a dried creature you tucked away and forgot. These slightly goofy, faintly melancholy beings have been turned into bookmarks. Squid jerky, horse mackerel, ray, and frog — four varieties. Hand-cut one by one from 0.3mm thin brass, they quietly dry out between your pages. Also lovely as ornaments hung on walls or Christmas trees.

A collaboration with Asa of cochoga's. A brass embroidery brooch featuring Anomalocaris, an ancient creature that lived in Cambrian seas.

Flower-shaped sequins were used for decoration, giving this ancient creature a bright, fancy impression. The eyes were made from resin cabochons with a transparent blue-green quality.

Hard brass and light decoration. A slightly curious, somehow charming piece born where elements from different eras and textures overlap.

The paired wings — look closely and they're actually chicken wings. Created from the question: what can I make from a local specialty? A rosary-inspired design adorned with natural stone beads. Blue is sapphire, green is peridot, pink is rose quartz, orange is red aventurine. A slightly mysterious neck piece where the sacred and the humorous coexist.

A scarf ring motif inspired by a cat's kneading gesture. That distinctive movement cats show when they want affection or feel safe has been given form. Thread a scarf through it and the cat appears to be kneading earnestly. Something that loosens your mood each time you wear it. Works with scarves, light stoles, and handkerchief holders.

Black kite, kingfisher, owl, large-billed crow, osprey. The expression each shows in the split second of targeting prey has been captured.

Can be used as a sweets skewer or as a pick for pintxos.

A little mischievous hunters to brighten snack time and parties. What delicious prey will be targeted today?

The shape of a wing reveals the way each bird lives. Long wings, pointed wings, rounded wings. The swan rides the wind, the peregrine cuts through the sky, the owl descends without a sound. Each wing has been crafted into a pony hook to wear in your hair. Simply insert it into a gathered hair tie. Clipped to a ribbon or clothing, it can even give wings to a favorite doll or stuffed animal. Which wing will you choose?

A series created for ONLY SHOP in Oarai, with whom I began a consignment partnership in 2025. Oarai is a town known for its aquarium famous for sharks. The sharks seen there became the motifs for these yawning glasses holders.

The motifs are: the bull shark with its distinctly carnivorous look, the hammerhead with its striking protruding eyes, the zebra shark with its astonishing ability to reproduce parthenogenetically, and the bullhead shark with its cute cat-ear-like bumps.

Slightly menacing, yet somehow endearing. A piece for enjoying the unexpectedly charming faces of ocean hunters in everyday life.

A natural stone that glows quietly like a full moon visible through drifting clouds. On that moon, a rabbit rests as if taking a short nap. The main stone is a dendritic agate whose inclusions evoke clouds and shadows. Brass parts representing the moon's phases are linked around it, adding the passage of time and the shifting of the night sky. A quiet moonlit necklace, as if a page from a story has been gently cut away.

A scarf ring motif inspired by a hamster with both cheeks stuffed full. That adorable gesture of carefully hoarding food has been given form. Thread a scarf through it and it looks like the hamster has a mouthful of fabric. A presence at your neckline that makes you smile. Works with scarves, light stoles, and handkerchief holders.

This Haflinger was created inspired by a character that appeared in a Disney work I love.

Powerful muscles cultivated for pulling carriages and a rich, golden mane that gleams. Its form is reminiscent of Roman sculpture — combining strength and beauty.

In this work, I emphasized the volume and flow of the mane in the wind, creating a form whose presence stands out when worn. While it functions as a glasses holder, it is a piece weighted more toward enjoyment as an ornament.

A ring set with a stone of mysterious expression that looks like a closed eyelid. Swaying below it is a vintage sapphiret in a teardrop shape, standing in for a tear.

What remains after holding back strongly, feelings left unspoken, emotions that quietly flow away.

A maiden's tears do not mean only sadness. It is that moment when feelings gathered deep in the chest change form and emerge.

A small tear swaying at your fingertip that quietly reflects your own story.

A piece created inspired by the Year of the Horse. The stripe pattern covering the whole body has a presence that could be called the animal kingdom's fashion icon. At the same time, cutting out each individual stripe one by one was among the most labor-intensive work in this series.

The zebra is one of the most familiar animals at the zoo, yet when you observe it closely, the flow of the pattern and the features of its face have a distinctive rhythm. I scooped up that charm and poured it into the fleeting expression of a yawn.

An animal you thought you knew well starts to look a little different. I hope this piece becomes that kind of trigger.

In every dog's face lives the time that person and dog have shared together.

This series began with the thought of preparing as many dog breeds as possible for people who love dogs. I originally planned around twenty breeds but one thing led to another and before I knew it there were forty. The sheer number of breeds made me keenly aware of how long humans and dogs have walked together.

The glasses holder was originally made for my mother-in-law, who had nowhere to put her reading glasses.

The Dog Field Guide glasses holder is both a practical item and a small field guide that preserves the relationship between people and dogs in physical form.

Wings that ride the wind to travel far. Wings that descend slowly and gently. Wings that are fast and sharp, splitting the sky. — Each wing expresses a different way of life.

These sharp, taut wings are the wings of a peregrine falcon — a shape common among birds that hunt in the air, minimizing air resistance to fly fast and straight.

When the falcon spots prey, it dives from great altitude, cutting through the sky, and seizes it in an instant. The embodiment of sharpness and refinement taken to their limit — a beautiful functional aesthetic.

Such a falcon wing has been crafted into a brooch. On a simple shirt, at the collar of a coat, on a fabric bag — just pinning it on quietly adds a touch of elegance. Its refined form looks equally good on women and men.

Even the hardware is handmade one by one. The brooch parts are firmly secured using soldering — joining metals by melting them at high temperature — offering superior durability for long-term use.

A branch bending under the weight of morning dew. Water gathered at a leaf tip slowly takes shape, and eventually falls as a droplet — a ring crafted to cut away that fleeting moment. The main stone is dendritic agate with plant-shadow-like inclusions. A vintage sapphiret that softly filters light is set for the droplet, expressing the glimmer of morning dew. Brass parts suggesting branches and leaves are placed at the side of the stone, three-dimensionally expressing the moment a droplet is born from the branch tip.

This spoon series was not born to cover all classifications of living things. It all began from my pure "biased obsession."

The first three works I chose: the Japanese giant salamander, the giant Pacific octopus, and the platypus.

Creatures that live near water, each with a distinctive mouth or forelegs, probing for food, scooping it up, and carrying it to their mouths. That leisurely, endearing gesture has been given form as spoons for scooping up sweets.

The starting point of a series that will keep expanding. The unsung heroes that add a little humor and affection to snack time.

The Unbreakable Bond Penguin Strap. All parts are soldered, creating a penguin chain that won't break even if pulled with full force. Born from the experience of a child catching the phone strap and snapping it off. Four species: Emperor Penguin, Rockhopper Penguin, Adélie Penguin, and African Penguin. Because it's something you use every day, strength you can rely on paired with subtle playfulness.