Sori Yanagi Stainless Cutlery

Sori Yanagi is the representative industrial designer of Japan. He designed many works which enriched daily life and could be used long term.

Born in 1915 as a son of Soetsu Yanagi, who founded the “Mingei” movement which celebrated Japanese folk crafts and the beauty of everyday objects. Soetsu helped establish the Nihon Mingeikan, the Folk Crafts Museum of Japan. Sori entered Tokyo Art School in 1934, where he studied both art and architecture. He was influenced by Le Corbusier as well as by Charlotte Perriand when she worked in Japan in the early 1940s. After graduating from the Academy of Fine Arts in Japan (currently Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music), he studied at Junzo Sakakura’s Architectural office.

Having the background of studying both art and architecture in school, he pioneered Japanese postwar industrial design.