“People often value possessions, yet forget what the essence of living truly is.” — said designer Daimon -san of A4 Design Office, quietly stacking stones by the river.
“People often value possessions, yet forget what the essence of living truly is.” — said designer Daimon -san of A4 Design Office, quietly stacking stones by the river. In the mountains of southern Nara lies a small village surrounded by forests and clear, drinkable streams — Higashi-Yoshino. Here, about fifteen hundred residents have lived for generations, breathing in rhythm with the land. Five centuries ago, this was among the first places in the world to begin an organized reforestation program. Today, cedar trees rise through the morning mist, the wind carrying the scent of wood and time.
It was in this landscape that TUMI ISHI was born.
In the early autumn of 2025, we drove through the valleys of Higashi-Yoshino to visit this workshop that learns directly from nature and to feel how mountains and rivers become the sources of creation. As Daimon-san shared with us, “TUMI ISHI is not merely design or craft — it is an invitation.”
Deep in the mountains of southern Nara Prefecture lies a small village surrounded by forests and streams. This is Higashiyoshino. The water here moves through the valley, clear and calm. About 1,500 people have lived here for generations, shaping their lives around the rhythms of nature. More than 500 years ago, Higashiyoshino became one of the world’s earliest places to practice planned reforestation. Cedar trees cover the mountains, carrying the scent of wood and time. These forests are not simply scenery, but part of daily life — as familiar as air and water. TUMI ISHI was born from this environment. In the valleys of Higashiyoshino, the designers of A4 design office work without fixed hours or desks. They move freely through the village, creating wherever they find themselves, contributing to the land at their own pace.
Beside their studio runs a river that never dries, even in winter. Walking along its banks, they observe, collect stones, and study their weight, texture, and balance. These quiet encounters became the starting point of an idea. “People often focus on objects,” says designer Mr. Daimon, gently stacking stones by the river, “but forget what truly matters in life.” From this reflection came TUMI ISHI. At first glance, it resembles wooden blocks, but in Japanese, TUMI ISHI means “stacked stones,” directly echoing the river stones that inspired it.
The pieces are made from local cedar from Higashiyoshino, as well as woods grown in different climates and regions. Each block carries its own grain and color, shaped by time and environment. Some feel grounded and calm, others light and warm, as if nature speaks through the material itself. Sharing the workspace is Felix, a designer from the UK, who moved to Higashiyoshino with his wife last year. Together, they built a home deep in the forest and now live surrounded by trees, birdsong, and their dogs. In this setting, ideas about design and life are exchanged quietly, day by day. Here, time moves slowly yet with intention. Shifts in light and the sound of water serve as gentle reminders that life does not need much. “If someone truly understands that,” Mr. Daimon says with a smile, “it doesn’t matter whether they buy my work or not.”
For him, TUMI ISHI is more than a design object. It is an invitation to slow down, to feel the warmth of your hands, to breathe more deeply, and to find balance through the simple act of stacking.
In Higashiyoshino, time is not divided but allowed to flow. People live and create at their own pace. TUMI ISHI embodies this way of living — gentle yet grounded. It carries not only the scent of wood and the warmth of craftsmanship, but also a belief in balance, rhythm, and living with less. When you stack the pieces, you begin a quiet conversation with yourself and the world, returning to what truly matters.
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