Japanese Taste Hale Kūʻai by Shunsuke Ohe

Japanese Taste Hale Kūʻai by Shunsuke Ohe is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award Keleawe in Hoʻolālā Loko Hale a me Hōʻike Competition Category.

KeleaweLoko Hale· 2026

Japanese Taste Hale Kūʻai

by Shunsuke Ohe

Client: Shunsuke Ohe

A' Design Award Keleawe Winner in Loko Hale Category

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Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #183559

Visit Site View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Japanese Taste Hale Kūʻai

He hale kūʻai ʻo Japanese Taste e waiho ana ma ke Kahua Kaʻaahi ʻo Kyoto ma Iapana. Hōʻike ka hale kūʻai i nā hana noʻeau, nā meaʻai, ka sake, nā mea hoʻonaninani kino a me nā lako o kēlā me kēia lā i hana ʻia e nā loea hana lima, nā mahiʻai a me nā mea hana mai nā wahi like ʻole o Iapana. Hahai ka hoʻolālā o loko i ke ʻano minimalism Kepanī, me ka hoʻohana ʻana i ke ākea, ka mālamalama, ke aka a me ka haʻahaʻa ma kahi o nā kiʻi hoʻonaninani. Hoʻopuni ka ʻaoʻao waho ʻeleʻele i kahi loko mehana o ka lāʻau, ka pōhaku a me ka mālamalama palupalu. He pākaukau nui waena e lawelawe ana ma ke ʻano he wahi hōʻike a he kahua pū kekahi, a hoʻohohonu nā mea lāʻau kūpaka kūpololei i ke ākea. Hoʻololi ka hoʻolālā i kahi wahi hele wale i wahi hālāwai moʻomeheu.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Keleawe

Ua lanakila ka hoʻolālā Japanese Taste Hale Kūʻai i ka A' Design Award Keleawe, he ʻike hoʻohanohano nui loa i hāʻawi ʻia i nā hoʻolālā kūʻokoʻa i ʻike ʻia ma o ka hana noʻeau, ka akamai a me ka makakoho. He mau hana mākaukau a hana noʻeau kupaianaha nā lanakila Keleawe e hōʻoia ana i ka ʻike nui, ka noʻonoʻo a me ka maʻalea o kā lākou poʻe hoʻolālā. Manaʻo ʻia ʻo ka hoʻolālā Japanese Taste Hale Kūʻai he mea i mahalo nui ʻia, hoʻohiwahiwa ʻia a aloha ʻia, he ʻoihana a hou loa. ʻO kēia hoʻolālā i lanakila i ka A' Design Award Keleawe e hoʻohui ana i nā hana maikaʻi loa o ka hana noʻeau, ka ʻepekema, ka hoʻolālā a me ka ʻenehana, a maikaʻi no kona nānā ʻana i nā kikoʻī. Hoʻokō maikaʻi ka hoʻolālā Japanese Taste Hale Kūʻai i nā pono, hoʻopā i ka makemake, hoʻohiwahiwa i nā manaʻo a huki i ka makemake e ʻike.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: The Japanese products featured here range widely, from crafts and food to sake, cosmetics and everyday essentials. However, these are not merely commodities. They embody the local climate, materials and techniques, the philosophy of their makers, and the aesthetic sensibilities cultivated by the Japanese people. Consequently, this space aims to serve as a vessel that quietly draws out the value inherent in these diverse items and conveys it to our visitors.
Dimensions & Packaging: Project area : 114.5 sqm / Category : Retail Outlet
Tags: stone , wood , tile , Japanese-style , Kyoto , noren , LUSTYdesign , Shunsuke Ohe
Production Technology: Ceiling : wall paper / Wall : wood , wall paper , stone , wooden lattice / Floor : pvc tile
Design Challenge: At the centre of the space, a large table functions as both display and stage, connecting visitors with products and their stories. Soft fabric like lighting above and vertical lattice elements create warmth, depth, and quiet symbolism. A restrained palette of wood, stone, black, and red brings unity to the diverse product range, forming a subtle spatial framework that allows the products to stand out.
Research: A key aim of this project was to transform Kyoto Station from a place of transit into a place of cultural encounter. Through calm fixture planning, restrained lighting, layered sightlines, and a curatorial approach that unifies diverse products, the space invites visitors to pause, explore, and reflect. More than a shop, Japanese Taste presents a contemporary way to communicate the essence of Japanese craftsmanship and sensibility to the world.
Inspiration: Kyoto remains an international city open to the world, whilst embracing a thousand years of history and culture. In this city, which welcomes countless visitors from both home and abroad, Kyoto Station is not merely a transport hub, but a gateway that shapes the city’s first impression. This project involves a retail initiative in this highly public space, showcasing and selling goods crafted by artisans, farmers and producers from across Japan.
Project Duration: Project Duration : From April 2025 to July 2025 Project location : Kyoto(Japan)
Operation Flow: At the heart of the design is minimalism, a principle deeply rooted in Japanese culture. Rather than relying on superficial motifs, the space reinterprets ma, light and shadow, materiality, order, and restraint within a contemporary retail setting. Framed by a black toned exterior, the interior offers warmth, soft light, and calm, creating a quiet contrast to the bustle of the station and inviting visitors to pause and engage.
Image Credits: Photograph : NANA TAJIMA by ToLoLo studio