The creators have gathered their treasured items for this flea market. Clothes, shoes, books, CDs, plates, interior goods and sundries...a variety of "goodies" will be on sale.

A selection of 47 items that reflect the new landscape of Claska will be on display at Gallery & Shop "DO" - inheriting the past with sights set on the future, people and the objects that surround them, craftsmanship and artisanal skill. Taking the theme of "contemporary Japanese" style, fresh-feeling products that represent the best of Japanese sensibilities will be displayed - from precisely-wrought crafts by master artisans to industrial products assembled on factory lines and cutting edge software. You might even say that the talented people behind these products are themselves the best "product" Japan has to offer. Or, taking another spin on the issue, that "Japan" is a composite of all these different products. Also on display: "Oumi hemp cloth, from the Edo era to the present" The Oumi hemp industry boasts a proud 500 years of tradition. Hemp researcher and expert Shinichiro Yoshida will illustrate the history of hemp woven into cloth using traditional artisanal techniques, selecting and displaying "white"-themed products in both Edo and contemporary styles.

Second Bunako exhibition, featuring popular tableware series, in addition to footbath buckets and kitchen accessories. These will be on display and for sale. In addition, the Yauatcha Tea Set, designed by Shin Azumi, which was awarded the Homes and Gardens Classic Design Award (UK), as well as selected to be part of the Victoria and Albert Museum's permanent collection, will be on display. Reception party: May 9th 19:00-21:00

Two designers, Thibaut Rocher (product & craft designer, based in Paris and Tokyo) and Hiroshi Endo (fashion designer, based in Tokyo and New York) will exhibit their collaborative installation of handmade candles, natural soaps and other casted products as well as organic cotton jeans and t-shirts. *This exhibition is at "Happa" located inside the Aoyama｜Meguro gallery.

From April 16th (Tue) to May 19th (Mon), a brand new series of unique umbrellas and parasols by Canadian designer/sculptor John Di Cesare will be on sale at SFT. 15 years ago, Cesare came up with a radical new concept for umbrellas and parasols. This concept eventually brought him to Japan, where he pursued his fascination with these objects and their role in Japanese culture. His playful designs, full of originality, are made in the same spirit as traditional Japanese umbrellas and parasols. In this exhibition at SFT, 4 of Cesare's design series will be on display. The Parashell Parasol draws inspiration from the shapes and textures of seashells. The Kabocha Parasol is inspired by the chubby form of a pumpkin. The Rhythm Umbrella for women and Grande Umbrella for men share beautiful two-hue combinations as well as an irregular rib shape.

Tanks, airplanes, ships, robots...in the late 1950s and 1960s, plastic models grew to become a favorite pastime of many in Japan. Children were drawn to the fact that they could now own a piece of the action, a miniature version of the object of their affection, fueling the development of the model industry that continues up until today. The particular pleasure of the plastic model was the fact that it could be customized with additional parts and built according to one's preferred specifications. "Box Art" was the face of these plastic model kits. Drawn and designed in order to catch the eye of consumers and get them to purchase the toys contained within, such artwork on the boxes of these plastic models became mainstream in the years following the war, and is even read today as a comment on postwar Japanese society. This exhibition examines "box art" in the context of postwar visual culture in Japan and its reception. The exhibition showcases about 160 examples of the genre, from the birth of the plastic model in its early days right up until the present, examining even how certain wooden models were used as teaching aids. Also on display will be dioramas using nostalgic classic plastic models assembled by master modelers. The organizers are delighted to be able to hold the exhibition in Shizuoka city, one of the most important manufacturing centers of plastic models in Japan. Special lectures are also planned. For details, see the website.

Information that accumulates, to be shared and transmitted among people living under the same roof. Home is not just a space for communication, but also of learning, mutual understanding and an emotional give and take. This exhibition explores the various design processes that tackle questions like "what does it mean to understand?", or "what does it mean to communicate?"

"Science for Children" was first published in 1925 (Taisho 14), and continues to be one of Japan's best and longest running magazines. It has contributed to nurturing future scientists, serving as an early entry route into natural science. Ranging from space engineering to animal and plant ecologies to familiar inventions from everyday life, the magazine pushed an editorial vision that helped its readers explore topical scientific issues in greater detail, publishing serial and special editions that gave readers simulated experiences in science and technology. In addition, the magazine did not only deal with the latest novel topics. It featured all manner of content, from the avant-garde to the everyday, without dumbing down or omitting details even with difficult content, in an attempt to foster independent thinking. The minutely detailed articles and supplements included with the publication were extremely popular, and many readers continued to be avid fans even way into adulthood. There were also detailed diagrams of everything from paper planes to home appliances, allowing its readers to make the real thing, or a miniature, for themselves. It gave children the chance to make things they really wanted to have and play with, all while having fun and being challenged through DIY experiences. Telling its readers the importance of this hands-on approach was another reason for its continued popularity. This exhibition of crafts brings to light the charm of a magazine that fostered its readers' curiosity for the unknown, and the joy of figuring things out on one's own. Talk and workshop events are also planned. Check website for details (Japanese only): http://www.inax.co.jp/culture/event/040_gallery/001178.html

Papier Hekisui has been producing feeling-good original stationery. This exhibition celebrates their stamp collection whose number amounts to 300, while newly designed cards will be on display also.

Danish ecologically-minded design permeates many facets of life. Ranging from chairs that showcase the natural unadorned beauty of Scandinavian wood, to tableware made from materials that are gentle on the environment, Danish design has even ingeniously produced a bicycle with a baby car attached to it.

Artcomplex Center Tokyo will be exhibiting rare vintage autographed books, serial numbered limited editions and so forth, in collaboration with vintagebooks.jp. -Dates & Locations April 15th (Tue)-May 4th (Sun) ACT4 May 6th (Tue)-May 11th (Sun) ACT3 May 13th (Tue)-May 31st (Sat) ACT2

After Singapore, Hanoi and Seoul, the "Italian Genius Now" exhibition will show in Tokyo at the Italian Cultural Institute from April 29th to June 8th, presenting about 90 works from the important collections of the Centre for Contemporary Art “Luigi Pecci” in Prato (Tuscany), as well as other Italian galleries and institutions. This exhibition was conceived as a multidisciplinary journey through Italian art and design of the last sixty years. It features some of the most famous examples of “Made in Italy” creativity through paintings, pictures, sculptures and design objects by artists and designers such as Ettore Sottsass, Gaetano Pesce, Salvatore Ferragamo, Michelangelo Pistoletto, Mimmo Rotella and Massimo Vitali. Italian Genius Now is a unique chance to admire some of the most interesting creations and results of Italian contemporary trends in art, design and fashion.

Light cloth made out of natural materials that wrap around you like a soft breeze, or a shaft of light. Vessels and earthenware with the warmth of earth. The rugged strength of iron tools. This exhibition is a celebration of natural materials and refined colors in these everyday products. It displays interior accessories in a gallery setting, showing them off to their best advantage just as they might have been deployed in a home. Advice and commentary on the most felicitous arrangements according to the size, shape and color of the room are also on display.

Formula One™, abbreviated to F1, is the highest class of motor sports. The best cars and designs, the infatuation with speed in one of the world's top sports events that captures hearts everywhere. This exhibition explores the revolutionary designs contributed to F1 over the years. [Image: © Design Museum, London Formula One™ - The Great Design Race Tour was organised by the Design Museum, London and curated by Alicia Pivaro.]

Works from the museum's collection will be on display, with 5 different themes. 1. "Yearning for Blue": introduces painters, such as Rene Magritte, Marc Chagall, Raoul Dufy and Shunsuke Matsumoto who rendered the world in shades of blue. 2. "To Make Invisible Visible": from the museum's collection of contemporary Japanese art, this section showcases artists who devoted themselves to abstract expression, focusing particularly on Takeo Yamaguchi and Jiro Yoshihara. 3. "Where is Utopia?": introduces the notion of utopia and images of paradise that artists associated with Utsunomiya envisioned. 4. "Producing Images": art and design work will be presented alongside each other in the same exhibition space, arranged with the techniques of knitting, weaving and producing in mind. 5. "Revolutionary Russia -Adventures in Design": Russian avant-garde posters from the 1920s and the design work of Japanese artists who took hints from the former will be on display. Location: Exhibition Room 1

William Morris (1834-1896) was the most prominent artist and thinker of the 19th-century England, and still has a great influence today. In this exhibition, approximately 90 works, including stained glass model, which became the basis of his career as a decoration artist, original wall paper, textiles, furniture and small rooms with interior accessories of his time, will be on display. -Special Talk by Harumi Tsuda This exhibition's editorial supervisor Tsuda Harumi will consider with her audience the artist's thoughts and dreams by tracking back his artistry and social climate of his time.

The world of colors is entering a new era. Thanks to the development of computers, LED and display technologies, we can now freely choose colors from an infinite selection with a single switch. Colors are generated from relationships between light, objects and the sense of sight. Techniques of color arrangement have developed mainly from the colors (pigments and dyes) of non-moving objects. But now that we can freely control light, we are encountering a new problem: how to show moving colors. Changes in our sense of color have a powerful influence in the fields of household goods, fashion and interior design. More people are not simply passively choosing colors but are doing so as a way of expressing themselves and conveying messages. Gathered under a single roof at this exhibit are works that lead a new generation of colors, such as interactive art, visual works and interior goods and lighting from advanced companies.

"Cache-cache": French for hide-and-seek. Exhibition of 17 creators working in graphics, illustration, painting, comics, product, craft and interiors.

Room021 by Ozi Design Works Inc. is presenting the Teachers' 2nd solo exhibition. Colorful and original sundry articles such as bags, tapestries, scrunchies, pouches, wallets and velts will be on sale. Anybody can attend a workshop as well! -Workshop "Let's Make Teruteru-Bozu" A workshop to make teruteru-bozu (a doll to which children pray for fine weather) with cute fabrics before the beginning of the rainy season. Dates & Time: Everyday during exhibition period. 12:00-18:00 (until 16:00 on the last day) Fee: ¥2000 (including material cost)

Asia's biggest international art event "Design Festa" with over 60,000 people attending! Design Festa is a freestyle International Art Event open to all artists, both professional and non-professional from all over the world to exhibit their creative talent. Design Festa started in 1994 and as of December 2006 it has successfully completed 25 events as well as 3 sub-events. This art event is held twice a year at Tokyo Big Sight, the biggest event hall in Japan. Design Festa is the ideal place for passionate artists who are looking for a great opportunity to show their artwork to a very large audience from all over the world.