Ryosuke Nagata Shoten × Hotel Okura Kobe — Passing on Culture through JAPAN MODERNISM 2.0
In January 2026, "MITSUKOSHI design week -design pulse tokyo," an experimental platform where design, art, architecture, craft, and technology intersect, will be held with Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi as its main base. This is a city-wide,巡回型 event that reinterprets the spirit and aesthetic of Japanese modernism with contemporary technology, materials, and values, and proposes new ways of living. As a special project for cultural heritage, the dining chair restoration project for the "Emerald" restaurant at Hotel Okura Kobe, designed by the British interior design master David Hicks, will be realized by Ryosuke Nagata Shoten, a long-established Western furniture store in Kobe.
Hotel Okura Kobe Photo
A Piece Embodying Kobe's History: Who is David Hicks?
The subject of this project is the dining chair, affectionately known as the "Emerald Chair," that was used for many years in the French restaurant "Restaurant Emerald" (closed in 2023) at Hotel Okura Kobe, loved since the hotel's opening. This chair can be said to be a living testament to Kobe's history as an international city and the hospitality culture fostered there, and we consider it a symbol of Kobe's culture.
David Hicks (1929-1998), who designed this chair, was one of the leading masters of British interior design who revolutionized the design world in the latter half of the 20th century. He debuted as an interior designer in 1954 and gained worldwide attention for his innovative style that boldly incorporated vibrant colors and geometric patterns.
Furthermore, after marrying Lady Pamela in 1960 and becoming a member of the British Royal Family, he went on to design residences for the Royal Family and royal and aristocratic families around the world. In Japan, he also had a significant impact on the hotel industry, designing suites at Kawana Hotel and Hotel Okura (main building, annex, and Kobe) from the 1980s onwards. The Emerald Chair is characterized by its elegant form and opulent fabric, with David Hicks' distinctive geometric patterns and high-quality fabric creating a dignified restaurant atmosphere.
Hotel Okura Kobe Restaurant Emerald Photo
Hotel Okura Kobe Photo (from its opening)
150 Years of Craftsmanship Breathe "New Value" into Furniture
This historic masterpiece is being revitalized by Ryosuke Nagata Shoten, founded in Kobe in 1872 (Meiji 5). The company is said to be the oldest furniture store in Japan, and even after more than 150 years since its founding, it continues to create high-quality, custom-made furniture that can last for 100 years as a "lifetime item," while inheriting traditional techniques. Furthermore, the company has a track record of reproducing and restoring furniture for important cultural properties such as the Old Yamamura Residence (Yodoko Guest House) and the Old Hassam Residence. In this project, they proceeded with the restoration work with meticulous attention to detail, respecting David Hicks' original design spirit while adapting it to modern living environments and lifestyles.
Group photo of Ryosuke Nagata Shoten's UK transport
Photo conveying the sense of custom-made quality
Yodoko Guest House Photo
The Meeting of Two Long-Established Companies, Woven by Kobe's "Tradition"
Behind this special project was an inevitable resonance between two long-established companies that have pursued their respective paths for many years in the international city of Kobe.
Ryosuke Nagata Shoten, founded in Kobe in 1872 (Meiji 5), has been creating high-quality, "lifetime" furniture that can last for 100 years for over 150 years since its establishment. By supplying furniture to prestigious Japanese hotels and guesthouses, it has walked hand-in-hand with Japan's modernization.
On the other hand, Hotel Okura Kobe has built a tradition of heartfelt hospitality and refined service as a symbol of the port city of Kobe.
Ryosuke Nagata Shoten launched this project with a strong sense of mission to "preserve the furniture that has walked alongside Hotel Okura Kobe, a hotel that symbolizes Kobe, for the future." They felt the responsibility and mission to breathe new life into historical furniture, and for Ryosuke Nagata Shoten, which has a proven track record of reproducing and restoring furniture for historical buildings, passing on the furniture of a hotel that symbolizes Kobe's hospitality was an opportunity to truly test their craftsmanship.
Thus, the 150 years of craftsmanship of Ryosuke Nagata Shoten, which has a long history in Kobe, and the trust and dignity cultivated over many years by Hotel Okura Kobe merged, culminating in the "Emerald Chair" restoration project. The shared desire to preserve Kobe's cultural heritage and pass it on to the next generation overlapped, leading to the realization of the project.
Through the individual restoration work by skilled craftsmen, the goal is not merely to restore, but to revive the Emerald Chair as "newly valued furniture" that integrates "past aesthetics" with "modern lifestyles."
Photo of a craftsman from Ryosuke Nagata Shoten
Photo conveying the hospitality of Hotel Okura Kobe
Event Information: Experience the Value of History and Design
This project creates a unique brand value that could not be achieved independently, by combining Ryosuke Nagata Shoten's 150 years of craftsmanship with the trust and elegance of Hotel Okura Kobe. The fact that the furniture was actually used in the hotel gives it deep value as furniture from which one can feel many stories from that era, making it a dining chair with special meaning for buyers.
The restored Emerald Chair will be featured in a special, limited-quantity exhibition and sale at the POPUP store of "MITSUKOSHI design week -design pulse tokyo," to be held at Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store in January 2026. The venue will include exhibition panels explaining the historical background, content introducing David Hicks' creative world, and photographs documenting its actual use at Hotel Okura Kobe, offering visitors an opportunity to experience the value of history and design.
Photo of the finished chair and Hotel Okura Kobe
Photo of the finished chair and Hotel Okura Kobe 2
"Ryosuke Nagata Shoten × Hotel Okura Kobe"
Dining Chair
W44 × D52 × H90 cm (Seat height 43 cm)
138,600 yen (tax included)
※Limited quantity
※Made to order, please allow approximately 4 months for delivery.