Everyday life is shaped by implicit rules that give form to actions and behaviors. Beyond protocol or etiquette, these are shared gestures through which a collective experience takes shape. In Japan, this set of practices is known as sahō. By reinterpreting traditional sahō in response to contemporary lifestyles and aesthetics, new and harmonious ways of being can emerge - ones that resonate beyond their place of origin. Rooted in nature yet open to external influences, these practices form the foundation of a holistic approach to living. From its inception, the OGATA vision has sought to address everyday life in its entirety. This has led to an exploration of sahō across multiple fields, including tea, cuisine, wagashi, and craft, through the careful design of spaces and tools that sustain and give form to these practices.
Tea is the foundation of the OGATA way of being. Its widespread consumption in the East was originally justified by its soothing properties. Not only is natural tea beneficial to our health, more importantly it brings people together around a common experience. OGATA strives to create a radically different and varied, everyday experience to be defined by contemporary forms.
Eating is the most primitive, intimate experience of the blessings of nature, in harmony with the passing of the seasons. The original OGATA take on cuisine is a contemporary interpretation of Japanese home cooking and regional specialties. It is also a dialogue between the Japanese culinary spirit and local produce, growing and developing from its multiple encounters with different culinary traditions.
The word wagashi literally means “Japanese sweets,” with its origins dating back to when we gathered nuts and fruits. Each wagashi holds a symbolic meaning echoing a given time of the year, indexing a particular cultural reference, and every often accompanying a specific festival or ritual. Traditionally, these treats were a rare privilege, but OGATA our intention is to make wagashi a small joy accessible in our daily lives — a reminder to pay attention to the passing of each season.
The OGATA vision for craft is simple: enriching our daily lives by offering functional, timeless, and long-lasting products made from natural materials to make the most of limited resources. Our mission behind craft production is twofold: to enrich our everyday lives, while guaranteeing the transmission of crafting techniques to the next generation. We believe in treasuring each object, caring for it, repairing it, and finding unexpected beauty as it ages. Tools instill certain behaviors in those who wield them, and well-conceived works of craft bring harmony in our lives over the long term.
OGATA’s fragrances are a soothing remedy capable of balancing the senses and awakening memories, in perfect harmony with our body. In a world dominated by artificial perfumes, OGATA intentionally resorted to the most archaic production techniques for fragrances in the hopes of regenerating our olfactory sensitivity. Bespoke fragrances are also offered, in a sophisticated composition that takes us back to the essence of our sensory experience.
