Tsujikawa Kōichirō is a film director who initially gained experience in art direction for CD jackets and book covers before transitioning to music video production.
At the heart of his creative approach lies a childlike playfulness towards everyday life. Tsujikawa’s influence extends across diverse mediums, including music videos, TV commercials, short films and installations, both in Japan and internationally. Additionally, he has produced work in the fields of web design, graphic design and planning. His recent works include music videos “Mizuiro Kodomo” (2022) for Gutevolk and “Hibana” (2023) for Cornelius.
For Tsujikawa, design is “human instinct and desire”. He believes that everything around us is designed:
The process of selecting specific things from among these things is also design. People cannot help selecting things for shape and colour right from infancy.
As part of the Design Discoveries exhibition, Tsujikawa was invited to consider what to include in a collection of Japanese design treasures. He researched and presented wooden spinning tops at the Japan Toy Museum in Himeji, Hyōgo Prefecture, remarking that “a toy is the first designed object a human comes into contact with”.
A gallery of 1 item.
Japan has a diverse range of spinning tops and the evolution of the design of these is often influenced by regional characteristics. In the frequently snowy Tōhoku region, zugurigoma tops are ideal for spinning on snow, while edogoma from the Kantō region which includes Tokyo feature distinctive shapes and vibrant colours. In the Kansai region which includes Osaka, Kyoto and other cities, the bamboo takenarigoma retains an ancient spinning top design, and Kyūshū is renowned for its metal-stemmed tops.
During his research, Tsujikawa developed a particular interest in whip tops. To him, the inherent beauty of these toys lies in their simplicity.
Whip tops are carved from tree branches with a simple tip and are kept in motion by striking them repeatedly with a small whip. Similar whip tops found at archaeological sites in Japan dating to the 6th century have also been discovered in ancient Egyptian remains. The earliest spinning tops are thought to have been crafted from nuts. This concept probably originated from people observing nuts spinning on the ground after they fell from trees.
Tsujikawa emphasises the importance of toys as infants’ earliest objects of desire. By engaging all five human senses, toys embody design at its most basic and primal.
The Japanese term for toy, omocha, originates from words referring to handheld talismans, traditionally used for protection against illness and misfortune. This protective aspect holds historical significance. Additionally, spinning objects have fascinated people since ancient times, evoking feelings of joy and trance-like states.
Learn more about Tsujikawa Kōichirō and wooden spinning tops in our exhibition Design Discoveries: Towards a DESIGN MUSEUM JAPAN, on display at Japan House London from 15 May to 8 September 2024.