The designer behind much-loved brands such as Asahineko, Kaico and Kaji-Donya.

Unpacking the extensive career of Tokyo-based designer Makoto Koizumi is a journey through the tools we use and the spaces we inhabit in daily life. There’s architectural and interiors projects, stationery and stainless-steel kitchenware, alongside products born from longstanding partnerships with makers across Japan. Born in 1960, Koizumi grew up in Tokyo and developed his craft in the interior design office of Choei and Narumitsu Hara, before establishing his namesake studio at the age of 30. Training as an architect later in life, he is a multi-disciplinary in the true sense of the word.

Arriving at Koizumi’s base on the western side of the Tokyo metropolis, it’s clear that he’s forged a path of his own. At a time when other designers were setting up bases in central locations, he traded convenience for comfort, creating an office and destination store in Kunitachi, an area known for its university and lush surroundings. The move allowed him to find the peace of mind to design with freedom. “Away from the city centre, I’m exposed to far less information. This allows me to control what I see, focusing on what is truly essential.”

Reimagining the interior of a former shoe store, he created a space to showcase the various lifestyle products he has designed. There’s a tiny workshop for making prototypes, while perched atop the store is the designer’s office – accessible only via ladder. Everything is within reaching distance, including his beloved sketchbooks. “I’m someone who needs to design by hand, using a pencil and eraser rather than a computer.” There’s also an area filled with countless scale models, and a kitchenette where products can be tested and examined at close range. These are reflective of a hands-on approach to research and design, refining ideas through the acts of making, using and refining. “As a designer, I need to be on the user’s side. In other words, I need to be a good user myself.”

As a link between user and maker, everyday life and industry, Koizumi has developed longstanding relationships with factories, workshops and makers across Japan. From the formulative stages of a project and through its ongoing evolution, the designer prides himself on building a deep understanding of processes and materials – the foundation for proposing new ways of thinking. “Whether it’s a metal workshop or glass factory, I’m always asking why?” he says with a laugh.

While the studio’s outputs have grown more diverse with time, Koizumi’s views on good design have remained consistent. “Good design is something people can empathise with. It must have sufficient function, structure and emotion,” he says. Function and structure can manifest in various ways, whether it be the simple yet sturdy construction of the Kaico drip kettle, or the unique handle of the Asahineko table brush, designed with both use and display in mind. And emotion? “That comes from the makers themselves. When something’s made with all one’s heart, you can feel the difference.”