Let's put our hands together.

Put your palms together.

We wanted to make
a Buddhist altar for all households

The development concept of KAKEHASHI SERIES was very simple.

When people think of a Buddhist altar, many will only think about the traditional gold Buddhist altar and assume that their house isn’t big enough, that there’s no proper space for it, or that it won’t match the atmosphere of their living room – even if they'd like to have one. Although there are more and more modern furniture style Buddhist altars, it often still looks off when we see it together with other furniture.

We want to provide a space for many people to put their palms together. Not in the religious sense, but for reasons that are simple and easy. When we come home tired, when our children start school, when we have some worries – we believe that it is very meaningful to have a space in our house where we can reach out to someone special when we want someone to talk to. Beyond rules, or styles, or even religions, we want everyone to have enough space and time in their life to simply clasp their hands together and feel connected. From this hope, our Buddhist altar line KAKEHASHI SERIES was born.

INTRODUCTION
CONCEPT
HAJIME(Small-sized Buddhist Altar)
OMOKAGE(Buddhist Altar Top)
ENISHI(Altar Stand & Chair)
MANAZASHI(Open-Type Buddhist Altar)
DESIGNER

Fitting in with Interior Furnishings

Blend into the interior

Every home has a different interior decoration. For that reason, we wanted to make “a Buddhist altar that blends in with the space you’re living in now.” So, not only did we make the shape simpler, we also offer a variety of backboard colors and other customizations. An altar with a color that matches your furniture or sofa will make your room feel just right.

No need for a special space

It can be placed anywhere

Nowadays, furniture is becoming more compact for those who live in an apartment, who live alone, or for a family with small children. In order to tackle the stereotypical image of the size of the Buddhist altar, we reconsidered its form so that it takes up minimal space. Our ingenuity can be seen in every detail – “HAJIME” can be stored in a bookshelf with a narrow depth, “OMOKAGE” has unconventional doors which are designed to be stored in [the pockets on] both sides so it can even be set even in the corner of a room, and “ENISHI” won’t disrupt the taste of modern home decorating.

Feel connection with people you care about

Feel the connection

We believe we should decorate altars as we please. Even if it is as simple as a [Buddhist] mortuary tablet or a photo [of the person], we can put our palms together and think, “here, I have this space to share with people I love” which is the most important thing. KAKEHASHI SERIES is simple but allows people to have their own form of prayer by providing a space to place keepsakes and memories of the deceased.

HAJIME 〈 Small-sized Buddhist Altar 〉

HAJIME

This small-sized, open-type Buddhist altar fits all types of spaces, whether it’s Japanese style or Western style. With consideration toward daylighting in the room, the top panel has an open design. The backboard is fabric covered with a choice of five colors, which you can choose depending on the image of the deceased or the atmosphere of the room. It comes with a half-moon shaped stand for placing a mortuary tablet.

W346 × D150 × H350

Body Color: Japanese ash Material: Japanese ash(Solid wood・Wood Veneer), Walnut

Fabric color: Ivory / Maroon / Yellow / Blue / Brown

OMOKAGE 〈 Buddhist Altar Top 〉

OMOKAGE

Similar to HAJIME, it has a fabric-covered backboard with a choice of five colors. The indirect LED lighting gently lights up the inside. The front doors have no metals clasps and are stored in the sidepockets, so there is no difficulty in opening the doors. With the altar stand, ENISHI, it can also be placed on the floor.

W450 × D257 × H540

Body Color: Japanese ash Material: Japanese ash, Walnut(Solid wood, Wood Veneer), LED

Body Color: Walnut Material: Walnut(Solid wood, Wood Veneer), LED

Fabric color: Ivory / Maroon / Yellow / Blue / Brown

ENISHI 〈 Altar Stand & Chair 〉

ENISHI

An altar stand and chair set that can be combined with OMOKAGE. With the provided board, you can use it with a small-sized altar such as HAJIME. The chair, which fits inside the steel frame, has a fabric-covered seat and back, just like the OMOKAGE backboard, so it naturally blends into the space and provides a feeling of oneness with your ancestors. Storage space is accessible under the seat.

Pedestal: W450 × D400 × H820

Chair: W400 × D378 × H635 (SH430)

Body color: Japanese ash Material: Japanese ash(Wood Veneer), Walnut, Steel frame, Fabric

Fabric color: Ivory / Maroon / Yellow / Blue / Brown

MANAZASHI 〈 Open-Type Buddhist Altar 〉

MANAZASHI

This is the smallest Buddhist altar with a combined function of a photo frame and a stage. You can place keepsakes that make you feel connected with loved ones or even pets, such as their collar or favorite toys. By placing keepsakes alongside a photo, it alters the corner into a special place where you can feel connection.

W300 × D150 × H210　*Recommended photo size 89×127mm

Body color: Japanese ash Material: Japanese ash(Solid wood, Wood Veneer)

Body color: Walnut Material: Walnut(Solid wood, Wood Veneer)

Designer's Concept

As people and things come and go internationally and interculturally, people’s values and lifestyles have become diversified on the wave of the information age. As a result, we have less opportunity to sit in front of the Buddhist altar and put our palms together. This is because the traditional Buddhist altar has fallen behind our changing living environments and thoughts. However, it doesn’t mean that we have lost a place to put our hands together. Nor does it mean that the desire for an anchor in our home disappears. We believe that many people need more anchors in their heart and soul, especially under the stressors of the falling birthrate, the aging population, and natural disasters.

Our KAKEHASHI SERIES is, as the name shows in Japanese, a bridge connecting various things. It connects you to a loved one, and brings thoughts and cultures of the past into the future. We wanted to make a space where anyone can put their palms together, regardless of religion or faith, and achieve a peaceful mind – We developed this product from that simple thought.

We truly hope that the KAKEHASHI SERIES will be seen in various living spaces and create a home for the heart for as many people as possible.

Product Designer

Keita Shimizu: Representative Director of Creative Norm Inc. and Depth Design Inc. / Lecturer at Tokyo University of the Arts / Supporter of More Trees; Keita Shimizu was born in Tokyo in 1974 and spent his early childhood in the US. After graduating from Tokyo University of the Arts Faculty of Fine Arts, (Department of Design), he earned his MA from Tokyo University of the Arts, (Graduate School of Fine Arts) in 2000. He started his career in Milan, Italy in 2003, and returned to Japan in 2006. He is currently based in Kichijoji, Tokyo. He is the winner of the Good Design Award, and a nominee of the Design Report Award (Germany). He has also had lectures and workshops at various institutions such as Oribe Design Center (Gifu, Japan), Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education (Mexico), Renmin University of China (China) and has been actively involved in human resource development.