A traditional Japanese cladding method informed the overlapping wooden panels used to display knives at Tojiro Knife Gallery in Osaka, Japan, designed by creative agency L/O.
Set in Doguyasuji Alley arcade, which is home to many speciality vendors selling kitchenware and culinary tools, the shop is knife company Tojiro‘s flagship in the Kansai region.
Yoshihito’s design for the retail space aimed to highlight the manufacturer’s commitment to combining traditional Japanese craftsmanship with modern innovation.
The existing retail unit was completely renovated to incorporate a knife gallery alongside a maintenance room that allows visitors to observe knife sharpening through a large window.
The two spaces are distinct in their material treatments, with the gallery displaying a warm and welcoming wood-lined interior, while the maintenance area replicates Tojiro’s factory in Tsubame-Sanjo.
The minimalist gallery features wood-panelled walls that conceal LED lighting and a magnetic fixing system that holds the knives securely in place.
The overlapping panels reference traditional yoroi-bari construction, which is used to create durable and protective external cladding for buildings.
Yoroi-bari is itself informed by the yoroi armour worn by Japanese samurai warriors, which comprised numerous small metal plates held together with silk or leather cords.
In the store, knives are presented against wood veneer surfaces, creating a consistent natural look while allowing the blades to adhere to magnets behind. Horizontal stoppers below the knives provide additional protection against them falling.
The wooden backdrop was designed to suggest cutting boards, according to L/O founder Katata Yoshihito, while the maintenance room offers an industrially inspired contrast.
“By fusing industrial and traditional materials, the design creates a seamless, immersive space that celebrates the artistry, heritage and utility of Japanese knives,” he said.
The store’s facade creates a link between the two spaces, with factory-like galvanised metal cladding applied using the yoroi-bari technique.
The inclusion of the maintenance area helps to highlight the craftsmanship involved with knife manufacturing and repair, argues Yoshihito.
Tojiro Knife Gallery has been shortlisted for a 2025 Dezeen Award in the small retail interior category. Other projects in the running include an Aesop store organised around four rediscovered cast iron columns and a Shanghai clothing shop by Neri&Hu.
