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The summer exhibition TECHNOLOGY MEETS TRADITION is on display the TOTO Showroom in London’s Clerkenwell neighbourhood from 20 May to 31 July 2024. The exhibition connects Japan’s rich history and culture with state-of-the-art sanitary technologies. It includes the installation of authentic zen gardens, a temporary tea house structure and the presentation of a collection of sanitary products. This gives visitors an opportunity to experience how Japanese culture informs and influences TOTO products, which are developed in this cultural context.

TOTO is known for their innovative sanitary ceramics. In line with the Japanese philosophy of kaizen, they are always working to improve and enhance these products to meet the highest hygiene and comfort standards. They use state-ofthe-art technologies in their products to achieve these results, like the luxurious WASHLET NEOREST WX and the soothing Floating Tub. These TOTO design products are presented in the context of a Japanese zen garden, designed to promote calm and relaxation through its minimalist design. This is also part of TOTO’s philosophy of “Understated Presence” that the company pursues in its product design. They implement this consistently through three principles: userfriendly design that supports people’s bodies and souls in their everyday lives, aesthetic elements that create a sense of harmony, and a design of lasting beauty that unites usability with long-lasting aesthetics.

Calming zen garden by Emi Morita

Japanese zen gardens are known for their clarity and peace. These carefully designed spaces incorporate natural elements like rocks, gravel, sand and plants in harmonious, often symbolic arrangements to invoke a feeling of inner balance and peace. Zen gardens have a very long tradition spanning centuries. They have become a timeless embodiment of minimalistic aesthetics and contemplative design principles. “My mission is to help people understand the five senses of modern everyday life through the Japanese garden,” landscape architect Emi Morita explains. She designed the zen gardens for the TECHNOLOGY MEETS TRADITION exhibition.

CIPANGO – ancient crafts meet modern design

CIPANGO is a social niche company that brings architects, designers and other construction and design professionals together with Japanese artisans. CIPANGO represents traditional Japanese artisanal enterprises that reinterpret their traditional techniques for modern applications. The TECHNOLOGY MEETS TRADITION exhibition shows the versatility, manual skills and transformative potential of materials in interior design and architecture. The collection on display at TOTO’s Clerkenwell showroom includes Harigane metal textiles, Youbi Hinoki furniture, Maruni wood carvings and works on paper, as well as Tatinoya wood textiles.

Visitors to the exhibition will experience a special fusion of traditional and modern aesthetics that give insights into TOTO’s innovative bathroom technologies as well as the timeless beauty and harmony found in traditional Japanese culture. The extraordinary aesthetic, wonderful hospitality, timelessness, dedication, perfect craftsmanship and design, and an appreciation for the finer details are aspects that can be found in both Japanese culture as well as TOTO’s products.