About

Making a case for heritage Japanese materials.

Kyoto Research Institute is dedicated to the study of Japan’s rich natural resources and traditional techniques that craft what we call "heritage materials."

Our mission is to research, educate, and inspire practical utility of these materials in everyday living.

Our work is not about innovation. But rather about rediscovery, to build a more thoughtful and sustainable collective future.

KyotoResearchInstitute_京都研究所_botanicaltea

  • WHAT WE DO

    Facilitate learning toward practical application of heritage materials.

WORK WITH US

Together we transform research of heritage materials into real-life practical utility.

  1. Places: creation of spaces that showcase or leverage heritage materials

  2. Products: research and development of functional pieces

  3. Programs: interactive educational fieldwork curriculum for online and in real life

  4. Production: multi-media content creation to reach a spectrum of learning styles

  5. Publishing: books and other printed matter to educate and inspire

KyotoResearchInstitute_京都研究所_indigo

  • Kyoto Research Institute connects the dots between local intelligence and global application.

KyotoResearchInstitute_京都研究所_team

OUR TEAM

  • Kyoto Research Institute 京都研究所 Sawane Kato

    Sawane Kato

    Assistant Associate

  • Kyoto Research Institute 京都研究所 Misa Murata

    Misa Murata

    Research Associate

    More
  • Kyoto Research Institute 京都研究所 Momoko Nakamura

    Momoko Nakamura

    Founding Partner

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  • Kyoto Research Institute 京都研究所 Toshiaki Nakano

    Toshiaki Nakano

    Partner

Kyoto Research Institute was founded under the direction of Momoko Nakamura. Her interest in fieldwork across the archipelago is rooted in over 20 years of research and communication of cookery culture and the food system. The Institute’s studies now extend beyond edible ingredients, exploring a wide spectrum of heritage Japanese materials, to justify their modern significance and facilitate their practical utility today.

THE EXPERTS

  • Person with glasses looking down near a window

    Toyoki Iwao

    Marine Biology

  • Person examining a wooden structure with ropes in a dimly lit room.

    Kazuma Matsuki

    Tsuchikabe Earthen Walls

    More
  • Smiling person with long hair in front of a blue background

    Riku Matsuzaki

    Kyoto-style Indigo

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  • Woman in white blouse standing indoors next to plants

    Masako Nakagami

    Pottery

    More
  • Person wearing glasses and a black shirt outdoors with a blurred background.

    Kyoko Yoneda

    Regional Tea Revitalization

    More

All of our research is performed in conjunction with experts in the area of study. With their help we are able to experiment together, discuss very real challenges and possibilities, and access more intel in the field to continue to gather the most comprehensive and responsible story possible.

HOW WE STUDY

We combine findings from anthropological fieldwork with expert insights.

Our studies take place within hyper-local communities, where we conduct ethnographic research, observe regional ecology, document generational knowledge, and examine historical texts. We then work with highly-specialized experts to establish metrics to measure and validate our findings, and prove its value as a modern sustainable material.

ANTHROPOLOGICAL FIELDWORK

  • Build relationships

  • Gain access

  • Receive trusted introductions

FOUNDATION

DISCOVERY

  • Interviews and other multi-media recording

  • Sampling of materials

  • Learning and practicing techniques

  • Transcription

  • Identify historical texts, art, and artifacts for additional context

  • Cross-reference adjacent studies

INTERPRETATION

SUSTAINABILITY CATEGORIES

  • Climate, biodiversity, agriculture, foraging, forestry, energy, air, wildlife, waterways

  • Policy making, taxation, cash flow, government grants, innovation, portfolio management, labor

  • Education, infrastructure, community, humanitarian, communications, artistic expression

KyotoResearchInstitute_京都研究所_MomokoNakamura_中村桃子

CASE STUDY

Silhouette of a rabbit with large ears sitting upright.

HERITAGE MATERIAL-INFORMED DESIGN

Abstract dark red symbol with cross-like shapes
Two black geometric T shapes on a white background, overlapped by blue spirals and rectangles illustrating the golden ratio (1.618). The shapes are divided into segments labeled 'a,' 'c,' 'd,' and 'e' with various measurements showing proportional relationships. Horizontal lines above indicate comparison between the numbers 1 and 1.618.

LOGO

The logo is an evolution from hanko carver, to graphic designer, to hanga artist.

In Japanese, research is kenkyu 研究. Made up of two characters which allude to mastering the art of polishing. The first character 研 (polish) is derived from the classical character 幵. And this is where we take our inspiration. Ultimately, the logo to the right, is no longer a character or word. It is meaningless yet meaningful. It is a nod to the earth’s strata, folk craft, ancestral storytelling, the microseasonal calendar, and the mountains and sea that make up this archipelago. It is also an ode to the techniques that take natural resources and make them into heritage materials.

COLORS

The colors are sourced from the DIC Color Guide of the Traditional Japanese Palette. Each offers greater context to the socio-political climate, terroir, and sensibilities across time.

Seven horizontal colored stripes in black, dark brown, olive green, taupe, terracotta, beige, and teal.

DIC N-960 Sumiiro

HEX #1C1C1E

DIC N-959 Kuriiro

HEX #2F2417

DIC N-815 Hiwairo

HEX #756616

DIC N-952 Nibiiro

HEX #726557

DIC N-962 Kunugi

HEX #A37160

DIC N-780 Usukouiro

HEX #DFD0B5

DIC N-881 Asagiiro

HEX #0C7C94

SUMIIRO The color of calligraphy ink in traditional Japanese paintings. While the Chinese ink has a blue undertone, the Japanese ink has a brown undertone.

KURIIRO Chestnut, hazel, and the like that contain a large amount of tannin, produces this black color with brown hues in the botanical dyeing process.

HIWAIRO An austere yet refined color that was used frequently from the Momoyama Period (1568-) through the Edo Period (-1868) as a product of the proliferation of tea ceremony.

NIBIIRO A historic color of Japan, it is a grey with green and brown undertones.

KUNUGI The color of textiles worn by commoners. Brown did not exist until after the Heian Period (794 - 1185). Instead, easily accessible nuts and tree bark were used to achieve this hue.

USUKOUIRO The lightest hue produced by steeped clove tree to dye textiles. A slight scent is paired with the color.

ASAGIIRO A traditional color of Japan, named after a slight blue hue mingling with a Japanese leek. It is an ode to the color that appears for a split second during the indigo dyeing process.

Contact

info@kyotoresearchinstitute.com