A Store as a Place to Experience the Background of Objects
Simply Native has established its flagship store in Surry Hills, located in the heart of Sydney. Surry Hills is similar to Omotesando or Aoyama—a popular shopping area in Tokyo among stylish people, surrounded by upscale residential neighbourhoods. Having a space filled with items that reflect the Japanese climate, and the faces of the artisans who made them makes me feel proud. Our customer base is mostly financially comfortable people in their 20s to 40s. It seems that when they are seeking something to enrich their daily lives or express their individuality, the Japanese artisanal products that we offer fit well with their desires.
Because the products are generally sold in their finished form, it can be difficult to convey the background, such as the process and the maker's intention. That's why, at our store, we try to create an immersive experience for our customers so that they can physically engage with the products themselves.
Woodblock Carving by Mr. Nakahara, a Traditional Mask Artisan
A Showroom of Japanese Culture and Daily Living
One such feature of Japanese culture is the design of our store space.
We recreated a Japanese living space within the shop—complete with a dirt-floor entrance (doma), a living room (ima), a small garden (tsuboniwa), and spaces like a tearoom and a reception room.
We use the tearoom to host public workshops and the reception room for various purposes such as tastings for chefs and meetings with architects. While the flagship store functions as a retail space, it also serves as a showroom where visitors can absorb the essence of Japanese aesthetics, gain inspiration for their own homes and engage in our business philosophy with all five senses.
Learning Communities Inspired by Japan
I’ve been practicing tea ceremony for over ten years. But beyond traditional arts, I believe Japan has long had a culture that fosters mutual support among people living in the same communities. For instance, the concept of fushin—where local residents collectively discuss, build, and maintain village infrastructure—embodies mutual aid and a form of communal learning.
At our store, we hold various workshops featuring elements like matcha, incense, and washi paper, in the hope that these can become opportunities to nurture such learning communities.
Scene from an Ikebana Workshop
Workshops as “Sensory” and “Meditative” Experiences
Among our workshops, “Cha-kabuki” is so popular that there's currently a four-month waiting list. Originally a traditional tea-based guessing game, we’ve adapted it into a workshop format accessible even to those unfamiliar with matcha. Participants taste three grades of matcha (culinary-grade, daily-use, and special-occasion grade), learn about their differences, and then try to identify which matcha they’re drinking at the end. While enjoying the process, they learn about the history, benefits, and flavor distinctions of matcha.
Another workshop we offer is where participants blend their own incense using various fragrance materials. Many participants describe the workshops as sensory or meditative, which we believe is a key reason for their appeal. Sensory experiences transcend nationality and ethnicity, and in today’s world, many people seem to be increasingly seeking time for self-reflection.
Scene from a Cha-kabuki Workshop
Connecting Creators from Japan and Australia
Recently, the store has also become a platform for connecting Japanese artisans with Australian designers. In March 2024, we invited a washi artist from Ehime Prefecture to host a washi-making workshop. At the same time, we coordinated meetings between the artist and several Australian design firms who expressed interest.
Woodblock Commission for an Original Design
Currently, Japanese artisans and Australian designers are collaborating on packaging for Simply Native’s original brand of tea. We’ve commissioned Keihō Nakahara and Hirokazu Nakahara, a father-and-son duo of traditional Furyu-men (ritual mask) woodblock artists from Saga Prefecture, to create the woodblock prints. The overall layout and color design are handled by Australian textile artist Melinda Heal. The resulting design expresses the cultural context and story behind matcha’s arrival to Japan.
We believe this collaboration highlights the strengths of both parties. In this way, the store connects not only users and makers across Japan and Australia but also fosters relationships between creators themselves. We aim to continue expanding the potential of such spaces moving forward.
Package Design Using the Original Woodblock Artwork
Text & Edit by Yu Ikeo
Translation by Natasha Bray