onitsuka tiger: art of the samurai tansu campaign 2010

once again, international creative agency, amsterdam worldwide, has fused the eclectic
and ancient traditions of japanese art and contemporary culture of ignite fashion brand
onitsuka tiger in 2010.

following the success of three previous award-winning 'made of japan' strategy-inspired sculptures,
the centrepiece of this year's campaign is a totem to traditional japanese tansu furniture-making:
a one and a half-metre long bespoke wooden cabinet - built in the shape of a sneaker,
the most ambitious onitsuka tiger project yet.



niigata-based tansu masters, ogura tansu ten, was commissioned by amsterdam worldwide
to handcraft the model. the generations-old company of traditional japanese artisans
is known for its distinctive 'puzzle box' cabinets and chests, which are the epitome
of traditional japanese art and design, and lay claim to a rich and colorful history.

it took ogura-san and his team four months to build the tableau of individually crafted boxes
and construct them into a sneaker shape, using 200-year-old methods dating back to the
time of the samurai. the onitsuka tiger tansu sneaker is comprised of many authentic
and original features. in addition to ornate ironwork and a lacquer finish, the 'ogura tansu ten'
customized the seamless piece with secret compartments. like an intricate puzzle,
these must be unlocked in a specific sequence, and those who can crack the code can
access their hidden treasures.


up close of the puzzle-box


detail


the online 'virtual sneaker'

a fully interactive, stop-motion animation ‘virtual sneaker’ online at www.onitsukatiger.com
re-imagines the tansu shoe’s hand-made look and feel, replicating the craft that went into
the sculpture’s construction. the website also enables users to open doors and drawers
to discover a myriad of secrets and surprises about the brand, the new season’s collection,
and the tansu tradition. particular content will be locked and only made available to those
lucky enough to find a key or a code.

people are also invited to solve the puzzle and win exclusive prizes when the tansu sculpture
tours flagship onitsuka tiger stores and design and fashion trade fairs around the world,
later this year. besides print media, blogger-outreach and social media, the agency has created
a collection of tansu-themed materials, including scale-models of the sculpture,
limited-edition wooden business card holders, shopping bags and ornate wrapping paper.


stills of stop motion animation behind the doors and inside the drawers of the 'virtual sneaker'


stills of stop motion animation behind the doors and inside the drawers of the 'virtual sneaker'


stills of stop motion animation behind the doors and inside the drawers of the 'virtual sneaker'


stills of stop motion animation behind the doors and inside the drawers of the 'virtual sneaker'


stills of stop motion animation behind the doors and inside the drawers of the 'virtual sneaker'


making of the hand-made japanese puzzle-box tansu sculpture:


kiri wood waiting to be used

tansu is a carpentry tradition which remains deep-rooted among authentic tansu practitioners.
their distinctive boxes, cabinets and chests are considered to be the epitome of japanes art
and design, with portability always having been an important characteristic. an early style
was worn on the back, while another had large wheels, making it easy to move in case of fire
or natural disaster. others were designed to be watertight, so they were ideal for travelling
on merchant ships.

planes


blades for planes


master craftsman working on a drawer


drawer under construction


view of ogura tansu ten workshop


tansu sneaker model in pieces


work in progress - assembling the boxes


ogura-san displaying the model of the tansu sneaker


ogura tansu ten sign-off