SEA BRIDGES

TOMORROW FIELD and ONJIUM, Korea’s research institute for cultural heritage, are set to launch SEA BRIDGES in June 2025; a collaboration project created to foster mutual learning through art and cuisine. 

Kyotango and Korea are both historically known to have been vibrant ports of cultural exchanges across the sea. 

SEA BRIDGES aspires to serve as a cultural bridge between Japan and Korea. Through food, art, crafts, and architecture, this project not only aims to cultivate a deeper understanding of each other’s customs, culture and history but also to pass on the spirit and artistry to future generations.

The first chapter of this collaboration starts this year, 2025, and focuses on the theme of the future of our dining table. “SEA BRIDGES: Our Future Meal 2030” will take place in both Kyotango and Seoul, exploring and highlighting the food and craftsmanship of each region.

Participants from Japan include “Nawaya” (a Japanese restaurant in Kyotango), “Kamisoe” (a Karakami -Japanese paper with woodblock print- artisan in Kyoto), “Kanazawa Moku Seisakusho” (a carpenter and woodblock printmaker), and “Fujita Gasodo” (a master of traditional Kyoto-style mounting).  Together with “Food Studio” and “Clothing Studio” of ONJIUM in Seoul, guests can expect a one-of-a-kind collaborative celebration of culture and mastery from both Japan and Korea.

Culinary Collaboration

Our Future Meal 2030 – The First Chapter of SEA BRIDGES

Craft Collaboration

Clothing Studio, ONJIUM will create a silk partition incorporating the traditional weaving technique “Ra” from Korea.

Kyoto’s Karakami artisan Kamisoe will collaborate with woodblock craftsperson Takeyuki Kanazawa of Kanazawa Moku Seisakusho and Fujita Gasodo, an expert in Kyoto-style mounting crafts. Together, they will craft a four-panel folding screen adorned with “Four Gracious Flowers and Peony Pattern” of the Joseon Dynasty, provided by ONJIUM. Enjoy the harmonious dialogues between the two different materials; paper and textile.

ONJIUM

ONJIUM was established in Seoul in 2013, with the support of the Joongang Hwadong Foundation, with a mission to better understand the roots of Korean cultural identity, to build on and pass down. 

ONJIUM nurtures a new generation of creative artisans thoroughly disciplined in theory, craftsmanship and mindset. To enable more in-depth understanding, it divided work into three domains – Food, Clothing and Housing. Each studio passionately conducts research and works together with other studios under the same roof, and collaborates with other institutes and experts to push boundaries. By doing so, ONJIUM hopes to contribute to better bridging the past and the future.

Website https://www.onjium.org/main

Instagram  @onjium

The ONJIUM restaurant, renowned for its innovative approach to traditional Korean cuisine, has been awarded a Michelin one-star rating for six consecutive years and is currently ranked 21st in Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants.