Our Concept CONCEPT
Because a tree is finite, life exists within it.
High-quality natural wood grown in the Daisetsuzan Mountains of central Hokkaido.
The nearby city of Asahikawa has been making furniture since the Meiji era, and from this city a brand has grown to become world renowned.
WOW was established in Asahikawa in 1972.
Our mission is to create a more comfortable life, and we continue to think about what the true value of furniture is every day.
To make designs “surprise”. To create usability that “stirs emotion”.
We have and will continue to breathe life into the wood of Hokkaido, as we strive to create furniture that will generate a “WOW” in the hearts of its users.
Furniture is only furniture when it is used.
It is the maker who breathes life into the wood, but it is the user who makes the most of the furniture.
No matter how good the design is, it is meaningless if it is not used.
We want to make furniture that people want to use.
Tradition and innovation since the Meiji era.
What a young man saw in Germany.
Asahikawa has been one of the centers of the Japanese furniture industry since the Meiji era. From the postwar period, the city has focused on training woodworkers and has produced many excellent craftsmen.
The “Overseas Trainee Program” that began in 1962 marked a new chapter in the history of Asahikawa furniture.
As symbolized by the “Bauhaus,” German furniture of the 20th century had a design philosophy of pursuing functional beauty, and the 1960s became an era of increasing sophistication.
In 1968 the future founder of WOW, Juji Nohara, was one of the trainees who went to West Germany to learn cutting edge sophisticated technology and design.
“Andes”, furniture for everyday life, was born.
After returning from Germany, the founder established MÖBEL TOKO in 1972 with the desire to create “system furniture”.
MÖBEL means “furniture” in German, and TOKO comes from “Toko Sangyo”, the company where the founder worked.
While working on sideboards and kitchen boards, MÖBEL TOKO concurrently produced system furniture that could be customized by combining units.
In the 1980s, the company created the “Andes” series, which would become its flagship product.
The 50th anniversary of the company’s founding.
A new step forward.
In 2022, MÖBEL TOKO celebrated its 50th anniversary and re-started under the new company name “WOW”.
“WOW” has two meanings: “Wow” = a word of admiration, and “worthy wood” = trees that have value. This represents our commitment to wood, which we have cherished since our founding, and our desire to continue producing products that impress our customers.
Since our founding, we have grown through encounters with many people. We will continue to create better furniture by listening to our customers and responding to the changing times.
Two meanings of WOW.
The company name “WOW” has two meanings: “Wow” = a word of admiration, and “worthy wood” = trees that have value.
The design of “SORAHE”, which means “looking up” in Japanese, is exciting just by looking at it, and the functional beauty of “half chair” makes you want to say, “I want to use it.
By experiencing joy and surprise through our furniture, the finite tree comes to life as “trees of value” in our daily lives.
