NODA, Iwajiro. The Indigenous Patterns and Hotel Okura.

(Tokyo): Hotel Okura, 1964. First edition. Quarto. 104 pages. An exquisite volume showcasing the history of the Indigenous Patterns of Japan and their use in the design of the Hotel Okura. Built, two years ahead of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, The Okura is an extraordinary testament to a key moment in Japanese design. The hotel (an annex was added in 1973) was designed by an exceptionally gifted and diverse group that included the architects Yoshiro Taniguchi and Hideo Kosaka, the folk artist Shiko Munakata and the potter Kenkichi Tomimoto. Together they created a unique modern design that referenced the traditional colours, shapes and crafts of Japan. The volume is beautifully illustrated throughout and includes a fold-out frontispiece. A very good copy with the slipcase. Now very scarce in this first printing particularly with the often missing slipcase.