Stool Model "Marimo"
Manufactured by Tendo Mokko
Japan, 1950s
Plastic × Styrol

Measurements
56 × 56 × 40h cm
22 × 22 × 15,7h in

Provenance
Private collection, Japan

Literature
Tendo. Eight decades of masterful designs from leading Japanese furniture maker Tendo Mokko. Published by Tendo Mokko. Japan, 2020.

Details
Manufacturer's Label

About
This rare Marimo stool by Tendo Mokko represents an early collaboration among iconic designers of postwar Japan, including Kenzo Tange, Isamu Kenmochi, and Sori Yanagi. Produced in molded plastic and styrol, the piece reflects the company’s experimentation with modern materials and sculptural, functional forms. Its rounded, minimalist aesthetic embodies Tendo Mokko’s philosophy of integrating traditional Japanese sensibilities with contemporary design techniques. The stool is versatile and robust, suitable for both seating and decorative purposes, and remains a highly collectible example of early Japanese postwar furniture design.

About Tendo Mokko
Located in Yamagata Prefecture in northern Japan, Tendo Mokko was founded in 1942 as a cooperative of highly skilled carpenters and woodworkers. Initially established to produce wooden components and industrial goods, the company soon became a pioneer of modern furniture manufacturing in Japan through its early adoption of molded plywood technology.
Following the Second World War, Tendo Mokko played a decisive role in shaping the identity of Japanese modern design. By collaborating with architects and designers such as Kenzo Tange, Sori Yanagi, Isamu Kenmochi, and Riki Watanabe, the company bridged traditional Japanese craftsmanship with industrial precision. Their landmark production of Sori Yanagi’s Butterfly Stool in 1956 established Tendo internationally and demonstrated the expressive and structural potential of molded plywood.
Throughout the 1960s, the period to which this coffee table belongs, Tendo Mokko developed a refined vocabulary of furniture characterized by architectural clarity, honest expression of materials, and meticulous construction. Working primarily in fine hardwoods such as rosewood and walnut, the company created pieces that were both elegant and durable, aligning with the ideals of modern living in postwar Japan. Today, Tendo Mokko remains one of the most respected manufacturers of modern furniture in the world, renowned for its innovation, craftsmanship, and enduring design legacy.