Stool
Manufactured by Tendo Mokko
Japan, 1970s
Oak plywood, upholstered leather seat

Measurements
45 × 45 × 42h cm
17,7 × 17,7 × 16,5h in

Provenance
Koyama Keizo Museum of Art by Togo Murano, Japan

Literature
Hiesinger, Kathryn B., and Mio Wakita-Elis. Japanese Design Since 1945: A Complete Sourcebook. Philadelphia Museum of Art, 1990.
Tendo Mokko Co., Ltd. Furniture Catalogue. Yamagata, Japan, c. 1960s–1970s.

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.