Ring Stool
Manufactured by Tendo Mokko
Japan, 1955
Wood, leather

Measurements
32 cm diameter × 43,6h cm
12,6 in diameter × 17,2h in

Provenance
Private Collection, Japan

Literature
Good Design Exhibition Catalog, Japan Industrial Design Promotion Organization, 1966.
Tendo Mokko Archives, Modern Japanese Furniture Design 1950–1970.

Biography
Tokukichi Kato (1915–1996) was a Japanese designer and an important figure in the development of postwar modern furniture. Trained in woodworking and industrial design, Kato worked closely with Tendo Mokko, contributing to the exploration of laminated plywood techniques that became central to the company's reputation.
His designs reflect a deep respect for material honesty and craftsmanship, combining the traditions of Japanese woodworking with modernist principles of simplicity, functionality, and structural clarity. Through his exploration of refined geometries and innovative manufacturing processes, Kato contributed to the emergence of a distinctive Japanese approach to industrial furniture design.
The Ring Stool, designed in 1955, exemplifies this philosophy through its restrained construction, carefully balanced proportions, and expressive use of materials. Kato's work represents the broader transformation of Japanese furniture design during the postwar period, when traditional craftsmanship increasingly intersected with modern production technologies.