Kengo Kuma will speak at a master class hosted by Italian Design in Japan (IDJ) at the Italian Embassy in Japan's "Casa del Design Italiano"

Italian Design in Japan (IDJ) starts its activities with a special event hosted at the Casa del Design Italiano at the Embassy of Italy in Tokyo on February 16, 2026. The event represents a significant moment of cultural dialogue between Italy and Japan, highlighting architecture and design as tools for exchange, research, and shared vision.

Italian Design in Japan is an association dedicated to promoting Italian architecture, design and creative culture in Japan. IDJ acts as a platform connecting professionals, institutions and companies, fostering collaborations, cultural initiatives and opportunities for dialogue between the two countries.

The event will open with welcome remarks by the Italian Ambassador to Japan, Gianluigi Benedetti and will be followed by the President of the association, Matteo Belfiore, who will outline IDJ’s vision and objectives.

The central moment of the event will be a masterclass by Kengo Kuma, one of the most influential figures in contemporary architecture worldwide. His lecture will explore the relationship between architecture, materiality and context, with particular attention to the dialogue between Japanese design sensibility and European culture.

This event èprovides an opportunity for networking and exchange among professionals, institutional representatives and cultural operators.

The event will be live-streamed on YouTube, allowing an international audience to follow the conference in real time.

Event Information

Date: February 16, 2026

Conference venue: Casa del Design Italiano – Embassy of Italy in Tokyo Organized by: Italian Design in Japan (IDJ)

Attendance: by invitation only – live streaming open to the public Working language: English

YouTube Live Stream:

https://youtube.com/live/ScjZcSdjC-Q

Italian Design in Japan (IDJ)

Italian Design in Japan is an association that promotes Italian architecture and design culture in Japan, creating connections between professionals, institutions and companies and strengthening cultural dialogue between Italy and Japan.

Press contacts:

Email: info@idj.jp
Web: www.idj.jp
SNS: https://linktr.ee/idj2025