Monozukuri

with Ana Arriola-Kanada

What does monozukuri—the spirit of making—mean in an era of global interconnection and rapid change?

ものづくり、Contemporary Perspective invites students to explore Japan’s culture of creation through the lens of immigrants and long-term residents. The course examines innovation across contemporary Japan—from traditional craft to advanced robotics, and from minimalist form to deeply contextual design systems.

Through studio projects, field observation, and conversations with industry practitioners, students will develop work that interprets Japanese innovation from an outside-in perspective: designs, products, services, or systems rooted in local insight yet globally relevant.

Over ten weeks, students will identify emerging opportunities, define their creative voice within the Japanese context, and produce outcomes that demonstrate how cultural intelligence drives meaningful innovation.

Ultimately, this course is a study in empathy and translation—designing with culture, not just for it.

Learning Outcomes

Cultural Intelligence through Observation — Develop a nuanced understanding of contemporary Japanese innovation ecosystems through observation, ethnography, and reflection on monozukuri as a philosophy of making.

Market Awareness through Design Research — Identify cultural, social, and market needs within Japan’s evolving creative industries and translate insight into actionable design opportunities.

Cross-Cultural Design Practice — Balance global design frameworks with local sensibilities to create projects that bridge cultural and technological contexts.

Conceptual and Systems Thinking — Apply systems-level analysis to understand how design, technology, and society interact within Japan’s innovation landscape.

Prototype and Artifact Creation — Design and produce an object, product, service, or media intervention that embodies an outside-in interpretation of Japanese innovation.

Collaborative Studio Methodology — Engage in iterative critique and co-creation across disciplines, synthesizing feedback from instructors, peers, and guest practitioners.

Reflective Practice and Long-Term Perspective — Cultivate awareness of how time, adaptation, and immersion shape creative identity—learning to think like a resident, not a visitor.

Schedule

Thursday, 10AM–11:30AM JST

Ana Arriola-Kanada

Designer, Maker, Cultural Orchestrator

Ana Arriola-Kanada works at the forefront of Horizon 2 and 3 innovation, shaping strategic partnerships and investments across emerging fields including AI, robotics, mixed reality, neuromorphic computing, autonomous systems, digital twins, and the industrial metaverse.

A results-driven executive and creative leader, she has built products and global teams at organizations such as Microsoft, Apple, Meta, Sony, PlayStation, Adobe, Samsung, IDEO, and startups at the edge of technology and culture—bridging design, engineering, and human insight.

Ana is the recipient of numerous international design honors, including G-Mark/GOOD, iF, Red Dot, EISA, Cool Hunting, and Tokyo Type Directors Club awards, and holds 38 global patents spanning hardware, interfaces, materials, and AI-driven systems.

A queer Latine investor and cultural organizer, she leads the Semi Permanent global community and co-founded a space, in between, a Tokyo-based atelier advancing inclusivity and body diversity through contemporary apparel. Her work explores how design, intelligence, and humanity evolve together—and how living in Japan reveals deeper perspectives on innovation, belonging, and translation.