What we Do

MUKU
Meaning
Innocence: A world from Japanese Buddhist philosophy. It means pure and clean, far from the desires of the world.
No color: Like a blank page that we are free to create and all possibilities are open to us.

Our goal
Let's find the purpose of life together!
Three points are indispensable in order to find yourself and move toward a society that is enthusiastic and easy to evolve.

• We live by creating projects that correspond to us and participating in the creation of a more united society.
• We are aiming for a synergistic effect by connecting French and Japanese cultures.
• Help each other to achieve these goals.

For the purpose of improving understanding of disabilities, improving quality of life, and reducing anxiety in the future, we will exchange information between Japan and France, not only the parties concerned but also with their parents and those who are support them, and places.

Mutual diversity like Japanese kimono culture and French lace embroidery culture introducing the culture.
We will introduce various cultures in connection with welfare support.

We will exchange art works in Japan and France.
Beyond the framework of art for the disabled, we aim to exchange works as an artist.

Who we Are

Having spent many years planning and coordinating private and corporate official events in Tokyo, I turned around and moved from the center of Tokyo to France with my Japanese husband and daughter, all of which became zero start. The people of this Pau city welcomed me kindly and warmly, and among them, the French lady with a disability who gave me a place (role) in society. What I noticed when I met her was that there is no difference between us. I am a healthy person but can't understand the language well as I think in a foreign country. She was born with a disability. We try to understand each other and complement each other's disability. Even so, I am able to spend my time comfortably and with peace of mind because of the "humanity" of the people I feel in my daily life and the warmth and love of the people in this area who have a heart-to-heart. The symbiosis in the society, when people step forward from own world, might be in harmony depending on each person's heart. Like the word in Japanese "OMOIYARI" (consideration).
My father who passed away, contributed most of his life to international cooperation. He taught us to "work across countries, overcome race and language barriers, and contribute to society through heartfelt dialogue between people." by showing his life. So I added one word to my father's words, "Beyond the presence or absence of disabilities". I am thankful of all the people who have met and supported me in France and Japan right now with my two wonderful friends. We will steadily contribute to society step by step while raising expectations for the relationships with the people we meet in the future.
We believe that not only the act of selling and buying things, but also the relationships and dialogues with the people we meet through them are the treasures of human life.

I was fortunate enough to live in Japan for three years with a Kimono Kitsuke art (kimono wearing and dressing technique class) to study this art. Through this training I have met many very different people who have welcomed me with open arms. From them I learned a lot about traditional and contemporary Japanese culture, and through these experiences and meetings, I began to see my life and the world around me from a different perspective.
I think this encounter with a society and individuals that were not familiar to me allowed me to better understand myself, to accept myself and to realise what values I wanted to place at the heart of my life. This is why after meeting Yoshiko and Norie who shared the same values as me, I wanted to create this association with them. Through our actions, I hope to be able to offer a slightly different vision of the world and give everyone the freedom to interpret their life and their desires according to their own values.

Special Thanks

Bric O Truc is one of an association in Pau.
It is a solidarity shop for recovery, customization and transformation of objects and small furniture. Our project would not have been realized without them.
The association was created around Natacha who is suffering from Apert syndrome. Wishing to integrate the world of work, she followed a traditional school and professional training and successfully obtained her BEP in accounting. Despite her diplomas and numerous internship experiences as a disabled worker, she had some difficulties to find work. It was then that whose around her decided to create the solidarity shop Bric O Truc in which she could finally put all her knowledges into practices. She works surrounded by volunteers, all together they recover second-hand objects, renovate them and divert them according to their imagination. It is both a place for meetings, exchanges and creations.
It was through their contact, as volunteers, that our President Yoshiko HISADA had the idea and the desire to create the Association MUKU, to offer everyone the opportunity to flourish through work and meeting.

When you look at our logo, how do you feel and what is your first impression?
Does it remind you of something or bring back nostalgic memories?
We would like to hear from your voices of your feelings and opinions.

This logo was created by Mr. Kenichi Hirose and was named Font SHABON.
The Bubble (SHABON) floats fluffily in the sky, shining in rainbow-coloured.
We think everyone has an experience of blowing bubbles into the sky.

How did you feel at that time? You wished you are able to float high in the sky like a bubble. Did you put your dreams and hopes into this bubble and make a wish for it? Sometimes, you had to try breathing gently while you suppressed the feeling of impatience to see how big it can get. Then, you gazed in fascination at these rainbow-coloured lights of bubbles. It will bring back your various memories.

Font SHABON was born in 2019, when the people all over the world were stopped in their tracks by a tiny virus. The people had to stop their everyday life and their hearts were seized by anxiety, like the darkness caused of keeping distance between each other...

A font SHABON that overflowed from the heart of Mr. Kenichi Hirose under the sky of Tokyo.

Font SHABON, it is like shining the high of hope into people's hearts.

Font SHABON if as people all of the world blew it into the high sky with their desire to dispel their anxiety.

At the same time, we (members of MUKU) were having numerous discussions in Pau, France about what we must do now, rather than being overwhelmed by this anxiety.

Yoshiko HISADA, president of MUKU:
"I met Mr. Kenichi Hirose when I was a teacher at a technical college in Yokohama same as him.
I am a big fan of his wonderful designs which are created by his skill, blended with his warm smile and humour. These designs made by him, having more life experiences than me."

We hope that our project will fulfil not only the wishes of many of us, but also the wishes of those who hold their ambitions and take on challenges in their respective places. That is why we asked Mr. Hirose to create our logo with this font SHABON in mind. We hope that this logo and font SHABON will spread to the world, be loved by as many people as possible and be filling up the sky with many SHABONS, embracing people's hopes.

Mr. Kenichi Hirose Career

Born in Tokyo in 1940
1959	Studied under Mr. Hiroshi Awatsuji, Textile Design
1963	Graduated from Ochanomizu Academy of Fine Arts Design Division Joined the company "Yoshio Hayakawa Design Office"
1966	Joined the company "Shiu Graphica"
1975	Established Kenichi Hirose Design Office Joined Japan Typography Association

After this career, he held an exhibition of his own works and produced numerous typography exhibitions. While continuing to be active as his typography designer, he was also involved in the development of the next generation of juniors, and his typography art skills and teaching skills are reflected in the achievements of the students. He has a long career as an instructor and is adored by many people.

Even now, he is a senior member of Japan Typography Association. He has exhibited his own works at the annual Typography Yearbook Exhibition, and 40 of his works have been selected so far.

He is currently engaged in his hobbies of fishing, tennis, and taking pictures of Mt. Fuji from his balcony. Of course, he is continuing to create new designs of the Typography every day with his own humour for brain training to prevent brain ageing.

• SHABON = bubble in Japanese, its from Sabão in Portuguese which was imported to Japan in 16th Century.

Our artists who we support

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