Following a 12-year hiatus, Designtide Tokyo’s return in 2024 was so galvanizing that organizers revived the fair again in 2025 — this time taking place over three weekends in December at the Forest Hills West complex in Tokyo’s Aoyama neighborhood.
“We did not see the revival as a one-off event,” Designtide Tokyo director Hirofumi Akimoto tells The Japan Times. “Continuity itself holds great value, and in that sense, we consider this moment to be the true starting point.”
Split into a student showcase (Dec. 6-7), a main exhibition (Dec. 12-14) and a designer-run marketplace (Dec. 18-21), the three-week structure emerged organically from practical needs and a conceptual vision: One standout student from the first weekend is invited to the main exhibition, whose designers then participate in the market finale.
AloJapan.com