Osaka may be known for its food and busy shopping streets, but for jewellery lovers there is another side to the city well worth exploring.
In August, I visited Osaka—it was my first time in Japan outside of Tokyo, and I was struck by the difference between the two cities. Where Tokyo is extremely modern—skyscrapers, steel and glass, Osaka has a stronger sense of history. This was especially apparent when I stumbled upon a row of traditional wooden nagaya houses that looked as though they had been untouched by time.
That sense of age and beauty could be found in the many vintage shops that have given Osaka the reputation as a destination for pre-loved shopping. Umeda and Nishishinsaibashi, in particular, are famous for a wide selection of pre-loved watches and jewellery from decades past. Options for vintage are aplenty, but beyond these I began to wonder what Osaka’s contemporary jewellery scene had to offer.
What I found was a diversity of design perspectives that express a modern Japanese aesthetic. Himie, for example, finds sentimental beauty in everyday objects, with designs inspired by envelopes, spoons and mugs. At Ataka, designer and founder Hiroki Ataka creates architectural avant-garde jewels in a mix of precious and non-precious metals, and even customised gold alloy colours, with a spare, almost industrial look. Kunierika, meanwhile, nods to Japanese history with its use of colour. The brand’s bright and whimsical designs take inspiration from classical Japanese colour sense.
Here is Vogue’s edit of five jewellery labels to discover when you’re next in Osaka.
1 / 5
Himie
Himie is a Japanese jewellery brand that crafts beautiful, sentimental pieces as an ode to our ever-fading memory. Designer Hiromichi Shimokawa focuses his attention on seemingly trivial objects such as spoons, envelopes and mugs, and lovingly transforms them into precious keepsake jewels. The brand’s pieces are handmade in Japan, and crafted and imagined as antiques in time to come. A charming standout: the Tegami envelope pendant, which comes with a gold letter plate inside that can be custom-engraved.
303 Shibakawa Building, 3-3-3, Fushimimachi, Chuo-ku, Osaka 541-0044
2 / 5
Banyan
The polished approach to jewellery at Banyan pairs clean silhouettes with lab-grown diamonds. The brand speaks to preferences for high quality, understated pieces that are easy to wear on a daily basis. Among these are the brand’s Reine Butterfly earrings in yellow gold, set with marquise-cut diamonds. The diamonds on this design come to around 1.7-carats, and add sculptural dimension and beauty without appearing too ornate.
4F Shinsaibashi Enkyo Building, 1-4-14 Shinsaibashisuji, Chuo-ku, Osaka 542-0085
3 / 5
Kunierika
Whimsical, colourful gem-set designs are the calling card of Kunierika, a modern jewellery label founded in 2013. The brand draws inspiration from colourful uchigi layered silk robes worn by women in the Heian period, and how colour combinations play out in those layers. Kunierika creates jewels that are both delicate and bold, capturing a sense of artfully colour-combined Japanese style. A piece where this imagery can be seen is the Tassel earrings, from its Maison de Maman collection, set with Akoya pearls and swaying gem-set chain tassels.
RE-014 #404, 1-14-11 Utsubohonmachi, Nishi-ku, Osaka
By appointment only.
4 / 5
Ataka
Designer Hiroki Ataka takes an avant-garde approach to jewellery, crafting industrial-looking forms from custom metal alloys that are made from scratch. The designer’s fascination with materials is evoked through creations such as this Yellow ring, which explores how a piece of jewellery might develop a sense of warmth over time—it’s made with its fittingly golden hue from gold and brass.
Stocked at YEANAY OSAKA.
#2, 1-3-2 Ohyodo-minami, Kita-ku, 531-0075 Osaka
5 / 5
Eat
Eat creates playful 925 silver jewels in unexpected forms, with a delightful sense of youth and mirth. Its signature pieces have fluid, ribbon-like lines, and are easy to wear as everyday jewels with a lighthearted beauty. This Pearl Plants rings, for example, takes the appearance of a cluster of mushrooms, an example of the kind of funky-yet-not-overly-outré style that the brand does well.
Grosgrain Building 202, 1-7-9 Tamatsukuri, Chuo-ku, Osaka
