Title:  Animals of Kumiki

　　　　Country of origin: Japan

　　　　Designer:  Sabu Oguro

　　　　Maker: U-Plan

　　　　material: Oak Wood

　　　　Story : It is said a tree cut down at its age of 100 years old
　　　　　　　produces wood which exhibits the maximum strength
　　　　　　　after another 100 years. The warmth and grace of
　　　　　　　wood seem to me the evidence that wood is alive.
　　　　　　　With a desire to make forms of animals in wood, I
　　　　　　　have been trying to think out a variety of combinati-
　　　　　　　ons of forms in Kumiki. From familiar cats and dogs
　　　　　　　to camels living far away by Nile River, they are all
　　　　　　　close together in harmony to form animal families.
　　　　　　　I hope the Kumiki animals, cut out of a simple piece
　　　　　　　of board and sheltering the spirit of a tree, will be
　　　　　　　touched by the hands of all the children and the
　　　　　　　grownups who never loose the young idea to enhan-
　　　　　　　ce their free and inexhaustible sensibility and intelle-
　　　　　　　ctual curiosity.