小見山 菜摘 | Natsumi Komiyama

I grew up in Hashima, Gifu. At university I studied management, economics, politics, and law, while working four years on bridal service and volunteering at a community market run by a local design office. I then joined a regional financial institution and spent five years in front- and back-office banking—mutual aid, investment trusts, loan intake, operations, and sales. My interest in place-making never left, so I moved to Tokyo to study spatial design for a year, supported a town-planning architecture office for six months, and stepped into my current role.

I’m drawn to the craft behind things—the process and the maker’s intent—and try to connect people, products, and ideas as I build spaces and goods. I grew up in an outdoor family that camped more than we stayed in hotels, so I still head for the mountains whenever I can. Tea ceremony and flower exhibitions with my grandmother sparked a love of Japanese culture; I’ve studied tea ceremony, ikebana, and calligraphy. Lately my days off are for galleries and museums, catching artists’ solo shows.