TIMES

Creating Connections That Go Beyond the Trade Show — PLUG IN HUB Held
 

The PLUG IN office recently held the first "PLUG IN HUB," in Tokyo's Okachimachi, aiming to create ongoing new encounters and lateral connections among exhibitors, business owners, and creators.

The venue was RUTTEN_, a café that took part as a sponsor exhibitor at the March 2018 show. "As a way of giving back to Okachimachi, where our head office is, we wanted to create a place where creators, artisans, business owners, and workers active in the area could connect," says Takashi Araoka, the producer behind Araoka Eyewear who also runs RUTTEN_. That concept overlapped with the PLUG IN office's own wish to "create ongoing connections that build momentum for the show and the industry," and the event came together as a result.

Over 20 people took part. A wide range of trades and business types gathered, centered in Taito-ku, including precious-metal engravers, silverware manufacturing executives, accessory creators, leather-goods artisans, and industrial designers, and there was lively exchange of information. Attendees shared comments such as, "There are a lot of craftspeople who think it's enough to just quietly make things — there's no connection between artisans. It's great that an opportunity like this can widen the network."

The office plans to hold the event on an ongoing basis going forward, and also plans exchange events with people in digital and fashion-tech fields.

Company Information
RUTTEN_
5-5-10 Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo