Heralbony Laboratory Ginza is a great stop for visitors and professionals interested in social innovation, inclusive design, and Japan’s fashion Industry. The space is not only a store where customers can buy colorful products, but it also serves as an art gallery. Visitors can encounter artists’ original artwork alongside the fashion products developed by Heralbony’s collaboration with artists with disabilities.
Practical Information
| Practical details | HERALBONY LABORATORY GINZA |
|---|---|
| Address | Gintomi Building, 2-5-16 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0061, first floor |
| Opening Hours |
11:00 AM–7:00 PM. |
| Admission | Free |
| Time to allow |
20-60 min |
| Who should visit | Visitors interested in Inclusive design, business, art, social innovation, fashion |
| Accessibility Information | Wheelchair accessible |
Heralbony works with artists who live with disabilities and aim to showcase and collaborate with them as creative professionals with their distinctive practices. The company license, exhibits, and collaborates with these artists to create the design of their in-store products and corporate collaboration, such as the Business class pouches for JAL.
Art and Social Engagement
The engagement of Heralbony with art and inclusive initiative is not only through the brand’s product but also through the annual HERALBONY Art Prize, an international award open to artists living with disabilities all over the world. The prize serves as a platform for artists of any age and professional background, and develops a space for visibility, and career development. The winners have received a money prize and an artist contract with the brand.
The store in Ginza turns the shopping experience into an artistic one. By curating a gallery space, visibility of the artists does not only lie in the clothes and accessories visitors can buy, but in the physical experience of approaching the work and learning more about the artists and the humans that collaborate with the brand.
Technology and expanding participation
Recently, HERALBONY has also used telepresence technology to make artists’ participation more accessible and expand connection beyond the artwork. During a recent exhibition of Mika Kamijo, the Japanese artist who won a previous HERALBONY Art Prize, the gallery was equipped with an Orihime Avatar Robot that allowed visitors to engage and talk with the artists from her studio. Using the robot is a way to allow an artist who faces travel or mobility constraints to still participate in public conversation and meet the visitors who came to enjoy their art.
If the robot is not present when you visit the store, you can experience the Orihime robots at the DAWN café. Find out more about this place and Tokyo’s everyday robotic development in this article on the TokudAw Business Services blog.
About TokudAw
Accessibility and inclusivity are important values to TokudAw, which is why we happily recommend our guests to add this store to their visit. Learn more about our inclusive and accessible tours by clicking here.