bonobo LLC is developing “ikasu,” a project that reconstructs the historical stories and aesthetic sense embodied in kimonos as contemporary art.
ikasu’s works were exhibited and sold at the invitation-only event “Tanseikai,” hosted by Isetan Malaysia on December 6th and 7th, 2025.
We were given the opportunity to exhibit and sell ikasu’s works at the 4th Tanseikai event at Isetan Malaysia. Our contemporary art pieces, upcycled from antique kimonos, were highly praised by many customers.
Special custom-made service by artist Lena Okamoto
To make this event even more special, artist Lena Okamoto brought over 100 carefully selected antique kimono fabrics from Tokyo, allowing guests to choose their favorite fabric and have Lena Okamoto transform it into a unique work of art just for them, providing a custom-made service.
Exhibition and sales also started at Isetan Malaysia Foreign Trade Room
Ikasu’s works are also exhibited and sold in the Foreign Trade Room at Isetan Malaysia. The Foreign Trade Room is a private space reserved for special customers, where you can enjoy the stories behind each and every piece of Ikasu’s work in a relaxed atmosphere.
If you are looking for ikasu products in Malaysia, please come to Isetan Malaysia.
Isetan Malaysia
ISETAN OF JAPAN SDN. BHD.
SURIA KLCC KUALA LUMPUR CITY CENTRE, 50088, KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA.
What is ikasu?
Give your kimono a second life.
There are countless kimonos and obi sashes lying dormant in Japanese homes. However, due to fewer opportunities to wear them and the difficulty of storing them, an increasing number of kimonos are being discarded. Ikasu sees kimonos as “memories of the owner,” “artist’s work,” and “traditional Japanese culture,” and transforms them into works of art that blend in with modern spaces.
Kimono are “wearable art.” They are one-of-a-kind works of art, with weaving, dyeing, embroidery, and decoration done by hand. ikasu respects the history, techniques, patterns, and stories of kimono, and creates one-of-a-kind pieces that combine traditional craftsmanship with modern design. We achieve both environmental consideration and cultural value.
Ikasu’s products are loved in homes, hotels, and stores in over 20 countries, including Japan, the United States, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
Textile Artist Lena Okamoto
A Tokyo-based textile artist with a BA in Japanese Cultural Studies and a Master’s degree from the University of Tokyo, she creates works that explore the themes of memory, identity, and transformation.
She respects fading and scratches as traces of time, and sees the act of cutting kimonos as “regeneration, not destruction.” She is a certified kimono master and has creative experience in the advertising industry, and is an artist who combines sensitivity with a poetic sensibility.
He travels all over Japan to carefully select antique kimonos to transform into artworks, and practices thorough upcycling, such as using antique paulownia chests for frames.
For her, textiles are “memories in a visible form,” an art that preserves and reinterprets cultural heritage, breathing new life into it.
Exhibition and Award Winning Record
September-October 2023: Exhibit and sale at five Takashimaya stores (Kyoto, Osaka, Nihonbashi, Shinjuku, Yokohama)
February 2024: Honorable Mention at the 5th All Japan Art Exhibition
March 2024: Received the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Bureau of Industrial and Labor Affairs Director’s Award at the Japan Handmade of the Year 2024
April 2024: Mr. & Mrs. Abe Arts & Culture Prize
May 2024: Exhibit and sale at World Art Dubai, the largest art fair in the Middle East
June 2024: Exhibition and sales event held at the art gallery of Daikanyama T-SITE Tsutaya Bookstore
July 2024: Exhibition and sales event held at ISETAN SALONE 1st floor (Tokyo Midtown)
October-November 2024: Exhibition and sales event held at Hankyu Umeda Main Store
April 2025: Exhibit and sale at World Art Dubai, the largest art fair in the Middle East
May 2025: Exhibition and sales event held at AKOMEYA TOKYO (Kagurazaka)
November 2025: Exhibit your work at an invitation-only event hosted by SeaFu at Four Seasons Resort Dubai
He has also exhibited at numerous venues, including the International Art Gallery QUADRO, the nationally registered tangible cultural property Nikiya, Shibuya PARCO, Tokyo American Club, and hotels overseas.
Problem solving
Ikasu’s efforts also contribute to solving the problem of clothing waste. They aim for total upcycling, carefully processing kimonos and obi, even down to the lining, and using antique paulownia chests for frames.
