Japan has a long history of combining the newest technology with clever, striking and intricate design, the result of the traditional aesthetic of monozukuri, or "the art of making things." The unique style and efficiency of Japan's best products have earned the respect of industrial designers and consumers world-wide.

For this book, Shu Hagiwara has selected forty Japanese-designed products that have had a profound impact on the post-World War II period, and looks at the original ideas that sparked the creation of these products. What were the engineers thinking when they designed the Honda Super Cub--what many consider to be the best motorcycle of all time? What flight of imagination led to Sori Yanagi's spectacular Butterfly Stool, which now is part of New York's MOMA collection? What traditional craft inspired Isamu Noguchi's lantern, Akari?

From Hagiwara's text, we learn much about these elegant, witty and beautiful designs, as well as the process from inception to product. The stunning photographs of the celebrated Masashi Kuma give further expression to these ideas.

Forty products--some familiar, some not. Forty ideas--some contemporary, some traditional. Forty designs--all intriguing, all inspirational, all a fascinating part of contemporary life in Japan.