2020 was a difficult year for the entire world but amidst the lockdowns and uncertainty, there was a little bright spot for us. We found the time to pursue our passion project and turned our interest in Japanese design and crafts into a business. And so, in August 2020, we founded Dekoboko Pte Ltd in Singapore, the country that we have been calling home since 2011.

Naturally, people ask what inspired a trader from the UK (Daniel) and a consultant from Greece (Christos) to embark on such an unlikely endeavour. We feel that the origins of Dekoboko can be traced back to our respective first encounters with Japan, more than a decade ago:

“I moved to a small city called Akita in the north of Japan straight after finishing my degree, telling my mum I would be back in a year. I never dreamed that I would fall in love with Japan and still be in Asia 14 years later! After a year of teaching English in Akita, enjoying the long frosty winters, Atsukan (hot sake), not to mention a good dose of snowboarding and Onsen experiences, I moved to Tokyo in an attempt to make use of my degree. After the initial half-day experience I had in west Shinjuku (one of Tokyo’s busiest districts) on my first arrival to Japan, I never imagined I would one day call Tokyo home. The grey ominous buildings, the black suited and dreary looking office workers and dense crowds, all were new and exciting, but at the same time a bit of a shock to the system. Tokyo is a sprawling mess of (mostly) uninteresting buildings packed so closely that there is barely a tree in sight, but when you look closely, and begin to understand the language, a whole new world unfolds. Everything from the attention to detail in the wrapping of gifts to the way they serve the tea and religiously welcome and say goodbye to you when you enter and leave a shop is quite unique to Japan. But this is really just the tip of the iceberg… Through Dekoboko, I hope to be able to share a little of the mystery and creative side of Japanese culture, bringing both artists’ work, and the feelings embodied in their crafts straight to your doorstep.

"It was love at first sight when I visited Tokyo in 2010 but I guess this happens to almost everyone when they first experience Japan. With its rich history, natural beauty and exceptional cuisine, Japan has something for everyone. For me, however, there was also something else. It was the way the modern was blended with the traditional, the juxtaposition of quaint, serene cafés playing soft jazz music with busy streets and bright jumbotrons. It was the overall concept of simplicity in design and collection of antitheses that balance themselves out, ultimately leaving you with a warm feeling - at least until you get on the Tokyo metro during rush hour. I brought my mother on a trip to Japan in 2019 where she was fascinated by Japanese aesthetic principles and their potential for a more balanced way of living. I thought that she was on to something…”

We met soon after we both moved to Singapore in 2011 and found that we share a passion for Japan’s powder snow, cafés and the minimalist elegance of Japanese design. We visited Japan a number of times since then and half-jokingly discussed the idea of curating a collection of items whenever something caught our attention.

It was only in 2020 that we decided to take the leap and actually do it. Our plan though, had a small twist; we did not want to be just an importer. Instead, we wanted to enrich the lives of our customers, whilst promoting the vision and story of the artisans whose items we carry. Put simply, we aspire to open the world of Japanese art crafts to people outside of Japan, while helping Japanese artisans expand their reach.