At the heart of the fair will be the special project ‘Atrium’, curated by Smiles Inc., the creative force behind lifestyle brands such as Giraffe and Pass the Baton. This immersive installation connects passionate designers and manufacturers with buyers seeking authentic stories and meaningful products. Widely regarded as the fair’s signature space, the Atrium attracts every visitor, facilitates cross-industry encounters, and creates an ideal setting to establish new business connections.
Success stories from 2025: building bridges to new opportunities
The influence of this platform, together with the fair’s broad networking opportunities, is reflected in the success stories from the previous edition. Exhibitors across diverse sectors reported tangible business leads and long-term partnerships forged at the show.
There are numerous sectors that overlap in the interior space, and the fair attracts exhibitors from across the spectrum. “We specialise in bonsai vessels, scissors, and accessories – products which traditionally had limited reach,” said Mr Takuya Goto, Managing Director of SEKIBOKKA Co, speaking at the 2025 edition. “Rather than taking a passive approach, we sought partnerships that aligned with our values. Interior Lifestyle Tokyo provided precisely the platform we were looking for. We connected with numerous visitors focused on interiors and held multiple discussions, ranging from initial talks to concrete prospects. Our goal is ‘organic growth’ – establishing long-lasting relationships with partners who share our philosophy.”
The fair has proved a successful avenue for many suppliers to explore new partnerships. Mr Jun Onishi, Executive Managing Director of Nittosha Co Ltd, explained further: “As part of our rebranding initiative, our goal was to reach new audiences. The quality of visitors has exceeded expectations – highly design-conscious buyers immediately grasped our vision. Specialist retailers wanted to display our products alongside candles and incense, while event organisers inquired about bespoke designs. This positive response has validated our approach and given us renewed confidence in our strategy.”
Across industries, there has been recognition that innovative approaches are key to tackling environmental challenges, extending to sectors like home textiles. “Our recycling company has developed ‘Clothxxg’, a pioneering material brand made entirely from discarded textiles,” said Ms Makiko Takeda, Environmental Design Incubator from WATZ Co Ltd. “We chose Interior Lifestyle Tokyo as the premier platform to unveil this innovation to the design community. From day one, we connected with appliance designers, stationery producers, and curtain manufacturers – a diverse range of industries that immediately recognised its potential. This experience has given us strong momentum for the future.”
Why global suppliers use the fair as their platform to Japan’s market
Interior Lifestyle Tokyo offers international and domestic brands a sophisticated gateway to explore a range of partnership opportunities in Japan. The fair’s visitor profile reflects the country’s dynamic interior and retail landscapes, attracting major department stores, specialist lifestyle shops and e-commerce innovators. The show dates – ahead of the key autumn and year-end purchasing seasons – ensure high visibility during Japan’s busiest buying periods.
Press information and photographic material:
https://interiorlifestyle-tokyo.jp.messefrankfurt.com/tokyo/en/press/photos.html
Links to websites:
https://interiorlifestyle-tokyo.jp.messefrankfurt.com/tokyo/en.html
Background information on Messe Frankfurt
The Messe Frankfurt Group is the world’s largest trade fair, congress and event organiser with its own exhibition grounds. With a workforce of some 2,500 people at its headquarters in Frankfurt am Main and in 29 subsidiaries, it organises events around the world. Group sales in financial year 2024 were around € 775 million. We serve our customers’ business interests efficiently within the framework of our Fairs & Events, Locations and Services business fields. One of Messe Frankfurt’s key strengths is its powerful and closely knit global sales network, which covers around 180 countries in all regions of the world. Our comprehensive range of services – both onsite and online – ensures that customers worldwide enjoy consistently high quality and flexibility when planning, organising and running their events. We are using our digital expertise to develop new business models. The wide range of services includes renting exhibition grounds, trade fair construction and marketing, personnel and food services.
Sustainability is a central pillar of our corporate strategy. Here, we strike a healthy balance between ecological and economic interests, social responsibility and diversity. For more information, please visit our website at: www.messefrankfurt.com/sustainability
With its headquarters in Frankfurt am Main, the company is owned by the City of Frankfurt (60 percent) and the State of Hesse (40 percent).
For more information, please visit our website at: www.messefrankfurt.com
Background information on China Merchants Exhibition Management (Shenzhen) Co Ltd
Shenzhen Merchants Exhibition Management Co., Ltd. is a professional exhibition consulting, construction, and operation management company under the China Merchants Shekou Industrial Zone. It is one of the few companies in the domestic exhibition industry that possesses comprehensive capabilities across the entire chain, including planning and design, development and construction, and operation management. The company is committed to providing comprehensive solutions for urban exhibition centers, creating a world-class platform for global communication and collaboration through top-notch design, construction, and operation.
Background information on China Merchants Exhibition Management (Shenzhen) Co Ltd
Shenzhen Merchants Exhibition Management Co., Ltd. is a professional exhibition consulting, construction, and operation management company under the China Merchants Shekou Industrial Zone. It is one of the few companies in the domestic exhibition industry that possesses comprehensive capabilities across the entire chain, including planning and design, development and construction, and operation management. The company is committed to providing comprehensive solutions for urban exhibition centers, creating a world-class platform for global communication and collaboration through top-notch design, construction, and operation.
Background information on Shenzhen OCT Exhibition & Convention Management Co Ltd
Shenzhen OCT Exhibition & Convention Management Co Ltd is a professional exhibition company under OCT Group Co Ltd. Relying on the resource advantages of OCT culture, tourism, real estate, electronic technology and related business investment sectors, it is committed to developing into a comprehensive exhibition group with exhibition venue operation, exhibition event organization, management consulting and related supporting services.
Background information on Beijing Talent International Exhibition Co Ltd
Established in 1999, Beijing Talent International Exhibition Co Ltd was one of the earliest trade fair organisers in China to provide overseas exhibition services. The company is committed to providing high-quality exhibition services to foreign companies, and has maintained long-term cooperative relations with many world-renowned exhibition organisers over the past twenty years. Playing a leading role in foreign trade across a variety of industries, the company has established links with relevant industry institutions across the country. The company’s exhibitions are organised in more than 30 countries and regions with over 100 projects around the world.
www.talent-expo.com