COVERCHORD EXCLUSIVE
HOW TO WRAP_
POP-UP EVENT
at COVERCHORD Nakameguro
Koji Yamamoto reinterprets Japan’s art of wrapping.
A special two-day event at COVERCHORD Nakameguro.
November 29 (Sat) – 30 (Sun)
A HOW TO WRAP_ Pop-up Event will be held at COVERCHORD Nakameguro.
Founded in 2014, HOW TO WRAP_ is Koji Yamamoto’s project to explore and reinterpret the concept of “wrapping” in modern life.
While rooted in Japan’s long-standing wrapping culture, the brand reexamines its value and expresses it through contemporary design.
For this event, an extensive selection of WRAPPED STONE pieces, created using traditional Japanese knotting and braided cord techniques, will be showcased alongside a wide range of SEKIMORI STONE works, inspired by the boundary markers seen in Japanese gardens.
Each stone features the unique form and soft beige marble tones found only in natural materials. Yamamoto’s carefully chosen leather colors harmonize with the individuality of each stone, creating modern objects that blend naturally into contemporary interiors.
In the latter part of this feature, we visit Yamamoto’s studio to explore his process and philosophy.
The HOW TO WRAP_ Pop-up Event will be held for two days only. We hope you will take this opportunity to visit.
Japan’s time-honored wrapping culture,
carried forward through contemporary expression.
The WRAPPED STONE and SEKIMORI STONE series by Koji Yamamoto reimagine symbolic forms and techniques from Japanese culture through a contemporary lens.
Soft beige-toned marble stones are bound with leather cord, creating a quiet tension between natural shape and crafted detail. With only minimal intervention, each stone takes on a refined presence as an object.
Born from both nature and human touch, these pieces blend effortlessly into any living space.
More than simple craft, they represent a new form that evokes cultural heritage, traditional technique, and an appreciation for the natural world.
The creation of WRAPPED STONE and SEKIMORI STONE begins with sourcing the materials.
The stones, collected along the Sea of Japan, are boiled and carefully cleaned, then refined by hand while preserving their natural form.
The process of wrapping each piece in leather is done in a state of quiet focus. When asked why he chose leather cord, Yamamoto explains, “I wanted to create a more refined sekimori-ishi that carries new value.”
He chooses materials not for function but out of honesty toward the work. Using high-quality leather that grows richer with age, he carefully searches for the wrapping method that best brings out each stone’s natural form. Through this process, his handwork naturally becomes more refined.
After graduating from university, Yamamoto joined the interior shop MEISTER on Meguro-dori. Surrounded by modern vintage furniture, objects, and diverse design histories, he also began developing an interest in old Japanese books.
It was during this time that he encountered Hideyuki Oka’s How to Wrap Five Eggs: Traditional Japanese Packaging.
The wealth of knowledge found only in books surprised him, and he became deeply drawn to the meaning behind traditional Japanese forms and to the way the act of “wrapping” is rooted in the core of Japanese culture.
As online shopping began to grow, Yamamoto wondered whether there might be a form of wrapping that could inherit Japan’s traditional culture while fitting seamlessly into modern lifestyles. If such a thing didn’t exist, perhaps he could create a practice dedicated to “wrapping” itself.
This idea led him to launch his project centered on the concept of wrapping.
Although gift wrapping is no longer part of the practice today, that early experiment became the foundation of HOW TO WRAP_ and an important starting point for reimagining the concept of wrapping.
When Yamamoto first began creating Sekimori Stones as objects, he encountered the work of American artist Deloss Webber.
Around forty years ago, Webber began wrapping stones using techniques found in Japanese bamboo and rattan craft, becoming a pioneering figure of what is now known as WRAPPED STONE.
Seeing many of his works, Yamamoto was deeply moved by the quiet strength of the act of “wrapping a stone,” a gesture also seen in traditional Sekimori Stones. The beauty born from the meeting of natural materials and handcraft continues to inform his work today.
After becoming independent in 2024, Yamamoto joined the founding team of the Japan-based design journal Ilmm, working on planning and editorial direction while also engaging in merchandising and interior coordination projects.
His experiences across Ura-Hara culture, furniture, design, and editorial work are what now shape his “editorial approach” to form.
“I’ve never been particularly skilled, but repeating the process sharpens the precision ― and I enjoy that,” Yamamoto says gently. His approach to form is less about “creating” and closer to “editing” what nature has already made.
Just as a Sekimori Stone silently signals “please do not proceed,” Japanese culture itself is rooted in reading nuance and unspoken boundaries.
WRAPPED STONE and SEKIMORI STONE bridge the essence of traditional Japanese culture with a modern aesthetic.
The philosophy of HOW TO WRAP_ resides in the subtle space where nature and human craft come together.
HOW TO WRAP_
POP-UP EVENT
at COVERCHORD Nakameguro
Event Dates: November 29 (Sat) and 30 (Sun), 11:00–19:00
The artist is scheduled to be in-store on the first day, November 29 (Sat).
Venue: COVERCHORD Nakameguro
1F, 1-23-14 Aobadai, Meguro-ku, Tokyo
Instagram_@coverchord nakameguro
*Please note that the event may end earlier depending on sales. Please consider visiting early.
*Purchases will be limited to a total of two items per person.
*Available exclusively at COVERCHORD Nakameguro. Not available online or at COVERCHORD Fukuoka.
HOW TO WRAP_
HOW TO WRAP was launched in 2014 as a brand that reimagines wrapping for modern life.
Rooted in Japan’s wrapping culture, the brand reconsiders its value and incorporates contemporary elements to create new forms of wrapping that fit today’s lifestyle.
Instagram_@howtowrap_
KOJI YAMAMOTO
Founder of HOW TO WRAP_.
After graduating from university, he began his career in 2002 at an interior shop dealing in vintage and original products.
He later worked for an imported furniture company and an international furniture brand before becoming independent in 2024.
He is a founding member of the Japanese design journal Ilmm, contributing to its planning and editorial direction.
Alongside his work as an artist through HOW TO WRAP_ and TENSEGRITYLAB., he is also involved in merchandising for shops and coordinating interior projects.
Instagram_@ynmo
Message from the artist
It was about five years ago, when I had only just begun creating stone-based works, that I was introduced to COVERCHORD’s buyer Oda through Yamazaki of METRONOME INC., who was working on a shop interior at the time.
Back then, I wasn’t yet confident in the value of my own work and was operating on a very small scale. Having someone take an interest in what I was doing meant a great deal to me. I was also genuinely curious to see how my pieces would be received in a place where different cultures and perspectives intersect.
When the works were actually displayed, many people picked them up, and that experience became a major source of encouragement. COVERCHORD has always felt like a space that shares an appreciation for nature, craftsmanship, and the cultural expressions shaped by human hands. That sense of mutual understanding has always been very comforting.
Being invited again for this event brings a deep sense of gratitude. I would be especially glad if those who encountered my early pieces could visit as well. I’m not entirely sure myself how my work has changed or refined over the years, but I hope that through the pieces I’m presenting now, you can sense what has evolved.
