Nobuaki Sato 
In Praise of Shadows — The Aesthetic Behind the Space
Lei is pleased to announce the grand opening of Lei In Praise of Shadows Flagship Store, on Thursday, January 15, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. (JST) in Yoyogi-Uehara, Shibuya, Tokyo.(January schedule)
Created as a place where light and shadow gently coexist, the flagship store presents a curated selection of fragrance and objects designed to enrich everyday rituals — moments that are often too subtle to be captured online.
At the heart of the store, the counter and product display surfaces were finished using FUKI-URUSHI (hand-rubbed lacquer). Under the supervision of urushi artist “Tasuku Murose,” and with the support of “Yamanoha,” each surface was completed by hand—one by one—by our team.
Urushi is not a material that shines by strongly reflecting light. It receives light—and in doing so, deepens shadow. This quality is inseparable from Lei’s guiding aesthetic, In Praise of Shadows: an approach that finds beauty not in brightness itself, but in the texture, depth, and sense of space that emerge when light is gently restrained.
We hope you will enjoy the textures, depth, and sense of space that emerge not from brightness itself, but from a quieter, restrained light.
Beyond the Lei collection, the flagship store will also host events such as collaborative exhibitions with artisans and artists—continuing to reinterpret the spirit of In Praise of Shadows through new forms, encounters, and experiences.
At Lei In Praise of Shadows Flagship Store, allow yourself a moment of stillness.