With the Right Amount of Breathing Room
Located on Meguro-dori, a 20-minute walk from Gakugei-daigaku Station towards Meguro Station, 'FILM' is an interior shop that curates high-quality vintage furniture, both famous and unknown, sourced mainly from the Netherlands and other European countries. It is managed by Ryota Iwadate, the owner who handles the buying, and Yohei Asai, who is in charge of repairs. The purchased items are not displayed in the store as-is; instead, Mr. Asai, the repair specialist, breathes new life into them at their in-house workshop by tightening loose parts, fixing wobbles, and sanding before sending them out into the world. Starting 'FILM' in 2019, just before the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr. Iwadate, the owner, shared their story with us.
“We chose the name 'FILM' just for its sound. I wanted to combine various words to give it depth, but no matter how much I thought about it, I couldn't find anything that felt right to us. 'FILM' is easy to remember once you hear it, and above all, easy to read. I like that it seems to have meaning but also not, just the right amount of ambiguity.”
Mr. Iwadate and Mr. Asai both worked at the same vintage shop until just before going independent. Mr. Iwadate was a buyer and Mr. Asai was a maintenance craftsman. Although they didn't interact much day-to-day due to the store and maintenance workshop being in different locations, everything moved quickly once they decided to open their own shop.
The first floor of the store, bathed in gentle light, has a calm, atelier-like atmosphere. It features a selection of sofas, side tables, and chairs made from various materials like iron and glass.
“We thought, 'If we can just secure a location and funding, we're good to go!' So we went to the bank, got a loan, and then went buying. The vintage shop where we both used to work happened to be closing down just when we were looking for a location, so we decided to take over the space. It was lucky that a familiar store where I had worked since 2010 became our new shop. I knew the ropes, and that was a big advantage. We hardly changed the first floor's interior, but the second floor used to look like a ruin, so we painted the walls and floors white ourselves to create a studio-like atmosphere.”
To Give Further Light to Items That Have Served Their Purpose
The shop is filled with sturdy and simply constructed "Dutch Design" items, a term many may not be familiar with. The layout is carefully considered to highlight the contours of the furniture, making it appear beautiful by not over-cramming and leaving a certain amount of breathing room. The shop is divided into the first and second floors of the same building. The first floor also has a self-built back space for maintenance work, where careful maintenance is carried out to bring out the individuality of each piece of furniture.
“Even items in considerably poor condition, I buy them thinking he can fix them. I've seen Asai's work for a long time, so I have complete trust in his skills as a craftsman.”
The walls of the atelier on the first floor are adorned with many tools used daily.
“The atelier wall is compact, but we designed and built it ourselves to be easy to use. We repair what we can here, but it's quite small, so we have another atelier in Saitama. It might seem inefficient, but since there are only two of us doing everything, we first establish a weekly routine. We repair items here up to the point of painting, then transport them there, and then back here for final finishing. With two locations and two floors, the stairs are tough (laughs).”
They never sell furniture as-is; repairs are done with the aim of restoring them as close as possible to their original form. Mr. Asai, with his nearly 20 years of repair experience, uses his vast collection of vintage screws and fasteners to meticulously repair items, imagining and considering how they were originally made. The result is a piece in like-new condition, yet with the deep character of age. Even for vintage pieces, they exude a bright and approachable atmosphere that seamlessly integrates into and enhances any lifestyle.
“For sofas and chairs, we sometimes guide customers to choose fabrics before re-upholstery. They get to see the items before maintenance, right after they've been selected, and they enjoy making their choices, using their imagination. But after the repair, everyone is surprised, saying, 'I can't believe how much it's changed!'”
Screws and chair legs from various furniture repairs are carefully stored, as they might be useful for future repairs. These are precious items accumulated over 20 years of repair experience.
To Enjoy Your Space Even More Freely
The second floor, Mr. Iwadate's favorite, offers a spacious area bathed in pleasant light from the windows. While initially focusing on items from the 1960s, they realized that this made the store feel too heavy. So, they started incorporating lighter pieces from the 1980s and 1990s to balance the look or as accent pieces. Beyond vintage furniture, you'll also find unique art pieces and objects that serve as focal points for the interior.
“The joy of buying is that the items we encounter are different every time, so it always excites me to wonder what I'll find next! When I stumble upon a really cool art piece, just one, in a random antique shop, I get incredibly thrilled. We do stock designer furniture, but it's not our exclusive focus. So, I think many of our customers value intuitive choices and encounters, rather than those who want to know the designer's roots and trivia. European vintage items are truly well-made, especially Scandinavian furniture, which showcases masterful craftsmanship. From a craftsman's perspective, many pieces are exceptionally well-made. The Netherlands offers items that mix and twist these elements, so personally, I like items from the 1960s.”
As he buys almost entirely on intuition, one senses a neutral perspective in his selections, creating a space where one can approach furniture with a sense of freedom, transcending national or stylistic boundaries. Looking at the beautifully laid out interior, one can truly feel how much the impression of a space can change by consciously choosing items. 
On the second floor of the shop, bathed in bright sunlight, wooden furniture beautifully complements the white walls and floor.
New Endeavors and Further Prospects
“Lately, I've been stocking many German flower vases from around the 1960s. I thought furniture alone felt a bit plain, so initially, I bought about 20 of them for display on cabinets. At first, they were not for sale, but as more people wanted them, I decided to stock a lot. Coincidentally, the person I bought them from was a collector, so I've been able to consistently source a significant number. Many people have become interested in flowers and greenery due to spending more time at home, and they often drop by to purchase them. Glass flower vases are also popular, so we're expanding our lineup. Some buy for their homes, and many others purchase them for apparel shops and restaurants.”
German vintage flower vases with unique shapes and colors.
Glass flower vases are as popular as ceramic ones. They are popular all year round, not just in summer.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr. Iwadate bought items by communicating with dealers through social media with limited information. Now, he says, nothing is more enjoyable than going to the actual sites and touching the items directly. We hope you will experience the joy of intuitively choosing and accepting the items he has intuitively selected. How about feeling the atmosphere dramatically change with just one old item in your space that wasn't there before? He also shared a broader vision for the future, expressing a desire to furnish entire long-term rental accommodations or Airbnb-like spaces in local areas solely with 'FILM's furniture. We look forward to seeing 'FILM' expand its horizons.
This time, Hanasuke in Meguro arranged flowers in the flower vases.
Owner Kenjiro Takahashi, known as Jiroken, grew up watching his parents run a flower shop in Meguro. Before he knew it, he had been involved with flowers for over 35 years. Currently living near Gakugei-daigaku Station, he goes to the market every morning, continuing his daily life as a local flower shop rooted in the community.
"Just selling flowers is boring," says Jiroken. His "omakase" (chef's choice) bouquets, tailored to the customer's atmosphere, are particularly popular. When choosing flowers, he believes in "subtraction rather than addition." By not over-stuffing and leaving breathing room, the beauty of the flowers themselves stands out. This sensibility perfectly aligns with FILM's philosophy of "creating spaces with breathing room."
"FILM's vases are heavy at the bottom and stable. They look good even without flowers," says Jiroken. He recommends not overcrowding the vase with flowers, and instead displaying two or three together.
Just like with furniture, leaving "breathing room" with flowers and vases creates a comfortable rhythm in the space.
