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Escapes

AGOBAY is a sanctuary for the senses. We create escapes, whether it’s a single handmade product, an unforgettable experience or a place to be at home.

We offer a pause, a rhythm, a sensuous style and an exclusive approach to quality. We invite you to embark on a curated journey and experience the warm elegance of our world.

Opening
Magazine
Moments of escape through stories, photography and film. Created by a collective of professionals, striving to inspire, discover and connect life-minded individuals.
Niwa Futon
Niwa Futon’s Nagoya atelier handcrafts essentials for sleeping and sitting, from cotton fluffing to final stitch, led by its fifth-generation custodian who finds new forms for enduring tradition.

MINDFUL SITTING

Videopreview
Zazen Meditation

Zazen Meditation

Time with Zen monk Tosei Shinabe offers a profound encounter with Zazen, the seated meditation at Zen’s core, which he shares beyond temple walls as a grounded way of inhabiting the world.

CARVED BY HAND

Videopreview
Samuel Alexander

Samuel Alexander

From fashion model in London to green-wood carver in rural Czechia, Samuel Alexander has found solace in the slow rhythm of craft. Carving by hand, his work is a meditative process shaped by nature.

TOOLS OF TEA

Videopreview
Last Of The Bamboo Masters

Last Of The Bamboo Masters

In a hillside town in Nara Prefecture, the centuries-old art of crafting bamboo tea tools lives on in only a few workshops, where tradition is held in every tine – and its future hangs in the balance.

KYOTO’S HOSPITALITY

Videopreview
Hata-ke

Hata-ke

In a historic Kyoto ‘machiya’ townhouse, a host welcomes guests through gestures guided by instinct and intent. Here, ‘omotenashi’, the Japanese art of hospitality, unfolds as a shared understanding.

MAJORCAN MINIMALISM

Videopreview
Neuendorf House

Neuendorf House

The striking coral walls of Neuendorf House have stood the test of time, combining captivating architecture with the lush nature of Majorca. Here, guests delight in the serenity to simply just be.

DESIGNING STILLNESS

Videopreview
Corkinho

Corkinho

An old maritime building in Antwerp’s port now serves as an industrial cathedral that facilitates the art of stillness through designer Cédric Etienne’s cork furniture and contemplative interiors.

ANTWERP’S HIDDEN SOUL

Videopreview
Patina Guesthouse

Patina Guesthouse

A deeply personal project that reflects the craftsmanship and creativity of its eclectic owner, Patina guesthouse in Antwerp has a soulful allure, merging art, homely comfort and history.

CULTURAL LANDSCAPES

CAM Gulbenkian

CAM Gulbenkian

Beneath the shimmering 'engawa' of CAM in Lisbon, where architecture dissolves into nature, visitors are invited to wander between the reflective art galleries and verdant gardens, discovering moments of stillness and connection.

SOUND AND STILLNESS

Videopreview
Slowness’s Reethaus

Slowness’s Reethaus

An architectural wonder, the Reethaus in Berlin, on the Slowness Flussbad campus, is a cultural space for radical presence, with a spatial sound system that offers a transformative listening experience.

Renaissance Residency

Numeroventi

Numeroventi

Tucked away in the heart of Florence, a historic palazzo has been thoughtfully transformed by Martino di Napoli Rampolla into a refined blend of creative residency, contemporary art space and boutique accommodation.

Philosophy of Flavour

Videopreview
Restaurant ÄNG

Restaurant ÄNG

The evening light softly reflects the countryside landscape in the glass house that harbours ÄNG. Inside this Swedish restaurant, guests are surprised by a complex journey of gastronomy, design and sustainability.

Inspired Encounters

Videopreview
1st Artisan Circle

1st Artisan Circle

Visionary Shinichiro Ogata and ceramist Shinko Oka’s visit to artist Helga Ritsch sparks a unique creative synergy, manifesting in their minds and hearts, and in objects that highlight this collaboration.

Wooden Architecture

Videopreview
Rumah Hujan Estate

Rumah Hujan Estate

High above a sacred ravine in Ubud, Bali, a patinated door offers a portal to a pair of villas that attest to the quiet beauty of emotions yet unspoken.

ALCHEMY OF INDIGO

Videopreview
Tian Taru

Tian Taru

In a rewilded idyll deep in Bali’s jungled heart, amidst the earthly and the ethereal, an artist and a jeweller dedicate their days to the lost art of natural indigo dyeing.

QUIETUDE OF ALENTEJO

L’AND Vineyards

L’AND Vineyards

Nestled in Alentejo’s lush landscape, L’AND Vineyards offers sumptuous dwellings and sensory experiences centred on wine, such as creating your own blend and indulging in grape-based spa treatments.

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New Arrivals
Za kekkai stone 号133

Tosei Shinabe

Za kekkai stone 号133

At one of Kyoto’s oldest Zen temples, Buddhist Zen monk Tosei Shinabe sits in deep meditation, practising ‘zazen’. Wrapped in Seima rope, his ‘za kekkai’ stones serve as a silent testament, to the boundary between two spiritual realms.

Matcha water pitcher

Samuel Alexander

Matcha water pitcher

Designed by AGOBAY in close collaboration with British green-wood carver Samuel Alexander, this matcha pitcher holds the exact volume of water required for one cup of matcha. It has been freehand-carved from freshly felled walnut.

Matcha Bowl

Therese Müller

Matcha Bowl

Created in collaboration with Swiss ceramicist Therese Müller, our porcelain matcha bowl is tactile and quietly striking. It is shaped for function: allowing space for vigorous whisking while encouraging a silky smooth blend.

Matcha spoon

Samuel Alexander

Matcha spoon

Usually crafted in bamboo, this ‘chashaku’ has been freehand-carved from freshly felled walnut exclusively for AGOBAY. Its slender shape and shallow tip are for scooping matcha into a tea bowl – an essential tea ceremony tool.

CHOKO Cup

OGATA

CHOKO Cup

In Japanese, a ‘choko’ is a small cup traditionally used for drinking sake. This black unglazed ceramic vessel can also double as a tea cup or simply be enjoyed for its visual form – crafted in Toki, Gifu prefecture.

Mosquito Coil Holder

OGATA

Mosquito Coil Holder

A chic solution for an outdoor essential, this circular mosquito coil holder is handcrafted from rustic iron. A coat of lacquer has been baked on, enhancing the natural texture and rich colour of the metal while also providing rust proofing.

‘Karakami’ greeting cards

Ko Kado

‘Karakami’ greeting cards

This AGOBAY exclusive presents four 'karakami', each with an envelope and blank sheet of paper, that exude a serene beauty. The design draws on a natural palette, employs a depth of texture and features a subtle luminescent effect.

NUNOGI Small Bowl

OGATA

NUNOGI Small Bowl

This striking bowl offers a tactile exterior and a smooth black interior – ideal for drinking tea or holding small confections. Handcrafted from lacquer-soaked linen applied to a wooden base, it is part of the NUNOGI collection.

Issue 25

The Travel Almanac

Issue 25

This special 25th-anniversary relaunch issue of The Travel Almanac is themed on ‘Adventure’, and filled with captivating journeys, insightful conversations and both spiritual and practical travel advice.

Sencha teapot for one

OGATA

Sencha teapot for one

Discreetly asking for your touch, this unobtrusive yet artful teapot for one stands out due to the uniquely shaped strainer. Its ‘houhin’ shape makes it comfortable for holding and easy to pour any kind of tea - especially sencha.

Serving tray

Yusuke Tazawa

Serving tray

Handcrafted from dark walnut wood, this tray is a testament to exceptional craftsmanship. Ideal for serving drinks, small bites or organising everyday items, it is a versatile addition to any home, balancing simplicity with sophistication.

Mouse Key Pouch

Arts & Science

Mouse Key Pouch

A functional and safe option for keeping your keys, this mouse-shaped key pouch in tactile soft black leather is also beautiful in its simplicity. It features a sturdy metal ring on a leather tab that can be moved out of the pouch for use.

Art Panel

Ko Kado

Art Panel

This art panel exudes a serene beauty in blown-up proportions for your wall. The simple, minimalist design employs a depth of texture in its neutral palette, featuring a subtly luminescent effect. Made entirely and meticulously by hand.

Zafu

Niwa Futon

Zafu

Created in collaboration with Zen monk Tosei Shinabe and Niwa Futon in Nagoya, Japan, our zafu is designed especially for Zazen. It encourages a stable posture and supportive foundation for extended periods of seated meditation.

Sake cup, ‘Fuki-urushi’

Yusuke Tazawa

Sake cup, ‘Fuki-urushi’

This exquisite bell-shaped sake cup, adorned with the finesse of ‘fuki-urushi’ wipe lacquering, it bears a touch of tradition while exuding timeless elegance. This set contains two sake cups. It pairs with the ‘Fuki-urushi’ sake pitcher.

Matcha whisk

OGATA

Matcha whisk

Carved with precision from a single piece of bamboo, this handmade matcha whisk is an essential tool for traditional Japanese matcha tea preparation. Its high number of bristles creates an exceptionally smooth and fine foam.

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AGOBAY RADIO

THE AGOBAY WEEKLY

It’s week 46 / 2025
Explore our online shop, this week, to discover our new handmade AGOBAY zabuton and zafu, along with our ‘Meditation Escapes’ section.

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ZA KEKKAI STONES

This autumn, we present 30 new ‘za kekkai’ stones by Buddhist Zen monk Tosei Shinabe, in a special two-week exhibition in our Zurich store.

FUGITIVE EVENT
THE AGOBAY MATCHA BOWL

The AGOBAY matcha bowl is formed in unglazed porcelain – pure, tactile and quietly striking. Each matcha bowl is a unique piece, intended for everyday use. The curved rim meets the lips softly, while the rounded base rests gently on your table.

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STORES & CAFÉS

Located in the heart of Zurich, on the 2nd floor of a beautiful 19th-century building, AGOBAY’s first café & showroom blends its minimalistic and warm contemporary style with the historic architecture of 1885.

AGOBAY ZURICH
UJI SPECIAL BLEND

Our ceremonial-grade AGOBAY matcha is sourced from the banks of the Uji River near Kyoto, Japan, and ground from superior tencha using a traditional stone mill.

THE AGOBAY MATCHA
MEDITATION

Created in close collaboration with Takuya Niwa, a fifth-generation futon maker in Nagoya, Japan, and Zen monk Tosei Shinabe from Kyoto, our zabuton and zafu cushions are designed especially for Zazen.

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