Header: Cristina Kayser Onsgaard
Nosou is a contemporary lighting brand that reimagines Japanese design through a contemporary lens and sustainable natural materials. Established through a partnership between Nottuo, a strategic branding and design company, and lighting manufacturer Tomisawa, the new brand premiered its first lighting collection at 3daysofdesign.
Time makes beauty
Nosou’s main philosophy follows the concept Time makes beauty. While industrial products achieve their peak as soon as they are manufactured, Nosou considers the changes organic materials go through over time. In a nod to the traditional Japanese philosophy of In’ei Raisan (In Praise of Shadows), the company uses lighting to create a profound atmosphere and elevate the space.
Regionally rooted design
Notto, the Nosou’s creative force, is known for working closely with regional resources and natural cycles. The shift away from big cities and their rapid consumerism led the company to embrace locality. By relying on the infinite possibilities of rural craftsmanship, the company takes a slow-paced approach to manufacturing first-class sustainable products.
Dim and power with an intuitive Slide Switch System
The signature feature of Nosou design is the innovative Slide Switch System that allows users to turn the device on or off by sliding the product’s body. The same mechanism is used for dimming the light. Through the act of switching, the light and movement become one.
The use of bamboo as the main material also comes from Japanese heritage. Deeply rooted in the country’s daily life, bamboo is used in food, clothing and housing. Highly revered for its aesthetic qualities, bamboo is the main material of traditional tea rooms and tea utensils. As a renewable material that reaches maturity in just a year, bamboo is globally recognisable as the symbol of the Far East. By selecting this product for its minimalist lighting art pieces, Nosou transcends the boundaries of West and East.
Nosou’s first lighting collection
For its first lighting collection, Nosou decided to work with Japanese artisans who have been in the business for generations. They have crafted organic, sensitive natural materials with millimetre accuracy. Although currently focused on bamboo, Nosou plans to expand its material palette and introduce natural stone, traditional plasterwork called Sakan and traditional paper called Washi. The company aims to preserve the traditional artisan technique for future generations through an expanding ecosystem of material variations.
Nosou at 3daysofdesign
The first light collection by Nosou was presented at the 3daysofdesign fair in Copenhagen. Between June 10 and 12, 2026, the visitors could enjoy an immersive exhibition shaped by water, film, light and sound. The exhibit presented a full-length Nosou brand movie alongside a selection of products and a water installation. In collaboration with sake brand LINNÉ, guests were served limited-edition sake in traditional Masu wooden sake cups and matching drawstring bags.
By combining innovative switch systems with sustainable materials, shaped by traditional Japanese artisans, Nosou is transforming slightly forgotten old crafts into contemporary products.
