The Japan Chair | Finn Juhl | 1957

Even with its more minimal construction, the Japan Chair reflects Finn Juhl’s commitment to emphasizing the distinction between the carried and carrying elements by separating the backrest from the supporting frame with brackets as spacers. Drawing inspiration from Japanese aesthetics, the chair embodies a sense of refined simplicity, lightness, and sophistication. The Japan Chair is available in oak or walnut with upholstery options in textile or leather.

The Japan Chair | Finn Juhl | 1957

Even with its more minimal construction, the Japan Chair reflects Finn Juhl’s commitment to emphasizing the distinction between the carried and carrying elements by separating the backrest from the supporting frame with brackets as spacers. Drawing inspiration from Japanese aesthetics, the chair embodies a sense of refined simplicity, lightness, and sophistication. The Japan Chair is available in oak or walnut with upholstery options in textile or leather.

Please note that the versions shown here represent only a selection of the many available options. For a complete overview of colors and materials, please explore the material page.

Wood Type

  • Oak Dark Oil

    Oak Dark Oil

  • Walnut

    Walnut

  • Oak Clear Oil

    Oak Clear Oil

Upholstery

Hallingdal

  • 376 / 227

    376 / 227

  • 764 / 110

    764 / 110

  • 457 / 100

    457 / 100

  • 113 / 103

    113 / 103

  • 960 / 980

    960 / 980

Vidar

  • 222

    222

  • 152

    152

  • 182

    182

  • 443

    443

  • 472

    472

  • 582

    582

  • 633

    633

  • 723

    723

  • 1062

    1062

  • 1511

    1511

Leather

  • Elegance Black

    Elegance Black

  • Elegance Walnut

    Elegance Walnut

  • Vegetal Nature

    Vegetal Nature

Remix

  • 123

    123

  • 163

    163

  • 183

    183

  • 242

    242

  • 412

    412

  • 443

    443

  • 612

    612

  • 762

    762

  • 823

    823

  • 933

    933

Watercolour

  • Soft Linen

    Soft Linen

  • Silver Azure

    Silver Azure

  • Rose Quartz

    Rose Quartz

  • Pumpkin Spice

    Pumpkin Spice

  • Peacock

    Peacock

  • Golden Syrup

    Golden Syrup

  • Fresh Sage

    Fresh Sage

  • Dark Conifer

    Dark Conifer

  • Cast Iron

    Cast Iron

  • Butterscotch Yellow

    Butterscotch Yellow

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Product information
Design:
Finn Juhl
Year:
1957, relaunched in 2019
Materials:
Frame: Oak or walnut
Upholstery:
Textile or leather
Model and dimensions:
FJ 5301
W: 61 cm | D: 70 cm | H: 78 cm
Seat height: 35 cm
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The Japan Chair in walnut with 'Blans' upholstery in the color '01-141'.

The Japan Chair in walnut with 'Blans' upholstery in the color '01-141'.

The France & Son era

A Landmark Collaboration

Finn Juhl’s collaboration with furniture manufacturer France & Son resulted in a series of pieces designed for industrial production, while still embodying the organic forms and clean lines that characterized 1950s modernism. The most well-known outcome of this partnership is the Japan Series from 1957, which includes a lounge chair, a footstool, a two-seater sofa and a three-seater sofa.

The Japan Series is defined by its elegant frame, which remains visible from every angle. The gently curved shape exudes serene simplicity and serves as a reference to traditional Japanese temple doors.

The Japan Chair in walnut with 'Blans' upholstery in the color '01-141'.

The Japan Chair in walnut with 'Blans' upholstery in the color '01-141'.

A Nod to Japanese Tradition

Refined Simplicity

The sublime simplicity of the chair marks a notable departure from Finn Juhl’s earlier furniture designs and draws inspiration from traditional Japanese building techniques.

The solid horizontal backrest, resting on subtly tapered legs, echoes the form of a Japanese temple door. At each end, the backrest finishes in a circular recess, adding a refined visual impression with striking effect – a feature that reflects Finn Juhl’s belief that the deviation is in the detail.

Projects & References

The Japan Chair at Sushi Anaba

At the tip of Copenhagen's Redmolen, Sushi Anaba unfolds as an intimate encounter between Japanese tradition and Nordic refinement. In the small 14-seat sushi-ya, led by Head Chef Mads Battefeld, guests can experience the art of edomae sushi – a traditional approach rooted in Tokyo, focused on the four essential elements: rice, fish, soy, and wasabi. The Michelin-starred restaurant crafts each piece from pristine North Atlantic seafood and serves it with quiet precision before the eyes of the guests.

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Photo credit: The Monocot Shop / JUST BUILD LTD / Studio Periphery

Photo credit: The Monocot Shop / JUST BUILD LTD / Studio Periphery

The Japan Chair in walnut with 'Halk' upholstery in the color '1-110' on the seat and '1-100' on the back. Photo credit: Yepom

The Japan Chair in walnut with 'Halk' upholstery in the color '1-110' on the seat and '1-100' on the back. Photo credit: Yepom

Finn Juhl's original drawing of the Japan Chair from 1953. Photo credit: Pernille Klemp, Designmuseum Danmark

Finn Juhl's original drawing of the Japan Chair from 1953. Photo credit: Pernille Klemp, Designmuseum Danmark

Our Partners Around the World

Find a Retailer

Locate a retailer near you. Our trusted partners offer a large range of our furniture and will guide you in terms of choosing the right material and finding the perfect piece to fit your need.

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The Japan Chair in walnut with 'Blans' upholstery in the color '01-141'.

The Japan Chair in walnut with 'Blans' upholstery in the color '01-141'.

Protecting the Legacy

Our Approach

In 2001 we, Ivan Hansen and Hans Henrik Sørensen, were officially trusted with the exclusive rights to manufacture and relaunch Finn Juhl’s sculptural and iconic furniture by Finn Juhl’s widow Hanne Wilhelm Hansen. Today the unique Finn Juhl collection consists of more than 50 classic masterpieces, all of which we manufacture with the utmost respect for the original heritage and strict demands for quality.

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Historical Timeline

Finn Juhl's Life and Work

Like other modernist pioneers, Finn Juhl started from scratch without role models or inherited restrictions. He designed by measuring his own body and analyzing how the individual components of the chair should carry the human body. But contrary to his modernist contemporaries, with their streamlined, scaffolding-like structures, Finn Juhl aimed at a more organic and natural form.

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Our Partners Around the World

Production and Craftsmanship

We want to continue to shed light upon the great amount of work that goes into producing each and every piece of Finn Juhl's sculptural furniture. It is crucial that the details must be as fine and pure as if it came from the old cabinetmakers’ workshop, but our understanding of quality also includes durability. The furniture has to be so durable that the pieces can be enjoyed by people today and by generations to come. With respect for the tradition and the demand for longevity, we put only the best materials in the hands of the most dedicated and skilled craftspeople.

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