A more aware life is possible.
Since ancient times, the Japanese have believed that a life force resides in all things. Not just people and animals, but rivers, mountains, a handmade bowl, a well-worn knife, the changing light of a season you almost didn't notice. They call this quality kokoro (心): a holistic word for what English splits into heart, mind, soul, and spirit. In Japanese, these are not separate. Kokoro is felt before it is understood.
AUWA is influenced by this philosophy. In a culture of speed, distraction, and disposability, we build awareness: of how you feel, of the objects you live with, of the world you move through, and of your connection to the people and nature around you.
The truest abundance is not material. It is a quality of attention. A willingness to be where you are, to notice what is in front of you, to let the ordinary reveal itself as anything but. You don't have to live in a mountain temple to practise this. The philosophy can travel with you, shaping what you choose, how you move through the world, and what you pass on.
AUWA takes shape through illustrated stories, a journal, a daily awareness practice, and a store for lifetime objects made by craftsmen. Some are here now. Others are on their way.
The name
AUWA (written あうわ in Japanese) is a word from an ancient Japanese writing system. あ (a) is the unseen, the source of all things. わ (wa) is the seen, the physical world we inhabit. う (u) is the act of bringing one into the other. The brand makes the invisible visible: the emotions you haven't named, the craft you haven't witnessed, the life force in things you pass every day without noticing. It also sounds like "our." Our life. Our world. Our awareness.
The creators
AUWA is made by two people. A Japanese and a British designer who have spent twenty years working together across technology and design, and travelling Japan. After many years, AUWA is the thing they always wanted to create: illustration, photography, writing, product design, all in service of something they believe in.
Get in touch
For collaborations, press, craftsman partnerships, or just to say hello: .