Irish design is flourishing for Stór in Tokyo, Japan

 Who would imagine that a household item we take for granted — the humble tea towel — could be elevated to art status? 

Apparently the Japanese are quite enamoured of ours and put them on show in their homes.

“Their versions are tiny so they’re fascinated by the size of Irish ones,” says Belfast-born Geraldine Kane who has been at the forefront of developing an Irish design shop in Tokyo, which launched in October last year.