A once-in-a-lifetime resonance that speaks to all five senses. Together with Shuzo Ohira, we experienced Audio-Technica’s philosophy and worldview of “analog ~ naturally.”
Hello! I’m Kanai from Division 8, Public Relations Headquarters.In this report, I’ll share what Milan Design Week 2025 was like, which I attended together with Shuzo Ohira, SUNNY SIDE UP’s SNS Marketing Producer!
Shuzo, who is active as a model, DJ, and artist, was appointed as a program partner for Audio-Technica’s “analog ~ naturally.” With the company’s installation “repeat the unrepeatable” being exhibited at Milan Design Week 2025, we traveled to Milan to see it in person.
We will now introduce Audio-Technica’s global communications and its initiatives with Shuzo.
Milan Design Week 2025
Held from April 7 to 13, 2025, Milan Design Week 2025—one of the world’s largest design events—featured a wide range of programs, including exhibitions, product launches, open showrooms, talks, tours, workshops, and parties.
The event offers an immersive, citywide design experience that appeals not only to industry professionals but also to design enthusiasts. For companies and brands, it is an ideal opportunity to deepen engagement with both experts and design-minded audiences while attracting global attention.
Audio-Technica’s “analog ~ naturally”
So what exactly is “analog ~ naturally,” which Audio-Technica continues to communicate through this exhibition and program?
In recent years, sales of analog records have continued to grow worldwide.
Listening to records is a uniquely analog music experience that involves a series of deliberate steps—touching the disc, dropping the needle, and letting it spin on the turntable. While it may not seem “convenient,” this process creates time to engage with music more deeply.
In today’s digital-first era, where anyone can enjoy music freely anytime and anywhere, the value of an analog experience—something you can only savor in that moment—is being reappraised around the world.
As the value of analog experiences rises, Audio-Technica’s “analog ~ naturally” can be described as a philosophy that leverages the technology and expertise the company has cultivated to explore the potential of experiencing music not only through hearing, but with the entire body and the surrounding space. *2
An installation where anyone can experience analog ~ naturally
“repeat the unrepeatable”
“repeat the unrepeatable,” an installation that lets visitors experience Audio-Technica’s “analog ~ naturally” with all five senses, was held at ROSSIGNOLI, a long-established bicycle shop located at Corso Garibaldi 71 in Milan. The installation was built around the concept of “uniqueness within reproducibility,” brought about by analog audio products.
Four turntables were placed in the four corners of the venue. Each was paired with a different record featuring distinct audio sources, such as melody, rhythm, and ambient sounds, and visitors were free to play them as they wished.
Each record produces “reproducible” music, but because visitors drop the needle at different times, the sounds overlap and harmonize, creating a one-time-only resonance—an “unrepeatable” moment.
In addition, lighting that changed dynamically in response to the music expressed the idea of “uniqueness within reproducibility” throughout the space. Through the interplay of sound and light, the venue became a place where a truly one-of-a-kind experience could emerge.
The tangible, tactile nature of analog stirred visitors’ emotions, leaving a strong impression of how subtle differences in human intention and action during playback can shape the experience. It was an installation that allowed people to experience Audio-Technica’s unique philosophy of “analog ~ naturally” through all five senses.
The innovative turntable “Hotaru,” unveiled to the world for the first time
The turntable “Hotaru,” unveiled globally for the first time at Milan Design Week 2025.
The defining feature of “Hotaru,” which will be released in a limited run of 1,000 units worldwide, is its levitating turntable. By using magnetic force to suspend the turntable section—highly susceptible to vibration—it eliminates sound fluctuations caused by external interference, delivering a higher-quality listening experience. “Hotaru” also features a lighting system with 20 color tones and three modes, with light that changes in response to the music—creating a multisensory experience where sight and sound converge.
The name “Hotaru” (firefly) was chosen by likening its presence—shining in sync with sound and offering an analog music experience that can only be felt in each fleeting moment—to the allure of fireflies, which have long influenced Japanese art and culture.
In recent years, there has also been growing demand to enjoy turntables as interior décor, and more people are appreciating them visually. “Hotaru” extends that visual enjoyment beyond the turntable itself to the music recorded on the vinyl, creating a space where music and interior design merge. This allows the moment of listening to be experienced more deeply—throughout the entire space—and elevated into a memorable experience.
Initiatives with Shuzo Ohira, “Program Partner”
© STAR RAY PRODUCTION
Shuzo, a top influencer with approximately 10 million total SNS followers and also our SNS Marketing Producer, was appointed in March 2025 as a “Program Partner” to share Audio-Technica’s “analog ~ naturally” with the world.
At Milan Design Week 2025, he visited the site and experienced “repeat the unrepeatable” ahead of the public. Although Shuzo does not usually listen to music on records, he candidly shared—via SNS—his impressions of the “value and sensibility of the analog experience” he felt through this one-time-only experience in Milan.
Although Milan Design Week 2025 has come to a close, we have been releasing “The Stories analog ~ naturally,” a dialogue video series exploring the value of analog within the “analog ~ naturally” program, starting Thursday, May 29.
https://www.audio-technica.co.jp/analog-naturally/stories/
The first episode welcomes musician Shinichi Osawa as a guest, exploring what analog can bring to people and what music can do for the world. Future guests are also planned, including film director Takashi Yamazaki, known for titles such as ALWAYS: Sunset on Third Street and Godzilla Minus One.
Please continue to look forward to future initiatives by Audio-Technica × Shuzo Ohira.
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analog ~ naturally Hotaru |
Epilogue
Up to this point, I have shared the “work” portion, but from here I would like to briefly note what I felt through this trip to Milan.
After a flight of about 17 hours including transit, I arrived in Milan, and the first thing that struck me was the citywide awareness of “design.” Everything was refined—from the cityscape and café interiors to the stylish outfits of people passing by.
During Milan Design Week 2025, the city was bustling with crowds every day. Shuzo, who has visited Milan many times for fashion-related work, even said, “During Design Week, the whole city feels even more vibrant.” Compelling installations were set up throughout the city, and I could truly feel the excitement of this festival that draws attention from around the world.
I also had the opportunity to see up close Shuzo’s commitment to self-branding and information sharing as one of the world’s leading influencers, and I was deeply impressed by his professionalism. Seeing locals approach him on the street after viewing his SNS posts, and watching people actually visit venues with him to experience them firsthand, reaffirmed for me the importance of effectively leveraging SNS marketing when communicating to a global audience.
What I felt most strongly through Milan Design Week 2025 was that “design is constantly evolving.” A variety of factors—such as growing awareness of sustainability and advances in technology—are influencing design and creating new trends. I would like to firmly apply the insights and inspiration gained from this trip to my future work at SUNNY SIDE UP.
Lastly… I was reminded once again that Japanese food really is the best in the world (laughs).
