(May 26, Shanghai, China) From May 26 to 29, 2021, the 26th Kitchen & Bath China (hereinafter referred to as “KBC”) was held at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre. As one of the four power brands of LIXIL Group, a global leader in the home decoration industry, INAX Japan (Booth No.: E2B03) showcased a comprehensive display of the latest technology, innovative products, diversified design concepts, and services at KBC 2021. Adhering to the brand concept of “water purifies, heals and serves to recharge both body and mind”, it conveyed the value and beauty of the Japanese brand themed at “Light and Shadow, Caring for You Day and Night”.

INAX participated in the 26th KBC 2021

The first day of the exhibition witnessed the unveiling of the four booths of the brands followed by a press conference where leaders from LIXIL International (LI), including Bijoy Mohan (Leader, LI), Shinji Ito (Leader Fixtures, LI), Thomas Fuhr (Leader Fittings, LI), and Paul Flowers (Leader Global Design, LI), along with LIXIL leaders from Asia including Antoine Besseyre des Horts, Leader for LIXIL Global design team–LIXIL Asia, connected virtually with the media and partners. 2021 is an important milestone for LIXIL as it marks its 10-year anniversary. Ms. Tao Jiang, Leader of LIXIL Water Technology Greater China, and Mr. Bai Yongguang, Leader of INAX China, LIXIL Water Technology Greater China & LIXIL Kitchen China, and other brand leaders attended the scene in person and watched a stunning dance show that interpreted the beauty of light and shadow and an authentic Japanese-style tea art performance the INAX booth with the guests.

Opening ceremony of the LIXIL booth

Japanese Aesthetics Celebrating Interweaved Light and Shadow

As a sanitary ware brand nurtured by Japan’s unique tradition and culture, INAX is proficient in drawing design inspiration from Japanese aesthetics. The beauty of light and shadow is an essential part of Japanese traditional aesthetics. Tanizaki Junichiro once praised this “beauty of shadows” in In Praise of Shadows. This “beauty” does not exist in objects, but in the shadows and the shadows of things, as demonstrated intuitively by the light in the courtyard of traditional Japanese architecture reflected by the paper sliding doors and the soft light and shadow diffused. At the KBC 2021, INAX created an artistic world that integrated light and shadow, architecture and products—S600 LINE Light Bathroom and S600 LINE Shadow Bathroom, themed at the light and shadow in Japanese traditional aesthetics.

Light and shadow, caring for you day and night

Just like the light sweeping away all the haze, the light bathroom serves to recharge both body and mind, using natural light to form a layered vein weaved with light and shadow. By letting the light into heart, one will be cheered up, not just boringly refreshed. By letting the light stand out, the shadows will become more structured with the light-receiving objects of bathroom equipment such as tiles, toilets, and bathtubs, filling the whole space with meticulous brightness.

Light bathroom

The shadow bathroom is endowed with the beauty of shadows. Natural light is combined with indoor lighting to produce a harmonious charm, reflecting exquisite shadows of elegance that can block the hustle and bustle of daily life and change the mood instantly. The space is dark but not gloomy, bathed in the faint and beautiful light and shadow created by the combination of natural light and lighting. Products designed with carefully calculated light-receiving tiles, toilets, and bathtubs can generate expressive shadows. The calm and tranquility created by the whole space allow proper and thorough relaxation at the end of a day and refueling for tomorrow.

Shadow bathroom

Moreover, the S400 LINE Bathroom Suite also integrates architectural aesthetics into the overall bathroom with the “muse” of light and shadow, showcasing the interaction of light, shadow, and line. The suite highly values the aesthetics of the overall space with attention to details, including a series of products such as one-piece toilet, split toilets, smart toilet lids, basins and faucets, and showers, a unique art space with the blend of light and shadow, architecture and product that lives up to its name. In addition, the S200 LINE Bathroom Suite is also one of the leading “stars” at this exhibition. The series adopts a modern design perfect for people who are busy with urban life.

S400 LINE bathroom suite

S200 LINE bathroom suite

Cleaning Pioneer, Creating a Smart, Healthy Lifestyle

INAX highly values the combination of humanistic care and cutting-edge technology, pays close attention and spares no effort to solve China’s public health problems. In the post-pandemic era, consumers have a higher demand for healthy living and environmental hygiene and higher requirements for the functions of sanitary products—not just basic functions, but those with health functions such as sterilization, antivirus, and purification are preferred. In response to this pain point, INAX has developed a series of sanitation and cleansing technologies, including super plasma sterilization, Aqua Ceramic, SIAA, and dual nozzle to protect healthy and safe home life.

Create a clean and healthy lifestyle

INAX applied the plasma sterilization technology to smart toilets for the first time. It specifically targets those bacteria hidden in the air and releases the same positive (H+) and negative (O2−) ions as those in nature. Surrounded by water molecules and attached to the surface of the planktonic mold, the ions can produce super-strong hydroxyl radicals (OH) to decompose proteins and destroy the bacterial structure totally. Then, the extracted hydrogen (H) binds to the OH, forming purified, healthy water molecules (H2O) that are discharged into the air. As one of the “hardcore” technologies that create a perfectly clean environment in the bathroom, it can sterilize all surfaces and the inside of the toilet effectively, eliminate bacteria and mold in the air safely, and protect the bathroom health of every family. With such a “supreme” sterilization capacity, INAX applies it to SATIS S/G One Piece Smart Toilet, a crystal of wisdom and advanced technology. Those who own a SATIS have an ultra-powerful air purifier in the bathroom that can resolve all potential bacterial hazards simply with one click.

SATIS G one piece smart toilet

SATIS S & SATIS G also integrate another “Ace” of INAX-Aqua Ceramic. As INAX’s patented technology, Aqua Ceramic, a milestone in the history of ceramics, can solve the four major problems of oil stain, scale, bacteria, and scratches effectively. Combined with the toilet glaze and seat ring of antibacterial materials that meet the SIAA standard, it can perfectly prevent bacteria from multiplying. Moreover, most ordinary smart toilets have only one nozzle that cannot be removed, prone to breed bacteria. SATIS S & SATIS G are designed with self-cleaning twin water jets for separate hip and feminine wash. They will be automatically cleaned before each use to further prevent oral-fecal transmission. Coupled with the nozzle baffle for dirt isolation, it can also effectively avoid secondary pollution effectively and reduce the trouble of daily cleaning.

It should be noted that INAX has also extended the essence of “Clean” to the home environment outside the bathroom. INAX’s Ecocarat, with a powerful adsorption capacity, can effectively purify the formaldehyde in the air, along with a regulation feature to keep the indoor humidity in a comfortable range.

Senior-friendly, Nice and Easy for All

Currently, the definition of quality life is gradually connected with the senior-friendly design. In the product design, both physical functions and behavior characteristics of the elderly should be fully considered. In Japan, where bathroom experience is highly valued, many practices and attempts have been made in the senior-friendly design, with a wealth of experience for reference. INAX always upholds the concept of humanized design and incorporates the senior-friendly idea in the product design.

Cleaning technology & humanity care

Rear water inlet urinal

To help the elderly, wheelchair users, and others with mobility impairments enjoy the bathing moment conveniently, INAX has designed a sitting shower, which allows bathing easily by sitting on a chair, effectively prevents falls due to slippery ground, and also alleviates the workload of caregivers. At the same time, the product allows adjusting the angle of the shower arm and sprinkler freely as needed for bathing in a sitting or standing position to ensure the best showering experience.

Sitting shower

At KBC 2021, INAX not only conveyed the aesthetics of Japanese-style sanitary wares to exhibitors but also presented the cutting-edge sanitary design in the industry to appreciate the simplicity, nature, and healing of a new sanitary world together. In the future, INAX is committed to providing consumers with better sanitary products and creating a rich and ultimate Japanese sanitary experience for millions of families through technological innovation and product upgrades.

INAX is a Japanese brand committed to manufacturing innovative sanitary ware and artistic ceramic tiles.

The history of INAX can be traced back over 100 years when our forefathers worked on producing the tiles for the second main building of the Imperial Hotel designed by the architect Frank Lloyd Wright. By determining the properties of clay and the impact of fire, through numerous trials, they succeeded in the large-scale production of the decorative tiles, which became the foundation of INAX. Since then, we have continuously pursued to deliver products for new and better living, engaging in challenging innovations including the first made-in-Japan shower toilet, self-powered hands-free faucet, and interior tiles that freshen the air in the room. Meanwhile, INAX has also cultivated the skills to produce tiles that offer sophisticated expressions through delicate coloring and texture inspired by Japanese tradition, culture, and the seasonal changes of nature, as well as build on its expertise in designing the overall space using tiles and pursue product designs that fit well with the surrounding architecture. Our extraordinary expressiveness and technical capacity can be observed in the restored exterior bricks of the Church of San Francesco (built in 1963), designed by Gio Ponti, a famous Italian architect and designer, and completed in 2008.

Originated from Japan, INAX creates beautiful, innovative bathrooms from Japan that make everyday life easier, healthier and more enjoyable, enabling everyone to live well.

www.inax.com.cn