Shimada Denki Seisakusho, a renowned Tokyo-based elevator button factory established in 1933, offers a fascinating guided tour where visitors can explore the origins and craftsmanship behind their custom-made elevator buttons and arrival lights. As part of the tour, guests are treated to the main attraction known as the ‘1,000 Buttons’ exhibit.
The ‘1,000 Buttons’ exhibit showcases an impressive array of different elevator buttons on a specially engineered display. Rows upon rows of these buttons illuminate when pressed, creating a visually captivating experience. This exhibit has gained significant popularity on Japanese social media after a photo was posted on the company’s Twitter account.
There’s something undeniably satisfying about pressing buttons, especially when they are soft and quickly light up. This appeal has captured the attention of individuals on Japanese Twitter, with many expressing their desire to visit the Shimada Denki Seisakusho factory for a button-pressing marathon. The exhibit now consists of 1,048 individual elevator buttons, with the “Never Press” button being the most frequently touched.
Originally organized in 2018, the factory tours gained even more excitement with the introduction of the 1,000 Buttons attraction in the summer of 2020. This exhibit provided a unique opportunity for Shimada Denki Seisakusho, a B2B company, to interact with customers and receive their feedback. The idea for the button wall originated from parents’ experiences with their children repeatedly pressing illuminated elevator buttons. Designers addressed this by creating a separate area where children could freely indulge in button-pressing without restrictions.
Unfortunately, due to overwhelming demand, the factory is fully booked until June 2022. However, it’s worth the wait to experience the captivating 1,000 Buttons exhibit firsthand. Notably, Shimada Denki Seisakusho is not only known for its exceptional craftsmanship but also for being a cool workplace, particularly appealing to mechanical keyboard enthusiasts.