Renowned furniture designer Mira Nakashima, head designer at George Nakashima Woodworkers in New Hope, Pa., was commissioned by the U.S. State Department to create a special piece of furniture for Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, the first Japanese leader to visit the U.S. as a state guest in nine years.

As she contemplated the design, Nakashima reflected on when she and her family were forcibly relocated to Camp Minidoka, an American internment camp for people of Japanese ancestry in Hunt, Idaho, from 1942-1943. Today, Mira, 82, a trained architect, has worked in the family business since 1970, producing her father George’s iconic designs as well as her own custom-designed, hand-crafted furniture. She also heads the Nakashima Foundation for Peace.

For the official gift to Kishida, who was born in Hiroshima and has been a lifelong anti-nuclear and peace advocate, Nakashima created a handmade three-legged table crafted from Pennsylvania black walnut wood presented with a plaque to commemorate the prime minister’s visit. The table has a “free” (natural) edge all the way around its perimeter because it was cut on a diagonal when the highly skilled sawyers custom-milled the log.

After the delivery of the gift, Nakashima and her husband, craftsman Jonathan Yarnall, were among the invited guests at the White House state dinner on April 10.

For a deeper look into the woodworking process, the recently published Process Book features original sketches and the philosophy behind George Nakashima’s masterpieces, along with family history. Nakashima Woodworkers creates furniture pieces from sustainably harvested hardwoods, particularly American black walnut.