Interview: Ryotaro Kato (Ceramic Artist)
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We share a variety of information and perspectives on Japanese crafts, including exhibition information and interviews.
VOICE VOL.7
KOGEI & Me VOL.32
KOGEI Topics VOL.16
Featured Exhibitions & Events VOL.41
Dec 11 – Dec 17, 2024
KAKIDEN GALLERY
Dec 12 – Dec 25, 2024
Seiko House Hall
Tokyo
Dec 13 – Dec 18, 2024
Ginza Nichi-Nichi
Dec 13 – Dec 25, 2024
Kyoto yamahon
The beauty of Kogei in everyday life. We share a variety of information and perspectives on Japanese crafts, including exhibition information and interviews.
The successive heads of the Kobeigama Kiln have each produced remarkable works, continuing the kiln’s legacy. As the eighth generation head of the kiln, how do you approach this tradition? Additionally, could you share how this history influences the ceramics you create today?The first generation head of the kiln, Kobei Kato, established a nobori-gama or climbing kiln on the slopes of this mountai...
Born into the Mikawachi ware lineage of the Hirado Kohsyo Danemon Kiln, Taiyo Nakazato naturally aspired to pursue the path of ceramics, and from a young age was expected to become the next head of the kiln. “When a successor is born, all the relatives celebrate and rejoice. Perhaps because of that environment, I knew from a young age that I wanted to work in this field.”During his stu...
Wajima City in Ishikawa Prefecture is globally renowned as the birthplace of Wajima lacquerware, a traditional Japanese craft. Following the Noto Peninsula Earthquake in January 2024, local artisans lost their workshops and tools, making it difficult for them to continue their craft. In response, Wedgwood, a British Royal Warrant brand with 265 years of history rooted in craftsmanship, artistry an...
Fukui, recognized as one of the leading manufacturing hubs in Japan, is home to traditional crafts such as Echizen lacquerware, Echizen washi paper, Echizen forged blades, Echizen cabinetry, and Echizen ware. In addition, it is also known for its thriving local industries, including eyeglasses and textile production. The industrial tourism event “RENEW,” which aims to promote sustainable community...
Featured Exhibitions & Events VOL.40
The food and art festival “TOMORROW FIELD 2024 Fall,” organized by the non-profit organization TOMORROW, will be held from October 25 to November 17, 2024, in the Taiza district of Kyotango City, Kyoto Prefecture. Previously held as the “ECHO” food and art festival in 2022 and 2023, this event will now be held twice a year, in both fall and spring, under the new name “TOMORROW FIELD.”“TOMORROW FIE...
The Art of Appreciating Tea Bowls VOL.2
It can be warm and rustic. It can be cool and delicate. Even though a host has a singular purpose in preparing a bowl of tea for a guest to enjoy, the expressions of tea bowls are diverse. This is precisely why a host can imbue a tea bowl with a sense of the season or personal sentiment, and the guest, sensing this, can connect on a deeper level.In this chapter, we will explore the elements that s...
Exhibition • Event Report VOL.26
The Special Exhibition: Art Kogei, from Japan to the World “The Future of Artisanal Beauty: Vessels, Wrappings, Decorations” was held at TERRADA ART COMPLEX II BONDED GALLERY of Warehouse TERRADA, an art business based in Tennoz, Tokyo, through July 16, 2024. The exhibition showcased the works of ten artists who pursue free expressions of contemporary art using traditional craft techni...
Featured Exhibitions & Events VOL.39
The third edition of “ART JOB FAIR,” a job fair focused on the arts and culture sectors is decided to be held. The event is scheduled to take place over two days, from February 1 to 2, 2025, at the TODA BUILDING in Kyobashi, Tokyo, which is expected to open this fall.“ART JOB FAIR” was launched in 2023 as a platform for cultural and artistic organizations seeking talent to connect with job seekers...
Featured Exhibitions & Events VOL.38
The event “Utsuwa no Aki (Pottery in Fall),” where you can experience the culture of Hagi ware, will be held again this fall in Nagato Yumoto Onsen, Yamaguchi Prefecture. Eight artists from all five Fukawa-Hagi kilns will participate in the event. This year’s theme is “Irotori,” named after the vibrant colors of the beautiful season when the leaves change. The event will feature an array of Hagi w...
Featured Exhibitions & Events VOL.37
“GO FOR KOGEI,” an initiative that aims to promote the charm of crafts from the Hokuriku region, will celebrate its fifth edition this year. The event will be held from September 14 to October 20, 2024, in the Iwase area (Toyama, Toyama Prefecture) and the Higashiyama area (Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture). Yuji Akimoto, who has been the executive director and curator since 2021, will continue in hi...
Editor's Column “The Path of Japanese Crafts” Part2: Modern Society and Kogei VOL.1
Throughout this series, we have introduced the traditional Japanese aesthetics crucial to conveying the allure of kogei or Japanese crafts. Moving forward, to contemplate the future path of Japanese crafts, we will reconsider the value of crafts in light of global social issues and questions. First, I would like to explore the concept of fudo, which is deeply intertwined with the origins of Japane...
VOICE VOL.6
How did you come to bamboo as a material, and what is its appeal?I have always loved the tea ceremony, a culture with a uniquely Japanese spirituality. The tea ceremony utilizes meticulously crafted tools to offer a hospitality that embodies the spirit of “ichi-go ichi-e,” or a once-in-a-lifetime encounter. One of the reasons I chose bamboo was my awareness of environmental issues. Growing up in t...
KOGEI Topics VOL.15
Tsugaru lacquerware, a traditional craft of Aomori Prefecture, is known for its painstakingly thorough process of applying and polishing lacquer repeatedly, earning it the nickname “baka-nuri” (foolish coating). The film “Tsugaru Lacquer Girl” explores human relationships through the lens of Tsugaru lacquerware, set in Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture. The protagonist, Miyako, works ai...
KOGEI Topics VOL.14
Shitsurindo, a manufacturer based in the Kawada area of Sabae, Fukui Prefecture, one of Japan’s leading lacquerware production areas, has been engaged in the production and sale of Echizen lacquerware. Founded in 1793, the company has a long history and in 2023, the 230th anniversary of its founding, was certified as a purveyor to Daihonzan Eiheiji temple, which is also located in Echizen. In addi...
The Art of Appreciating Tea Bowls VOL.1
The sound of the tea whisk ceases, and a bowl of tea is placed before you by the host. The steam softly rising from the bowl, the faint aroma of matcha powdered green tea wafting through your nose. In the serene moment before taking a sip, there is always a tea bowl between the host and the guest.Sen no Rikyu, who established the art of the tea ceremony, taught the principles of “Wa, Kei, Se...
Editor's Column “The Path of Japanese Crafts” Part1: Japanese Aesthetic Sense VOL.12
This phrase “mono no aware” represents an aesthetic ideal proposed by Motoori Norinaga, a scholar of classical Japanese literature in the late Edo period (1603-1868), which is considered crucial for understanding the court literature of the Heian period (794-1185). “Mono no aware,” literally “the pathos of things” but also translated as “an empathy toward things,” encapsulates the profound emotion...
From Japan to the world.Awareness through Kogei.
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Passing on the feelings of craftspeople towards their crafts.Along with the best piece to cherish for life.
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Things that I noticed and feltvisiting the region of production, breathing the local airseeing the same scenery as the craftsmen.
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This column introduces various craft production regions around Japan.
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