A special exhibition commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Japan Folk Crafts Museum features approximately 170 items, primarily focusing on folk crafts collected by Sōetsu Yanagi from across Japan.
Currently on display at the 8th-floor hall of Nihonbashi Takashimaya is "The Beauty of Japanese Folk Crafts: A Journey with Sōetsu Yanagi and 'The Soul of Japanese Handcrafts'", a special exhibition commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Japan Folk Crafts Museum. It features approximately 170 items, primarily folk crafts collected by Sōetsu Yanagi from across Japan, supplemented by pieces from regional folk craft museums, dating from the late Edo to early Showa periods.
Sōetsu Yanagi was a philosopher who spearheaded the Mingei movement, advocated in the late Taisho era (1912-1926).
This culminated in the founding of the Japan Folk Crafts Museum in Komaba, Tokyo, in 1936 (Showa 11).
Since then, the museum has engaged in collecting and preserving excellent folk crafts and holding exhibitions, and in October 2016, it celebrated its 80th anniversary.
As its proponent, Yanagi himself stated, "'Mingei' means crafts that are used by the people in their daily lives. Therefore, among practical crafts, it is the realm of objects that most deeply intersect with human life" (from "What is Mingei?", 1941). Mingei thus refers to everyday items born from the handwork of artisans.
In essence, 'Mingei' represents the aesthetics of daily life, embodying the traditions of a region and the spirit of its people.
This exhibition focuses on the late Edo period, the golden age of 'Mingei', and the Showa period (up to around the 1950s) when its vitality was sustained. It comprises approximately 170 exquisite pieces, primarily from the Japan Folk Crafts Museum's collection of items gathered by Sōetsu Yanagi across Japan, augmented by pieces from regional folk craft museums.
The folk crafts that have adorned the lives of ordinary people embody a rich sense of form and aesthetic sensibility nurtured in each locality.
This exhibition is designed to showcase what a remarkable 'country of folk crafts' Japan truly is.
The exhibition is scheduled to tour five locations across the country until March of next year.
Commemorating the 80th Anniversary of the Japan Folk Crafts Museum: The Beauty of Japanese Folk Crafts - A Journey with Sōetsu Yanagi and 'The Soul of Japanese Handcrafts'
Dates: Until Monday, September 11
Venue: 8th Floor Hall, Nihonbashi Takashimaya
Opening Hours: 10:30 - 19:00 (Last admission 18:30; closes 17:00 on the final day)
Admission (tax included): General ¥800, University/High School Students ¥600, Junior High School Students and below free
Organizers: NHK, NHK Promotions, Japan Folk Crafts Museum
Sponsor: Japan Folk Crafts Association
Participating Folk Craft Museums:
Matsumoto Folk Craft Museum (Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture), Toyota Municipal Museum of Art (Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture), Kusakabe Folk Art Museum (Takayama City, Gifu Prefecture), Osaka Museum of Folk Arts (Suita City, Osaka Prefecture)
Kurashiki Folk Craft Museum (Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture), Tottori Folk Crafts Museum (Tottori City, Tottori Prefecture), Toyama Folk Craft Museum (Toyama City, Toyama Prefecture), Izumo Folk Art Museum (Izumo City, Shimane Prefecture),
Kumamoto International Folk Art Museum (Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture), and others
Tour Schedule and Venues:
Yokohama Takashimaya, 8th Floor Gallery: September 13 (Wed) - September 24 (Sun)
Osaka Takashimaya, 7th Floor Grand Hall: September 27 (Wed) - October 9 (Mon)
Kyoto Takashimaya, 7th Floor Grand Hall: December 14 (Thu) - December 25 (Mon)
JR Nagoya Takashimaya, 10th Floor Exhibition Hall: February 23, 2018 (Fri) - March 5, 2018 (Mon)
Nihonbashi Takashimaya
Tel. 03-3211-4111