The ?Modern? in Mingei, the Folk Crafts M o v e m e n t ?
Museums, Publications, and Production and Distribution
H a n a i H i s a h o , The National Museum of Modern Art,T o k y o
The first page o f the first issue o f Gekkan Mingei (Folk
Muneyoshi: Ordinary Beauty, Everyday Mystery. its
Crafts Monthly), which was launched in April, 1939,
catalogue stated that Yanagi?s t h i n k i n g and the Teality o f
Presented
the Folk Crafts Movement had parted ways.
a
branching tree (Fig. 1, the ?Tree of Mingel?
Proposed by Kawai Kanjiro and designed by Shikiba
Ryuzaburo and Serizawa Keisuke. This tree illustrates the
Yanagi Muneyoshi's t h i n k i n g was concentrated on
organizationo f t h e Mingei o r Folk CraftsMovement.[1]
his concepto f ?Folk Crafts,? and the Folk Crafts
The t r u n k of the tree, rising in the center, is the Japan
Folk Crafts Museum. Its righthand branch, as {ts label
Movement, which was based on his ideas, expanded
says, is the ?Japan Folk Craft Association, responsible
accord, The Folk Crafts Movement, from a certain
for the magazines Kogei (Crafts) and Gekkan Minget (Folk
period on, deviated from Yanagi?s ?Folk Crafts?
Crafts Monthly), and other publications about the crafts.?
ideology. Here we wish to state that the theme of this
The left branch is labelled ?Folk Crafts Shop Takumi,
which deals in the work of individual craftsmen and folk
exhibition is not ?Folk Crafts? but Yanagi Muncyoshi
himself.[2]
greatly. But ideas and reality are not necessarily in
crafts from all over the country.? The trunk and branches
have each been given an emblem. The three parts are
As at the Mie exhibition on Yanagi Muneyoshi, many
arranged in this conceptual diagram to show that ?each of
special exhibitons on folk crafts have been composed in
the three aids each other's growth,? all working together
as one. This diagram indicates precisely that the Folk
termsof 1 ) folk crafts that Yanagi Muncyoshi had selected
with his keen eye for beauty, 2) work by individual
Crafts Movement consisted o f an extremely modern
craft artists such as Kawal Kanjiro, Hamada Shoji, and
?integrated apparatus? of museum, publishing, and
T o m i m o t o Kenkichi, or 3) work by folk craft artists in
Production and distribution (the shop).
specific regions.{3] The trunk of the Folk Crafts Tree, its
I m a g i n e d i n a n o t h e r way, t h e f a b r i c o f t h e F o l k C r a f t s
M o v e m e n t was f o r m e d b y w e a v i n g t o g e t h e r t h o s ew a r p s
a n d w e f t s i n t h e m o d e r n social a n d c u l t u r a l c o n t e x t . Yet,
u p o n r e f l e c t i o n , a l m o s t all m u s e u m e x h i b i t i o n s o n f o l k
core, is the Japan Folk Crafts Museum and its collection,
the crystallization o f Yanagi?s thinking, in the galleries. In
contrast, the left branch, the question o f production and
distribution, is assigned as a ?reality? positioned literally
c r a f t s have b e e n o r g a n i z e d l a r g e l y i n t e r m s o f t h eg a z e
outside the museum (in, for instance, shops), And the
a n d t h i n ok f iY ann agg i M u n e y o s h i (Soetsu), A n e x h i b i t i o n
Folk Crafts Movement as it formed in many regions of
Japan is positioned asa local problem, in contrast to the
center.
held i n 1997 at t h e M i e P r e f e c t u r a l A r t M u s e u mm i g h t
be c a l l e d a d e f i n i t i v e e x a m p l e . It was e n t i t l e dY a n a g i
Are the p u b l i c a t i o n s , the r i g h t b r a n c h o f t h e tree,
expressionso f Y a n a g i ?s p e r s o n a l t h i n k i n g , as o n e m i g h t
a s s u m e ? In f a c t , i f y o u p e r u s e t h e m a g a z i n e s Koget
a n d Gekkan M i n g e i , y o u w i l l f i n d t h a t they c o n t a i n a
vast a m o u n t of i n f o r m a t i o n t h a t has b e e n left o u t o f
Yanagi Muneyoshi?s i n d i v i d u a l b o o k s a n d the c o m p l e t e
w o r k s o f Yanagi c o l l e c t e d b y s u b j e c t . W h a t is r e t a i n e d
in its o r i g i n a l f o r m i n t h e m is o t h e r c o n t e n t c o n s i s t i n g
o f t h e e d i t o r i a l a p p e n d i c e s a n d v a r i o u s r e c o r d s at t h e
e n do f each issuc, l e t t e r s , a n d a d v e r t i s i n g , u t t e r a n c e s
w i t h c o m p l e x r e l a t i o n s h i p s . T h e f r a g m e n t a r y ideas
Fig.1
nat y e t o r g a n i z e d i n t o an i d e o l o g y a n d t h e u n f i n i s h e d
?The * T r e e o f M i n g e t ?
p r o c e e d i n g s m a k e t h e s e d y n a m l e d o c u m e n t s . W e can
Gekkan M i n g e t
{Folk Crafts Monthly)
first issue, April, 1939,
,
278
r e t r i e v e i n f o r m a t i o n f r o m t h e m s t i l l c o n n e c t e d to t h e
circumstances in w h i c h they were developing. Reading
te
them islike
lOoKINE behind the scenes; it is fascinating,
a sense of their context, in the period in
ing.
and also
which
;
?contemporary eye.? The Folk Crafts Museum seeks
to establish a ?Japanese eye?....
As the name of the institution, the Museum of
Kogel i a l made using craft materials
es?kasuri, stencil dyeing, and washi paper?
techn assemblage of handwork by people who
both an
thinking and a place that connected
»«
pjects, and information, bringing together the
r i d as a singlec o m m u n i t y . [ 4 ]
f o l kc r a f t ndofe a c h issue are reports o f activities in
peoples
M o d e m Art, indicates, the emphasis is on ?modern.?
The Folk Crafts Museum does not particularly
advocate ?modern? concerning the works i t exhibits...
Looking at the artifacts t h a t the Museum of
M o d e m A r t has handled thus far shows that most are
so-called ?art? and have scant connection with the
?crafts? category.[6]
a t the < News from Tottori, News from Shimane,
the r E
polk Crafts Shop Takumi. If you read through
ews a e tail, it becomes clear that the exhibitions
mem ie tions, actions of the Folk Crafts Movement,
a n dp u b Gs to the production and distribution problem
The ?Tokyo? ?National? Museum o f ?Modern? ?Art?: all
those terms are antonyms o f what Yanagi was a i m i n g for.
I f so, perhaps what this exhibition can do is examine how
were link developing i n adjoining terrain. The reality of
the Folk Crafts Tree has grown i n the ?modern? context.
How do the three axes, museum, publications, and
o n d e duction to distribution? was not external to
production to distribution (the shop), connect the city
? f o n Pn deology it was an internal motive force driving
and the rural communities? Let us take the magazines
o r k Crafts Movement. W h a t Yanagi raised as the
kogei and Gekkan Mingei and other materials f r o m the
?crafts question? combines the two paths that the Guild
socialism of John Ruskin and W i l l i a m Morris presented:
cs and appreciation of beauty. Those two
;
economi
oa
himself
t mutually contradictory. Yanagi
paths were NO
stated, the crafts ?are the u n i o n of reality and beauty.? [5]
same period as o u r guides i n exploring that question.
The Shirakaba T r e e ?
Reproductions and a Real Magnetic Field
The distance that Yanagi himself covered in visiting
I f we dig for the underground roots and branches o f the
production areas all over the country and the vast time
he spent in corresponding with his colleagues is evidence
Tree o f Mingei, we find another tree, Shirakaba (White
of his inclusion of economic realities in his Folk Crafts
in 1911 by several graduates o f Gakushain (the Peers?
concept. [4_92-4_97]-
Birch). Shirakaba wasa literary magazine launched
School), including Musha-no-Koji Saneatsu and Shiga
As experiments in the real world, the experiments
Naoya. Yanagi was the youngest member o f their circle
carried out in the various regions known as the ?new folk
and polished his skills as the magazine?s m a i n editor.
crafts? (shinsaku mingei) were sometimes successful and
Asap r i n t p u b l i c a t i o n . S h i r a k a b a c o u l d be r e p r o d u c e d ,
sometimes not. That the museum did not address the
a n d i t e x p a n d e d its n e t w o r k s t o t h o s e w i t h a t a s t e f o r
?production to distribution? issue may be due in part to
the ?kitsch? folk craft boom that emerged after World
l i t e r a t u r e a n d t h e arts. Its e x h i b i t i o n s , e v e n i n t e m p o r a r y
War II, a boom contrary to Yanagi?s wishes and that still
people. Shirakaba was t h e m e d i u m c o n n e c t i n g B e r n a r d
casts its shadow over the folk crafts. Or perhaps museums
Leach, T o m i m o t o Kenkichi, and H a m a d a S h o j i a n d also
continued to be dominated, for many years, by the
s t i m u l a t e d S h i k i b a Ryuzaburo a n d Y o s h i d a Shoya, w h o
s t r u c t u r e s , w e r e s t r o n g m a g n e t s a t t r a c t i n g all s o r t s o f
thinking that the museum isa ?setting that transcends
issued A d a m , a l i t e r a r y m a g a z i n e t h a t m i g h t be c a l l e d a
reality? rather than a ?window on society.? But museum
s a t e l l i t e m a g a z i n e o f S h i r a k a b a , t o v i s i t Yanagi? s h o m e
exhibitions on the theme of Mingei (the folk crafts
movement) at museums cut off the left branch o f the
in Abiko. Things called out to people, people were t h e n
movement (production to distribition). Thus, i t is difficult
born. Yanagi, w i t h his innate language skills, even tried
to see the initial dynamism of the Folk Crafts Movement
as it flourished in the 1930s i n their exhibitions.
sending letters to Rodin, and as a result Rodin h i m s e l f
Shortly after the National Museum o f Modern
connected to things and other people, and
a
n e t w o r k was
sent actual sculptures to Japan. Those sculptures attracted
Asakawa Noritaka and his younger b r o t h e r Takumi and
Yanagi. (The following quotations are excerpts from that
inspired their travels to Korea a n d their interest, and
Yanagi? s, in mokujikibutsu (the wooden statues o ft h e
article.)
Buddha carved by M o k u j i k i Shonin). Indeed, Yanagi f i r s t
Art, Tokyo, opened, i t received a severe scolding from
realized his dream o f a museum n o t with a Shirakaba
First, the Museum of Modern Art is a government
museum b u t w i t h the Korea Folk-Arts Gallery i n Seoul,
institution, while the Folk Crafts Museum isp r i v a t e .
The difference is between public and private...
Korea. Shirakaba wasa p i l l a r of the Folk Crafts Movement;
The Museum o f M o d e r n Art advocates a
its publication led to the formation o f networks and the
emergence of the basic form o f a m u s e u m concept.
T h e ?Modern? in Mingei, the Folk C r a f t s M o v e m e n t ? M u s e u m s , Publications, a n d P r o d u c t i o n a n d D i s t r i b u t i o n
279
o
e
R
D
Technical Experts a n d Physicians: The Folk Crafts Circle's
are i n effect ?technical recipes? describing the customs
Occupations and Networks
and handicraft techniques surviving at kilns throughout
the c o u n t r y that he wanted to record. In connecting
W h a t occupational skills did the people responsible for
past and present, Kawaii?s and Hamada?s being makers
the Folk Crafts Movement b r i n g to this project? People
themselves as well as core members of the Folk Crafts
who had acquired high technical skills as engineers at
Movement was of great significance.
industrial research institutes were central figures in the
Physicians, i n c l u d i n g Yoshida Shoya and Shikiba
movement. Kawaii Kanjiro and Hamada Shoji were both
Ryuzaburo, were also a conspicuous presencea m o n g
elite science majors, having graduated from the ceramics
department of Tokyo Technical Higher School (now Tokyo
activists in the Folk Crafts Movement. Doctors, including
Uchida Rokuro and Suzuki Atsushi of Shizuoka, were also
Institute of Technology). But j u s t when they graduated,
n o t rare among folk craft collectors. Most had Studied
technical education in Japan was reaching a major
in Tokyo o r one o f the other m a j o r cities; they were from
turning point. The promotion o f export crafts, the star of
elite strata in non-metropolitan regions, people who
the Meiji-period policies to encourage new industry, had
enjoyed reading Shirakaba and remained rooted in their
already ceased to function with the end o f Japonisme.
regions and responsible for the health of their societies,
After the Russo-Japanese War, the Japanese government's
They often used words that anthropomorphized the
policy shifted from earning foreign currency through
crafts, declaring the standards for folk craft beauty as
the export of handicraft objects to making Japan an
being ?sound? and ? h e a l t h y[7]
. ? In fact, in 1931, Ota
industrial power focused on the heavy and chemical
Naoyuki o f the M a t s u e C h a m b e r o f C o m m e r c e and
industry sectors, Serizawa Keisuke also trained at the
I n d u s t r y i n v i t e d Y a n a g i to v i s i t a n d e n t i t l e d his survey
Tokyo Technical Higher School, majoring in industrial
design. While he was still studying there, however, that
o f f o l k crafts i n S h i m a n e p r e f e c t u r e t h e ?Shimane Crafts
department was eliminated from the school and the
a m e d i c a l c h e c k u po f craft w o r k s , Ota h a d the idea o f
whole department, including its students, moved to the
Tokyo Fine Arts School (now Tokyo University of the Arts).
triage, d i v i d i n g t h e c r a f t s i n t o ?healthy,? ?could recover,?
Thus, Serizawa did not encounter Kawaii and Hamada
a n d ?no hope? categories.[8} ?Health,? w h i c h the Folk
Checkup.? L i k e n i n g Y a n a g i to a d o c t o r w h o c o n d u c t e d
e s t a b l i s h i n g f u n d a m e n t a l g u i d a n c e p o l i c i e s based on
at the higher school. By their time there, however,
C r a f t s M o v e m e n t a d o p t e d as t h e c o n c e p t o f i m p r o v i n g
industrial training was already being transferred to efforts
s o c i e t y t h r o u g h t h e b e a u t y o f t h e crafts was, f o r them, the
by regional governments to support local industries.
aesthetic t h a t served t h e p r i n c i p l e t h a t they literally saw
Graduates who had completed higher-school education at
the national institutions in many cases took positions as
as p r i m a r y , day b y day.
engineers and instructors at industrial research centers in
a n d t h r o a t (ENT) specialist. S h i k i b a , w h o took p a r t in
S h i k i b a was a n e u r o p s y c h i a t r i s t , Yoshida an ear, nose,
various regions of the country. Kawai and Hamada joined
the survey o f mokuwjikibutsu, recorded the data on each as
the Kyoto City Ceramic Testing Center after graduation.
precisely as he w o u l d i n f o r m a t i o n ona
Serizawa worked in product design in his home prefecture
at the Shizuoka Prefectural Research Center and then
He also a p p l i e d his a b i l i t i e s to the p u b l i s h i n g aspect,
p a t i e n t ' s chart.
later o r g a n i z i n g p l a n s f o r d i s c u s s i o n s i n Gekkan minget.
moved to the design section of the Osaka Prefectural
Merchandise Display Center.For engineers and technical
Yoshida was b o t h a s k i l l e d ENT p h y s i c i a n and an ?idea
experts, moving to various parts of the country and
sharing their knowledge was partof t h e i r skill set. Their
Yoshida, h a v i n g made t h e c o m m u n i t y ofh i s h o m e region,
resources included both technical data and personal
networks.
Kawai a n d H a m a d a actually traveled to Okinawa
before Yanagi did. One t h i n k s o f f i e l d w o r k i n folklore
man? w h o excelled a t u n d e r s t a n d i n g h o w t h i n g s work.
T o t t o r i , his base, was interested i n e x p e r i m e n t s i n the new
f o l k crafts t h a t w o u l d c o m b i n e l o c a l m a t e r i a l s and skiils
in f o r m s t h a t s u i t e d c o n t e m p o r a r y lifestyles, a fascinating
o r i e n t a t i o n . The drivers o f the Folk Crafts M o v e m e n t were
people w i t h professional vocations, and their efforts went
studies as i n v o l v i n g s o m e o n e witha talent for s k e t c h i n g
far beyond mere pastimes or a c t i n g on personal tastes to
a n d a camera, b u t in mingei field work, t h e role played by
a t t e m p t s to create social change.
people w i t h t e c h n i c a l training, like Kawai a n d Hamada,
was s i g n i f i c a n t . Those experts had t h e eye to decode the
The Media, t h e G o v e r m e n t , a n d t h e Folk Crafts
h a n d i c r a f t s s u r v i v i n g i n various regions a n d also took
on the role o f recording t h e i r discoveries a n d recreating
them.
On result, Kawai?s series ?To-gi Shimatsu (Ceramic
The expansion o f t h e Folk Crafts M o v e m e n t cannot
be discussed w i t h o u t c o n s i d e r i n g personal networks
related to t h e media. In 1926, the year in which Yanagi
techniques, first to last)? in the magazine kogei consists o f
published his prospectus f o r establishing the Japan
l i t e r a r y essays in the f o r m o f a travel j o u r n a l . The essays
Folk Crafts M u s e u m , his article ?Getemono no bi? (?The
280
peauty
o f °°
craftsmen
mmon household objects made by u n k n o w n
as commissioned by Yoshida Shotaro of
. es and occupied a two-page spread in that
Beh
chide, the o w n e r of a k i m o n o store in
newsPaPer
Niigata prefecture, had been the originator
Kashiwaz4 nune-Kan Museum, with its collection o f Otsu-e
of the Kuro. folk paintings from the late Edo period. He
and 0 7 0 " were old acquaintances f r o m back in the day of
a n d ya
i b u t s t survey. The advertising columns o f the
were dominated by ads i n t r o d u c i n g hospitals
the n a
gchigo 7 es and educational programs, indicating the type
and
oie
m a n w i t h a k e e n sense o f h o w t h i n g s are o r g a n i z e d i n t h e
m o d e r n age.
The movement strongly advocated for the unaffiliated,
those not in office and not i n power. Its members
included, however, Mizutani Ryoichi,
a
government
bureaucrat. An official in the statistical bureau of the
Ministry of Home Affairs, Mizutani supported and took
part i n the Folk Crafts Movement. His writings, u n d e r
his pen name Konoki Takashi, appeared frequently i n
the magazine Kogei. Mizutani?s careful arrangements,
through tacit agreements w i t h various government
n e who read it. Networks of local media played a
offices, were of great help when movement members were
trol
conducting regional surveys. His engagement with the
he
in the early Folk Crafts movement.
relationship between the Osaka Mainichi
movement was official as well as private: after transferring
Newspaper, a national newspaper w i t h branch offices
to the trade department of the M i n i s t r y of Commerce a n d
throughout the country, and the FolkC r a f t sM o v e m e n t
is also worth considering. IwaiT a k e t o s h i , the head of the
Industry, Mizutani invited Charlotte Perriand to serve
newspaper s Kyoto branch, was involved i n supporting
people cooperating with it in special official, government,
two exhibitions held i n 1929 at the Kyoto Daimai Kaikan
positions reveals the multifaceted nature o f the Folk
(which housed the Kyoto branch of the newspaper), the
secondJapan Folk Crafts Exhibition and the First Folk Craft
Crafts Movement.
as its advisor on export crafts. That the movement had
Cooperative Exhibition. He h i m s e l f also compiled the
Rural a n d U r b a n : R e c o n t e x t u a l i z i n g O b j e c t s
Kyoto Minka Zufu (Photo catalogue of Kyoto vernacular
dwellings) [3_8] and continued to support the Folk Crafts
The Folk Crafts M o v e m e n t was not b o r n f r o m a m u s e u m
movement throughout this life. In 1931, Kusunoki
box. Travel, c o l l e c t i n g , a n d p u b l i s h i n g c a m e f i r s t . A
Goro, head of the Matsue branch of the newspaper,
decade p a s s e d b e t w e e n t h e p u b l i c a t i o n o f t h e ? P r o s p e c t u s
accompanied Yanagi as he conducted the ?Shimane Crafts
o n E s t a b l i s h m e n t o f t h e Japan F o l k Crafts M u s e u m ? i n
Checkup? survey o f f o l k crafts. News o f the travels o f the
A p r i l o f 1926 a n d t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n o f t h e m u s e u m a t its
folk crafts group was reported daily as local news i n the
present location i n K o m a b a , Tokyo. A n p h o t o g r a p h i c
newspaper. In 1932, when the San?in New Folk Crafts were
p l a t e a c c o m p a n y i n g t h e p r o s p e c t u s [2_30] is c a p t i o n e d
beginning to get rolling, the Japan Industrial A r t Movement
w i t h t h e d e c l a r a t i o n , ?These are t h e o b j e c t s o u r m u s e u m
Folk Crafts Exhibition was organized by the Osaka Mainichi
collects.?
and the Tokyo Nichi-Nichi newspapers (owned by the same
Let us look closely at the photographic plates (p.42
company but published separately). Inoue Kichijiro, head
(2_30]) in that prospectus. They include a wooden tobacco
of the editorial division o f the Osaka Mainichi Newspaper,
container,
was in charge of the excavation of the old Mino kiln sites
a
Shigaraki teaj a r with nagashigusuri (drip glaze)
and published the results of that research in the magazine
(initially described as Tamba Tachikui ware) [4_77), and
a rectangular wma-no-me (?horse eye? m o t i f ) dish. The
Kogei. At that time, the t w o newspapers were deeply
tea jar is placed on the base f o r a bowl-like bell used i n
committed to uncovering ?regional culture? t h r o u g h
Buddhist temples. The dish has been stood up on a m i r r o r
projects such as selecting ?Eight Views of Japan? or
stand, Those items are displayed atop a funa-dansu, a
archaeological excavations throughout the country. Their
shipping chest with sturdy metal fittings. Behind it a n d
president, Motoyama Hikoichi, supported excavations
on the floor is spread kuzu-ito fabric (woven from leftover
at kofun (burial mounds) and old kiln sites and was
yarns). Looking at that fabric calls to m i n d photographs
involved in organizing exhibitions about them, as well as
the launch of the magazine Chawan (?Teabowl,? Akaneya
o f m u l t i p l e ceramic works that Yanagi pasted i n his
Shobo, 1931). After the war, w i t h
marks still visible, hangs behind the ceramics, which were
Japan?s
restoration to
albums when he was living in Abiko. A piece o f cloth, fold
full standing i n international society i n 1952, it was the
placed on a writing desk w i t h glyphs i n Korean i n l a i d
Mainichi Shimbun that sent Shiga Naoya, Yanagi, and
m o t h e r of pearl [ref.1_6]. The kuzu-ito fabric performed
Hamada as a
the same function as that cloth: e l i m i n a t i n g unwanted
group of cultural ambassadors to Europe
and America. Its involvement in the Folk Crafts Movement
items from the interior being photographed. We sense
was consistent and thorough.[9] The Folk Crafts? journey
the intention to show the items clearly. In this i l l u s t r a t i o n
was always a journey w i t h the media. W hile Yanagi
from the prospectus, the various objects are not displayed
advocated the ?non-modern,? he was well aware of what
as tools o r implements; their contexts have been shuffled.
was needed to get things moving. In that sense, he was a
An object used horizontally is stood up. An object usually
T h e ? M o d e r n ? in M i n g e i , t h e F o l k C r a f t s M o v e m e n t ? M u s e u m s , P u b l i c a t i o n s , a n d P r o d u c t i o n a n d D i s t r i b u t i o n
281
s e e n f r o m a b o v e is o n a p e d e s t a l : t h i s p l a c e m e n t , s o
d i f f e r e n t f r o m t h e u s u a l , d e f a m i l i a r i z e s these e v e r y d a y
o b j e c t s s o t h a t t h e i r b e a u t y e m e r g e s . T h a t is t h e m e s s a g e .
The first issue o f Kogei magazine begins with a special
section o n ishizara (stoneware dishes) and andon-zara
T h e p h o t o g r a p h i c p l a t e s i n t h e ?Prospectus on
E s t a b l i s h m e n t o f t h e J a p a n F o l k C r a f t s M u s e u m ? are
f r o m today?s p e r s p e c t i v e , r a t h e rM y s t e r i o u s Photographs
T h e y c a p t u r e t h e m o m e n t o f i n t e r v e n t i o n i n aqd r e s s i n
o b j e c t s t h a t a l r e a d y e x i s t ( o r are b e i n g lost),
8
.
(lantern trays). As that suggests, to Yanagi, lantern trays,
w h i c h were produced in large numbers at the Seto kilns
M e m o r y of the Sea R o u t e s ?
i n the nineteenth century (p. 44, [2_32], Lantern tray, with
The L o s t K i t a m a e S h i p s and t h e Black Ships
butterfly and chrysanthemum pattern, underglaze iron) were
iconic examples of ?everyday objects.? These trays were
placed beneath lanterns to catch the oil; thus, while in
For some reason, many objects having to do with Ships
were among the first discovered as folk crafts, as in
use they were almost invisible. Flat and thinly potted,
the funa-dansu (Shipping Chest, [2_29}), thefuno-tokkur
intended to keep the oil from spilling, they pleased Yanagi
(Shipboard Flask, green glaze {3_60]), and Ship (Western ship)
{2_1]. The trade goods carried by the Kitamae Ships on the
and his colleagues with the beauty of the simple, swiftly
painted decorations on them, m a k i n g use o f their flat
surfaces. Lantern trays were well suited to tell the story
route from western to northern Japan and thewarehouses
o f the shipping agents clustered at ports of call on the
of the ?discovery? o f ?the beauty of objects overlooked in
Sea of Japan side (which came to be called ?the backside
the past.? The catalogue for the World Folk Crafts Antiques
o f Japan? i n the modern period) were treasure houses of
Exhibition that the art dealer Yamanaka & Co. held at the
objects that came to be collected as antique folk crafts,
Tokyo Art Club i n 1930 includes an essay contributed by
Langdon Warner o f the Fogg Museum at Harvard University
In the m o d e r n period, as railroads made land transport
(which had invited Yanagi to visit the United States). Its
titled is ?Japanese Ceramics: On Lantern Trays.? Since he
dominant, sailing ships became a symbol of the lostpremodern period. They also had a rather international
image, w i t h resonances o f overseas trade. It may be worth
mentions Yanagi by name, he doubtless was introduced to
n o t h i n g that Yanagi Muneyoshi?s father, Narayoshi, was a
what andon-zara (lantern trays) were by Yanagi.
naval engineer who, i n theclosing years of the Tokugawa
As o i l l a m p s w e r e b e i n g r e p l a c e d b y e l e c t r i c l i g h t i n g ,
l a n t e r n trays also s y m b o l i z e d t h e o b j e c t s t h a t w e r e
d i s a p p e a r i n g f r o m r u r a l lifestyles in the m o d e r n p e r i o d .
S t a n d i n g t h e m u p to a p p r e c i a t e t h e m as d e c o r a t i v e
o b j e c t s gave a n e w use to t h e s e trays, n o l o n g e r e m p l o y e d
shogunate, mastered Western shipbuilding,navigation,
and surveying techniques and, under the new Meiji
government, was responsible for surveying the Japanese
coastline and preparing nautical charts.
T h e f u n a - d a n s u t h a t a p p e a r i n t h e ?Prospectus
as f u n c t i o n a l t o o l s . I n t h e p l a t e s i n t h e ?Prospectus on
o n E s t a b l i s h m e n t o f t h e Japan F o l k Crafts Museum?
E s t a b l i s h m e n t o f t h e J a p a n F o l k C r a f t s M u s e u m , ? we see
i l l u s t r a t i o n s are w o r k s Y a n a g i a n d K a w a i h a d discovered
a d i s h d i s p l a y e d u p r i g h t o n a m i r r o r stand. W o o d e n plate
a n d f o c u s e d o n c o l l e c t i n g at p o r t s on t h e Seao f J a p a n
s t a n d s h a d also a p p e a r e d as ?new f o l k crafts? i n t h e San?in
side, f r o m t h e E c h i g o to H o k u r i k u a n d t h e San?i n to
r e g i o n . I n fact, K a w a i K a n j i r o ? s o l d e r b r o t h e r Z e n z a e m o n
Sanyo r e g i o n s . W h a t s t r u c k a c h o r d w i t h t h e m ?
h a d a ?plate stand? (Fig. 2, left] selected f o r t h e 1932 Japan
I n d u s t r i a l A r t M o v e m e n t F o l k Crafts E x h i b i t i o n (organized
W e m i g h t call t h e s e o b j e c t s ?Japanese gothic.? In
b y t h e Osaka M a i n i c h i a n d Tokyo N i c h i - N i c h i n e w s p a p e r s ) .
every r e s p e c t , they h a v e t h e h e a l t h i n e s s a n d beauty
N e w w a y s o f a p p r e c i a t i n g c r a f t o b j e c t s g e n e r a t e d a need
s h a r e d b y t r u e f o l k c r a f t s . T h e y h a d u n t i l n o w been
for new implements.
c o m p l e t e l y l o s t to o b s c u r i t y , b u t t h e i r day to rise i n
t h e h i s t o r y o f t h e crafts w i l l c o m e . N o , they w i l l at
s o m e t i m e be g i v e n a n exalted p o s i t i o n i n the world
history o f crafts.
The passage of large merchant ships along the coast
from the H o k u r i k u to the San?in and Sanyo regions
and also to the Tohoku connected them from the last
years o f the Tokugawa shogunate to Meiji. Thus, a
variety of tools for use o n shipboard were developed.
A m o n g them, thesefuna-dansu are particularly
important. They were built as safes and also for
holding garments on these long voyages. The sailors?
Fig. 2 (Left) P l a t e S t a n d , S h i m a n e , K a w a i Z e n z a e m o n ;
lives were a struggle w i t h strong winds and rough
f r o m the j a p a n I n d u s t r i a l A r t A n n u a l , 1932.
waves. Ordinary things could not have born up under
282
those conditions. Thus, these sturdy chests were
e l e m e n t s f r o m H o n s h u , the Japanese m a i n island,
e s s e n t i a l e q u i p m e n t . T h a t i s w h y t h e y are e q u i p p e d
O k i n a w a , Korea, a n d t h e West. Perhaps the M i k u n i - s o
w i t h t o u g h i r o n f i t t i n g s . T h e i r use r e q u i r e d s t r e n g t h .
c o u l d have been i m a g i n e d as a s h i p t r a v e l i n g b e t w e e n
T h u s , t h e b e a u t y t h e y express is also c h a r g e d w i t h
East a n d West.
A p a r t f r o m s h i p s , a n o t h e r key i t e m in the i n t e r i o r s
t h a t s t u r d y , r o b u s t character.[10]
o f t h e M i k u n i - s o was the presence o f b o t h newly created
Y a n a g i a n d K a w a i a s s o c i a t e d t h e s e f u n a - d a n s u , c a r r i e d on
s l i p w a r e (a t e c h n i q u e i m p o r t e d f r o m B r i t a i n ) a n d
t h e K i t a m a e s h i p s a l o n g t h e w e s t - t o - n o r t h s h i p p i n g lanes,
n a g a s h i g u s u r i ( d r i p glaze) c e r a m i c s f r o m r e g i o n a l k i l n s .
w i t h medieval European g o t h i c f u r n i t u r e and sensed
S l i p w a r e t h a t K a w a i a n d H a m a d a h a d n e w l y p r o d u c e d is
a
universal m y s t i q u e i n t h e m . T h e b e a u t y o f t h e i r s t u r d y
set o u t i n t h e k i t c h e n , a n d n a g a s h i g u s u r i h i b a c h i ( b r a z i e r s )
m e t a l f i t t i n g s is n o t m e r e l y d e c o r a t i v e . I t e m e r g e s f r o m
t h a t they had b o u g h t a t Futagawa, a f o l k k i l n i n Kyushu,
t h e necessity o f d u r a b i l i t y , f o r t h e m t o be able to s u r v i v e
occupy every c o r n e r o f t h e rooms. Nagashigusuri jars were
s t r o n g w i n d s a n d waves. T h a t is s u r p r i s i n g l y s i m i l a r t o t h e
f u n c t i o n a l i t e m s usually k e p t in the doma, t h e w o r k i n g
a r g u m e n t in a n article by B r u n o Taut, w h o visited Japan
parts o f the h o u s e ( k i t c h e n , everyday entrance, w o r k
a n d p o i n t e d o u t t h e s i m i l a r i t i e s o f farmers? d w e l l i n g s i n
spaces, s o m e t i m e s e v e n s t a b l e s ) . H e r e , h o w e v e r , t h e y h a d
Japan a n d c e n t r a l E u r o p e , c o m p a r i n g p h o t o g r a p h s o f
m o v e d i n t o t h e tokoma, the alcove in a f o r m a l r o o m used
to d i s p l a y o b j e c t s f o r a p p r e c i a t i o n . D r i p glaze c e r a m i c s
t h e m [3_9].
are m a d e u s i n g t h e l o c a l p o t t e r y clay a n d w h a t e v e r g l a z e
G i v e n t h e vast d i s t a n c e b e t w e e n Japan a n d E u r o p e ,
materials were available i n rural v i l l a g e s ? i r o n , copper,
t h e r e s e m b l a n c e o n t h e r i g h t h e r e is n o t t h e r e s u l t o f
s t r a w a s h ? a n d o f t e n p r o d u c e d at k i l n s o p e r a t e d b y
m u t u a l i n f l u e n c e s . W h y is i t t h a t t h e y n o n e t h e l e s s
farmers w h o were also potters. W h a t Yanagi, H a m a d a ,
achieved t h e s e s i m i l a r results?
and Kawai responded t o in B r i t i s h slipware a n d Japanese
icchingaki ( s l i p t r a i l i n g ) a n d n a g a s h i g u s u r i w a r e s w a s
t h e i r i n t u i t i v e sense t h a t a l l t h r e e t y p e s w e r e s i m i l a r i n
T a u t d e v e l o p e d t h e f o l l o w i n g r e p l y to h i s q u e s t i o n :
being n a t u r a l a n d plain, w i t h freely c u r v i n g lines. N o n e
H u m a n beings w o r k i n g in s i m i l a r circumstances
are t h e s a m e , b u t e x a m p l e s o f t h e s e w a r e s h a v e a s i m i l a r
and b u i l d i n g structures w i l l necessarily produce
r h y t h m a n d all, w h i l e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f s p e c i f i c r e g i o n s ,
s i m i l a r results. T h e l a w s o f l a b o r m a k e i t so. F e l l o w
were universals. W h e n t h e y e n c o u n t e r e d s u c h mysteries,
h u m a n beings, w h i l e , for example, h a l f w a y a r o u n d
Y a n a g i a n d his c o l l e a g u e s felt a s t r a n g e e x c i t e m e n t .
t h e w o r l d f r o m e a c h other, d r a w near, u n i t e , a n d
Thus, in p r e s e n t i n g their first ?model r o o m ? e x p r e s s i n g
b u i l d h u m a n i t y ?s p a i n s t a k i n g w o r k s . . . . W h a t t h e
F o l k C r a f t s values, t h e y d e v i s e d a space f o r b o t h t h e n e w
f a r m e r s o n t h e l a n d a n d i n t h e i r villages, w h o are
s l i p w a r e created b y i n d i v i d u a l a r t i s t s a n d f u n c t i o n a l w a r e s
t i g h t l y c o n n e c t e d , h a v e to t e a c h u s is t h a t t h e s m a l l
f r o m local k i l n s .
b u i l d i n g s o u t o n t h e l a n d u l t i m a t e l y give b i r t h t o o n e
Compiling and Showing ? ? P h o t o g r a p h i c illustrations
large f a m i l y . ( 1 1 ]
s h o u l d a l w a y s be m o r e b e a u t i f u l t h a n t h e real t h i n g . ?
Yanagi believed that, led by r e p e t i t i o n and e f f o r t (?Tariki
( h e l p f r o m w i t h o u t ) )? , b e a u t y c a m e a b o u t l i k e grace, a n d
T h e m a g a z i n e kogei, l a u n c h e d i n J a n u a r y , 1 9 3 1 , w a s
he b r o u g h t u p t h e w o r l d o f t h e E u r o p e a n m e d i e v a l g u i l d s
i t s e l f a craft w o r k m a d e u s i n g a v a r i e t y o f m a t e r i a l s a n d
as a n i d e a l . T h i n g s b o t h v e r n a c u l a r a n d u n i v e r s a l : w h a t
h a n d w o r k techniques. Yanagi regarded p r e p a r i n g t h e
seems an a c c i d e n t a l s i m i l a r i t y b e t w e e n Yanagi?s a n d
p h o t o g r a p h s f o r its pages as a c r e a t i v e act. A n e x t r e m e l y
Taut?s t h i n k i n g was an idea c o m m o n t o t h e i r age.
interesting exchange occurred over a p h o t o g r a p h o f a
T h e F o l k C r a f t s P a v i l i o n at t h e D o m e s t i c I n d u s t r y
P r o m o t i o n Tokyo E x p o s i t i o n i n C o m m e m o r a t i o n o f the
Tanba textile.
I n t h e ? e d i t o r i a l a p p e n d i c e s ? at t h e e n d o f t h e s e v e n t h
C o r o n a t i o n was, a f t e r t h e e x p o s i t i o n e n d e d , m o v e d
i s s u e o f Kogei, Y a n a g i e x p l a i n s i n d e t a i l , w i t h a d i a g r a m ,
to Osaka, w h e r e i t b e c a m e t h e M i k u n i - s o (see p p .
t h a t i n T a n b a textiles, t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p s o f t h e v e r t i c a l
7 6 - 8 1 ) , Y a m a m o t o T a m e s a b u r o ? s v i l l a . It was t h e
and h o r i z o n t a l stripes, t h e i r e x p a n s i o n a n d c o n t r a c t i o n ,
f i r s t a r c h i t e c t u r a l space t h a t t h e K a m i g a m o M i n g e i
h o w p a r t s are c u t o f f , a n d h o w t h e y are a r r a n g e d are
Cooperative, Kawai, a n d H a m a d a had collaborated
all i m p o r t a n t [4_65]. T h a t w a s i n s p i r e d b y a l e t t e r f r o m
o n . P h o t o g r a p h s o f t h e i n t e r i o r reveal i t w a s f i l l e d
H a t a H i d e o , w h o h a d seen t h e f r o n t i s p i e c e o f t h e s i x t h
w i t h images related t o ships: p i c t u r e s o f D u t c h ships,
i s s u e a n d s u g g e s t e d t h a t t h e lack o f c o n s i s t e n c y i n t h e
s h i p b o a r d flasks, f u n a - d a n s u , a n d m o d e l ships.
p l a c e m e n t o f t h e warp a n d w e f t yarns in t h e various
O r g a n i z e d so t h a t t h e J a p a n e s e a n d W e s t e r n r o o m s
p h o t o g r a p h s o f T a n b a t e x t i l e s was a n e r r o r . I n r e s p o n s e ,
are c o n n e c t e d , t h i s m o d e l r o o m - l i k e c o n c e p t m i x e d
Y a n a g i o f f e r e d his t h e o r y t h a t ? W h e n y o u h a v e c u t a
The ?Modern? in Mingei, the Folk Crafts M o v e m e n t ? M u s e u m s ,
Publications, a n d P r o d u c t i o n and D i s t r i b u t i o n
283
striped textile, there is no top or bottom.? T o Yanagi, once
was rejected. T h a t experience Teinforced
a textile had been woven, its state as i t came o f f the loom
his fellow Folk Crafts coterie? s sense of
was n o t its proper position. He imagine i t as dynamic,
establishment, and that episode seems
being cut and used after its production. It w o u l d change
part of the movement?s legend o f ?publi
ic?Versus ?Private .
But let us dig a little further,
i n various relationships. The following year, Yanagi wrote
an essay entitled ?The second half of a craft work'sl i f e ?
in which he argued that when it left the hands o f its
maker and reached the hands of the person using i t was
autensil?s second life. His heated exchange w i t h a reader
had touched off an advance i n Yanagi?s thinking.
Yanagi also commented on how to photograph works.
Yanagi's and
Peing outside th
"0 have become °
The I m p e r i a l Household Museum had
s
severe damage i n the Great Kanto Earthqual
Uffereg
ke a n dW a s
in the process o f p l a n n i n g a large-scaleTebu i l d i n g i n
1929. It was then that, w i t h an introductio
n from Seki
Sadasaburo, vice-minister o f the Imperial
Householg
Ministry, Yanagi and his colleagues called
On Oshima
characteristics o f the work and its temporal context
Yoshinaga, the museum director. At that
Meeting,Y anagi
indicated his i n t e n t i o n to donate the ent
Ire collection
to the museum, w i t h the following three
requires, above all, understanding that work, he asserted.
content is rather stimulating.
An experienced photographer with good equipment
and techniques was n o t sufficient. To capture the
Tequests, The
In illustrating Short buckskin coat, net pattern on white
background, with scattered ball design (4_711, he chose to
(1)
include only a close up of the net pattern. That is perhaps
an example o f how Yanagi perceived beauty and cut i t out
together in one o r t w o galleries (to permit their
distinctive qualities to be madeclear);
to show us.
(2)
The f o l k craft works would bedisplayed
The displays w o u l d be organized in
so much so that he said, ?Photographic illustrations
consultation w i t h us (because our knowledge and
experience w o u l d be useful);
should always be more beautiful than the real thing.?[12]
(3)
In a famous episode, he gave Sakamoto Man? s h i c h i , a
w o u l d continue purchasing works (because at this
photographer specializing in folk crafts, step by step
time we fully anticipate being able to collectmany
works at a relatively low cost). [13]
Yanagi was convinced o f the effects of pictures,
instructions on how to photograph
a
work. For the
If funds were provided by the museum, we
Japanese Folk Crafts Catalogue [2_40}, a portfolio with
individual photographs of the works in his early-period
T h a t is, t h e y w a n t e d o n e o r t w o galleries ford i s p l a y i n g
collection, he definitely made careful preparations to
f o l k c r a f t s exclusively, to a v o i d a l t e r i n g t h e structureo f
communicate the beauty o f these utilitarian items.
t h e c o l l e c t i o n t h e y h a d b u i l t a n d to keep t h e i r works
Each photograph, captured with fine gradations, can be
f r o m b e i n g m i n g l e d w i t h o b j e c t s f r o m o t h e r collections,
appreciated like a painting. ?Look directly,? Yanagi said,
T h e y w a n t e d t h e d i s p l a y s t o r e f l e c t t h e F o l k Crafts coterie
b u t when we look at these photographs, we are also seeing
m e m b e r s ? v i e w s , a n d t h e y w a n t e d a b u d g e t to keep
t h e m through Yanagi? s gaze.
c o l l e c t i n g . T h o s e c o n d i t i o n s set a h i g h hurdle.T h e y
w e r e n o t j u s t d o n a t i n g t h e i r c o l l e c t i o n . T h e y wanted to
The M u s e u m and t h e Question ofRural V i l l a g e
c o n t i n u e t h e i r a c t i v i t i e s i n t h e f o l k crafts and receive
By-Employments
p l a c e a n d b u d g e t f o r t h e m . N o n e t h e l e s s , to consider the
a
p r o p o s a l , o s h i m a , t h e m u s e u m ' s director, actually went
A f t e r p u b l i s h i n g the Prospectus o n E s t a b l i s h m e n t o f t h e
t o K y o t o t o see t h e SecondJ a p a n Folk Crafts Exhibition
J a p a n F o l k C r a f t s M u s e u m i n A p r i l , 1926 , t h e m u s e u m
at the Kyoto Daimai Kaikan. Nothing more was heard,
c o n t i n u e d its a c t i v i t i e s w i t h o u t a p h y s i c a l h o m e . T h e First
b u t their proposal was probably out of step with the way
J a p a n Folk C r a f t s E x h i b i t i o n w a s held at t h e K y u k y o d o , a
this museum was proceeding at that time. During the
s t o r e on t h e G i n z a i n T o k y o , i n June, 1927. A n e x h i b i t i o n
period w h e n national expositions were being held, in
w a s held i n t h e F o l k C r a f t s P a v i l i o n at t h e D o m e s t i c
Meiji, the M i n i s t r y of Agriculture and Commerce was
I n d u s t r y P r o m o t i o n Tokyo E x p o s i t i o n i n C o m m e m o r a t i o n
i n charge of the museum in Ueno, which had been built
o f the Coronation, held at Ueno Park i n Tokyo in March
t h r o u g h May, 1928. Both were time-limited events. In
to display products, for the promotion of industry. In
his prospectus, Yanagi had laid out a timeline in w h i c h
the early twentieth century, however, the museum was
repositioned as a temple for the Imperial Household
the first year w o u l d be f o r collecting, the second f o r an
art collection, under control of the Imperial Household
exhibition in Tokyo, and the t h i r d the founding of a folk
Ministry.
crafts m u s e u m as a permanent exhibition space. He
L a t e r , a f t e r m a n y t w i s t s a n d turns,[14] t h e Japan
really wanted a museum. In February, 1929, Yanagi and
F o l k C r a f t s M u s e u m o p e n e d i n K o m a b a , Tokyo, its
colleagues offered to donate the works they had collected
c u r r e n t l o c a t i o n , w i t h t h e s u p p o r t o f oharaM a g o s a b u r o ,
to the Tokyo Imperial Household Museum. Their proposal
p r e s i d e n t o f a t e x t i l e c o m p a n y ( n o w K u r a b o ) inK u r a s h i k i
284
|
a n d a n active p r o p o n e n t o f social b e t t e r m e n t p r o g r a m s .
B u t a f t e r t h e s t a t e m e n t t h e m u s e u m ? s m i s s i o n is
At its o p e n i n g i n O c t o b e r , 1 9 3 6 , t h e f o l l o w i n g s t a t e m e n t
to p o l i s h t h e works? b e a u t y t o t h e u l t i m a t e degree, w e
o f t h e m u s e u m ? s p o s i t i o n w a s p u b l i s h e d as ?The M i s s i o n
s u d d e n l y e n c o u n t e r t h e w o r d s ?the q u e s t i o n o f r u r a l by-
o f t h e C r a f t s M u s e u m ? i n t h e m a g a z i n e Kogei:
e m p l o y m e n t s . ? Perhaps w e s h o u l d r e m e m b e r t h a t t h e f i r s t
? F o l k C r a f t s P a v i l i o n ? t o be r e a l i z e d w a s at t h e D o m e s t i c
T h u s , w o r k s w i l l be d i s p l a y e d to m a k e t h e m o s t
I n d u s t r y P r o m o t i o n Tokyo E x p o s i t i o n i n C o m m e m o r a t i o n
o f t h e i r b e a u t y . H o w t h e y are p l a c e d , t h e s h e l v i n g ,
o f the C o r o n a t i o n . T h e g a l l e r i e s i n t h e J a p a n F o l k C r a f t s
t h e b a c k g r o u n d c o l o r s , t h e l i g h t i n g all h a v e a
M u s e u m w e r e p l a n n e d as r e f e r e n c e r o o m s i n t h e c i t y ,
c o n s i d e r a b l e i n f l u e n c e . D i s p l a y i n g t h e m is i t s e l f a n
? m o d e l rooms,? t o c o n n e c t w i t h the realities i n o t h e r
a r t , a n d we h o p e t h a t t h e F o l k C r a f t s M u s e u m as a
regions.
w h o l e w i l l g r o w i n t o an i n t e g r a l c r o p . . .
A d d r e s s i n g t h e q u e s t i o n o f r u r a l v i l l a g e bye m p l o y m e n t s has n o w b e c o m e an i s s u e o f c o n c e r n
Stories o f Sideline Jobs We H a v e Lived on (Fig. 3),
p u b l i s h e d i n 1931 b y t h e b u s i n e s s d e p a r t m e n t o f t h e
O s a k a Asahi Newspaper, relates t h e harsh realities t h a t
to m a n y . . . W e w i l l m a i n t a i n , as m u c h as p o s s i b l e ,
f a r m villages were experiencing d u r i n g the Depression.
close t i e s to r e g i o n a l c r a f t s a n d suggest d i r e c t i o n s
C o i n c i d e n t a l l y , i t is i n t e r e s t i n g to n o t e t h a t t h e l o c a t i o n
t h e y m i g h t take a n d e n c o u r a g e t h e i r d e v e l o p m e n t .
o f the Japan F o l k Crafts M u s e u m , w h i c h o p e n e d that year
The F o l k C r a f t s M u s e u m w i l l carry o u t i t s d u t i e s
in the residence o f Takabayashi Hyoe in H a m a m a t s u ,
o f collecting models o f t h o s e crafts, p r e p a r i n g the
Shizuoka Prefecture, was n a m e d "Sekishi-mura,? after the
f o u n d a t i o n s for w o r k in the f u t u r e , a n d i n t r o d u c i n g
S e k i s h i B a n k , w h i c h was e s t a b l i s h e d to p r o v i d e s c h o o l
the n e w works t h a t result t o t h e w o r l d . . . I f i t is
f u n d s f o r p e o p l e i n r u r a l areas.
possible to produce works that suit contemporary
T h e m o n e t a r y e c o n o m y h a d p e n e t r a t e d to e v e r y v i l l a g e
lifestyles, t h a t w i l l be o f p r o f o u n d s i g n i f i c a n c e f o r t h e
i n J a p a n , a n d r u r a l v i l l a g e s w e r e b e i n g e n c o u r a g e d to
e c o n o m i e s o f t h e r e g i o n s a n d f o r J a p a ns? crafts.[15]
w o r k their way out o f their bleak financial circumstances
by u n d e r t a k i n g b y - e m p l o y m e n t s . T h e p r o d u c t i o n o f c r a f t
L o o k i n g at t h e p l a n f o r t h e d i s p l a y cases t h a t Y a n a g i
h i m s e l f d e s i g n e d a n d t h e a c t u a l g a l l e r y scenes, w e
goods was a valuable secondary e m p l o y m e n t t o shore u p
their livelihoods. Abe Eishiro, w h o r a n a p a p e r - m a k i n g
can u n d e r s t a n d t h a t t h e y w e r e m o d e r n d i s p l a y spaces
business in t h e village o f Iwasaka, in S h i m a n e prefecture,
d e s i g n e d w i t h care [ref.4_11]. T h e cases are d e r i v e d
a n d p r o v i d e d d i r e c t i o n at t h e S h i m a n e P r e f e c t u r e P a p e r -
f r o m t h e K o r e a n b o o k s h e l v e s u s e d i n t h e Korea Folk-
m a k i n g T r a i n i n g Center, a l s o t o o k p a r t i n t h e r o u n d t a b l e
A r t s G a l l e r y b u t r e c o n f i g u r e d i n J a p a n t o glass case
o n b y - e m p l o y m e n t s t h a t i n s p i r e d t h a t article. Abe m e t
s p e c i f i c a t i o n s . T h e g a l l e r y spaces l o o k e d r a t h e r l i k e l i v i n g
Y a n a g i s h o r t l y a f t e r t h a t e v e n t a n d t h e s u p p l i e d Iwasaka?s
r o o m s , b u t t h e s l o p e d cases w e r e s p e c i a l l y d e s i g n e d f o r
h a n d m a d e w a s h i p a p e r f o r p r i n t i n g kogei m a g a z i n e f o r its
m u s e u m d i s p l a y . T h e s p e c i a l shelves t o f r a m e t e x t i l e s a n d
issues 16 t o 24 ( M a r c h - D e c e m b e r , 1932).
d i s p l a y t h e m as t a b l e a u x m a y h a v e b e e n m o d e l e d o n t h e
I t is s i g n i f i c a n t t h a t t h e l a u n c h o f e f f o r t s t o p r o d u c e
textile d i s p l a y cases at t h e V i c t o r i a a n d A l b e r t M u s e u m ,
new folk crafts i n Shimane, Tottori, a n d H a m a m a t s u
w h i c h had fascinated T o m i m o t o Kenkichi. H e visited
b e g a n i n 1931. M e a n w h i l e , as t h e p h o t o g r a p h s i n O k o c h i
t h e m u s e u m a l m o s t d a i l y w h i l e s t u d y i n g i n B r i t a i n . The
Masatoshi? s R u r a l I n d u s t r y a n d B y - E m p l o y m e n t ( K a g a k u
p h o t o g r a p h o f c e r a m i c s o r g a n i z e d i n a g r i d p a t t e r n h a sa
S h u g i K o g y o s h a , 1 9 3 7 ) (Fig. 4] i n d i c a t e , t h e p e r i o d i n
m o d e r n feel t h a t f i l t e r s o u t t h e sense o f t h e i r b e i n g p a r t o f
w h i c h machine p r o d u c t i o n was replacing d o m e s t i c
e v e r y d a y life.[16]
handicrafts in rural villages was arriving a n d h a n d w o r k
Oe C
E C E TRL M A .T A R
.
W R OL A R E T E R O H
waqmeaune
[left] Fig.3
B u s i n e s s d e p a r t m e n t o f t h e Osaka A s a h i
S h i m b u n , ed., S t o r i e s o f S i d e l i n e Jobs We
H a v e Lived o n (Osaka: A s a h i S h i m b u n sha, 1931).
[right] F i g . 4
O k o c h i Masatoshi, Rural Industry and
By-Employment (Tokyo: Kagaku S h u g i
Kogyosha, 1937)
The ?Modern? i n Mingei, the Folk C r a f t s M o v e m e n t ? M u s e u m s , Publications, and P r o d u c t i o n and D i s t r i b u t i o n
285
in the rural areas o f Japan was nearing a crossroads. The
survival o f the self-sufficient rural village o f premodern
times that folklorists wrote about was at risk, Setting
In May, 1932, the japan Industrial A r t Moy
Crafts Exhibition was held at the Shirakiya de ement Fol,
stores in Osaka and Tokyo.[19] At thate x h i b i t : arimentg
up a model room and a shop i n the city, the areaw h e r e
received the Minister o f Commerce and Indus n ,Yoshigg
f o l k crafts could be consumed,
for ?Fabric for Western-stylec l o t h i n g from dam
a
system in which rural
Ward
production centers w o u l d provide handmade works, was
cocoons,? from the Tottori Folk Craft Promotig Bed silk
closely linked to the crises affecting the rural economy
Kobayashi H i d e h a r u of the Ushinoto kiln won th Guild,
and handwork in the 1930s.
place Folk Craft Medal and KotaniTakejiro t h i r d , weeond.
his ?Telescoping floor lamp.? Participants from th ACE for
A M a p o f t h e N e w Folk C r a f t s : A H a n d i c r a f t E c o s y s t e m
in region accounted f o r a large n u m b e r of the brine San?
organizers o f these exhibitions were the Osaka Man,T h e
1931 was, t o t h e F o l k C r a f t s M o v e m e n t , t h e y e a r t h a t
and the Tokyo Nichi-Nichi newspapers. The j u d g e nichi
m a r k e d t h e s t a r t o f its m o s t p r o d u c t i v e a c t i v i t i e s . K o g e !
commentary was written by a ?OsakaM a i n i c h i Newspa,
m a g a z i n e w a s l a u n c h e d i n J a n u a r y , T a k a b a y a s h i Hyoe
guest writer,? one Yanagi Muneyoshi. TheOther j u d g e ?
o p e n e d his J a p a n F o l k C r a f t s M u s e u m i n H a m a m a t s u i n
were Kawai Kanjiro, Okada Saburosuke, a member ofth
A p r i l , t h e S h i m a n e C r a f t s C h e c k u p w a s h e l d i n May, a n d ,
Imperial Fine Arts Academy, Yamamoto Kanae,directo e
the Japanese Peasant Art Laboratory, Chiba Kameo. hesa
i n T o t t o r i , t h e U s h i n o t o k i l n , t h e f i r s t k i l n to p r o d u c e
n e w f o l k crafts, was fired f o r the f i r s t t i m e . N o n s t o p
e x p e r i m e n t s i n t h e n e w f o l k c r a f t s w e r e s t a r t i n g all over.
W h a t is w o r t h y o f n o t e is t h e r a p i d i t y w i t h w h i c h t h e
n e w f o l k c r a f t s , w i t h w h i c h Y o s h i d a Shoya w a s i n v o l v e d ,
b e g a n t o be r e a l i z e d i n Tottori.{17] A f t e r m o v i n g f r o m
N i i g a t a to Kyoto, K u r a s h i k i , I w a t e , a n d Nara, s e r v i n g as
of the art department of the TokyoNichi-NichiNewspa .
and Inoue Kichijiro, head of the editorialdivision ofthe?
Osaka Mainichi Newspaper. Thus, Participants in thePolk
Crafts Movement and their supporters made up about
half the judges. It was an unrivaled field for theF o l k
a
s t a f f p h y s i c i a n at m a j o r h o s p i t a l s , Y o s h i d a h a d r e t u r n e d
to h i s h o m e , T o t t o r i , at t h e e n d o f t h e p r e v i o u s year.
I n J a n u a r y , 1931, he o p e n e d h i s ear, nose, a n d t h r o a t
Crafts Movement Yanagi had been Promoting. Yamamoto
Kanae?s name was linked to Yanagi?s as a Judge, but in
s ?peasant
his commentary, Yanagi rejected Yamamoto?
clinic, h i s m a i n o c c u p a t i o n . On ?Sunday d u r i n g the
art,? severely criticizing ?folk toys? that ?imitatedWestern
carving? and ?lacked any real folk or regional feel.? Ag the
l u n a r f i r s t m o n t h , ? he v i s i t e d t h e n e a r b y U s h i n o t o k i l n .
word ?folk craft? coined by Yanagi and his colleagues was
A f t e r p e r s u a d i n g t h e o w n e r , K o b a y a s h i H i d e h a r u , to t r y
c o m i n g into general use, ferocious terminologicalbattles
were also b l o o m i n g i n the ?Min (folk)? genre.
e x p e r i m e n t a l l y p r o d u c i n g n e w f o l k crafts, t h e y succeeded
in u n l o a d i n g t h e first f i r i n g o n May 11. M e a n w h i l e
Y a n a g i , h a v i n g s p e n t M a y f o u r t h to t h e e i g h t h on ?the
Recompiling Existing Assets
S h i m a n e C r a f t s C h e c k u p , ? w e n t to T o t t o r i a n d t o o k p a r t i n
a M a y 9 s y m p o s i u m at t h e T o t t o r i C e n t e r f o r E n c o u r a g i n g
K o b a y a s h i H i d e h a r u o f t h e U s h i n o t o k i l n testifies, ?Having
C o m m e r c e a n d I n d u s t r y , gave a l e c t u r e at at l i b r a r y , a n d
Dr. Y o s h i d a p u r c h a s e t h e e n t i r e o u t p u t o f m y k i l n was an
v i s i t e d a f o l k c r a f t e x h i b i t i o n c o m p o s e d o f Yoshida?s
u n e x p e c t e d a n d d e e p l y m o v i n g event t h a t let me see a
c o l l e c t i o n . Both Yanagi and M u r a o k a Kageo w e r e p r e s e n t
f u t u r e f o r myself.? [20]
at t h e u n l o a d i n g o f t h e k i l n o n t h e e l e v e n t h . O n t h e
F o r Y o s h i d a to b u y u p a l l t h e c e r a m i c s produced by
t w e n t y - f i r s t , h i s w i f e Y a n a g i K a n e k o , a singer, gave a solo
a
p e r f o r m a n c e at t h e T o t t o r i E b i s u z a theater.[18}] O n t h a t
Y o s h i d a , having j u d g e d t h a t k e e p i n g the production
k i l n , a n d s e l l t h e m , r e q u i r e d e x p a n d i n g its market.
s a m e day, t h e m e n p l a n n e d a n e x h i b i t i o n o f t h e U s h i n o t o
s y s t e m a l i v e w o u l d r e q u i r e an i n t e g r a t e d d i s t r i b u t i o n
c e r a m i c s at
a n d s a l e s s t r u c t u r e , f o u n d e d t h e T o t t o r i Folk Craft
a
c r a f t s s y m p o s i u m i n Kyoto. Y o s h i d a , h a v i n g
p u s h e d t h i s p r o j e c t f r o m p r o d u c t i o n t o p r o m o t i n g the
P r o m o t i o n G u i l d i n J u n e , 1932, set u p an i n v e s t m e n t
d i s p l a y o f t h e n e w w o r k , clearly had f o r m i d a b l e p l a n n i n g
g r o u p , a n d o p e n e d t h e F o l k C r a f t s S h o p T a k u m i i n the
a n d c o o r d i n a t i n g a b i l i t i e s . T h e r e s u l t s of t h e s e c o n d f i r i n g
c i t y o f T o t t o r i . T h e w o r d t a k u m i m e a n s ?craftsmanship?
o f the U s h i n o t o k i l n were u n l o a d e d q u i t e s o o n , o n August
o r ? s k i l l ? ; Y a n a g i n a m e d t h e s h o p . Y o s h i d a used the
9 , and Yanagi and Kawai w e r e b o t h present. T h e t e n t h
p r i z e m o n e y he r e c e i v e d at t h e J a p a n I n d u s t r i a l A r t
i s s u e o f Kogei, p u b l i s h e d i n O c t o b e r , a s p e c i a l i s s u e a b o u t
M o v e m e n t F o l k C r a f t s E x h i b i t i o n t o set u p t h e I n - t a n
n e w w o r k s f r o m t h e San? i n r e g i o n , h a d p r o b a b l y b e e n
r e g i o n ( e a s t e r n T o t t o r i P r e f e c t u r e a n d n o r t h e r n Hyogo
p l a n e d i n a d v a n c e asa
P r e f e c t u r e ) c e r a m i c s r e s e a r c h c e n t e r i n t h e F o l k Crafts
place t o p u b l i s h t h o s e n e w results.
M o r e o v e r , s i n c e t h e San? i n N e w C r a f t s E x h i b i t i o n o p e n e d
S h o p T a k u m i a n d i n v e s t i n e q u i p m e n t for a b i s q u e k i l n
at t h e K y o t o D a i m a i K a i k a n o n O c t o b e r 1 7 , p r o d u c t i o n o f
s w h e e l . [ 2 1 ] T h e n he opened
and throwing o n the p o t t e r ?
these n e w ceramics, p u b l i c a t i o n , a n d m e d i a events t o o k
t h e T o k y o b r a n c h o f t h e F o l k C r a f t s S h o p T a k u m i on i n
p l a c e a s a set, t i m e d t o be s i m u l t a n e o u s .
t h e N i s h i G i n z a d i s t r i c t i n 1 9 3 3 , so t h a t b o t h T o t t o r i and
286
Tokyo h a d shops o f f e r i n g carefully curated selections o f
A f t e r t h e war, Y o s h i d a o f f e r e d these r e f l e c t i o n s :
new f o l k craft works.
The n e w f o l k crafts f r o m T o t t o r i t h a t Yoshida dealt in
T h e p u r p o s e o f o u r a s s o c i a t i o n w a s to p r o d u c e f o l k
included, f r o m the first year on, a f u l l line o f n e w p r o d u c t s
c r a f t s t h a t w o u l d s u i t o u r l i f e s t y l e s at t h a t t i m e .
in a l m o s t every field: ceramics, w o o d w o r k , lacquerware,
T h e f o l k c r a f t w o r k s t h a t Y a n a g i d i s c o v e r e d i n his
m e t a l w o r k , dyeing, a n d w e a v i n g . Y o s h i d a a p p e a l e d to
w a n d e r i n g s t h r o u g h o u t Japan w e r e o l d e v e r y d a y t o o l s
craftsmen in every field t o get c r e a t i n g n e w p r o d u c t s
a n d i m p l e m e n t s f r o m o n e o r t w o g e n e r a t i o n s back.
suitable f o r c o n t e m p o r a r y lifestyles o n track. Examples
T h e s o - c a l l e d s u r v i v i n g f o l k c r a f t s s t i l l barely b e i n g
i n c l u d e N i n i g u r i n e c k t i e s , m a d e o u to f l e f t o v e r s i l k y a r n
p r o d u c e d , m u s t i n m o s t cases b e r e p u r p o s e d f o r use
[4.107] a n d T o t t o r i w o o d e n f u r n i t u r e[ 4 _ 103,104].
i n today?s
W h y was p r o d u c t i o n able to m o v e a h e a d a t s u c h speed
i n T o t t o r i ? T h e a n s w e r m a y be f o u n d b y c o n t r a s t i n g t h a t
case w i t h t h e reasons w h y t h e K a m i g a m o M i n g e i K y o d a n
l i f e s t y l e s , w i t h n e w ways o f u s i n g t h e m
a d o p t e d . M o r e o v e r , t h e o u t p u t o f s u c h w o r k s is t o o
s m a l l f o r t h e m t o a d d b e a u t y to m o s t people?s lives....
T h e t h i n g s f r o m t h e p a s t t h a t c a n be u s e d as
[ K a m i g a m o F o l k Crafts G u i l d ] didn?t last long. T h a t
is today, also, h a v e b e e n c o p i e d a g a i n a n d a g a i n .
cooperative was based in a shrine h o u s e h o l d and d i d n o t
T h e y are t r u l y a m i s c e l l a n y , b u t t h o s e t h a t assert
have a close r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h t h e l a n d o r e n v i r o n m e n t ,
i n d i v i d u a l i t y tend t o b e avoided. A n d n o t only
s o i t h a d t o s t a r t by c r e a t i n g a n e w c o m m u n i t y o f
that: t h e user?s o p i n i o n s are a l s o c o n s i d e r a b l y
i n d i v i d u a l s . In T o t t o r i , Y o s h i d a h a d an h i s t o r i c f o u n d a t i o n
i n c o r p o r a t e d i n t h e m . T h a t is because t h e u s e r is seen
o f t e c h n i q u e s , p e r s o n n e l , a n d m a t e r i a l s ; h e w a s able
as p l a y i n g h a l f t h e r o l e i n c r e a t i n g t h e s e w o r k s . T h a t
t o organize h i s crafts p r o m o t i o n g u i l d by n u d g i n g and
is w h y i f a w o r k has s o m e s o r t o f d i s t i n c t i v e a i r a b o u t
s l i d i n g t h e ecology o f h a n d i c r a f t s t h a t had l o n g existed in
it, it?s f r o m t h e v e r n a c u l a r q u a l i t y o f T o t t o r i . [ 2 2 ]
that locality i n n e w directions. Plus t h e craftsmen there
r e t a i n e d s u f f i c i e n t s k i l l s to m a k e s u b t l e c h a n g e s i n d e s i g n
W e see i n Y o s h i d a t h a t h e w a sa
r e a l i s t i n his p r o c e s s
a n d respond t o a made-to-order system rather t h a n mass
for accomplishing his ideals, w i t h o u t worrying about
production.
adhering to the original forms o f craft works, and that
T h e D i s h w i t h Green a n d B l a c k Glazes (4_99], t h e
he a l s o v i e w e d w h a t Y a n a g i h a d c o l l e c t e d w i t h a c o o l eye.
s i g n a t u r e U s h i n o t o d e s i g n , r e s u l t e d f r o m Y o s h i d a ? s idea
N o n e t h e l e s s , he was a s i n c e r e s u p p o r t e r o f Y a n a g i . A f t e r
f o r r e v i s i n g t h e b r o w n I r a b o glaze b y u s i n g a b l a c k glaze
t h e war, Y o s h i d a , as t h o u g h to m a k e t h e Tree o f M i n g e i
instead. T h e g r e e n glaze uses c o p p e r , t h e b l a c k glaze i r o n ,
g r o w w i l d i n the T o t t o r i soil, established the T o t t o r i F o l k
b o t h m a t e r i a l s a v a i l a b l e at a n y p r o d u c t i o n center; t h e y
C r a f t s M u s e u m n e x t t o his F o l k C r a f t s S h o p T a k u m i . H e
are n o t p a r t i c u l a r l y special. T h e s a m e d i v i d e d a p p l i c a t i o n
also opened the T a k u m i K a p p o u restaurant, a place w h e r e
o f t w o c o l o r s o f glazes, i n t h i s case g r e e n a n d b r o w n ,
n e w f o l k crafts w o u l d b e used and w h e r e t h e voices o f
can be s e e n i n t h e Green Glazed S h i p Flask {3_60] t h a t w a s
t h o s e works? u s e r s w o u l d be d r a w n i n t o t h e p r o d u c t i o n
s h o w n at t h e F o l k C r a f t s P a v i l i o n at t h e D o m e s t i c I n d u s t r y
process. W i t h it, h e w a s p u t t i n g i n t o p r a c t i c e h i s o w n
P r o m o t i o n Tokyo E x p o s i t i o n in C o m m e m o r a t i o n o f the
f o l k c r a f t s m o v e m e n t , w h i c h he n a m e da
Coronation. W h e t h e r Y o s h i d a s a w i t t h e r e is u n k n o w n .
m u s e u m . ? ( A f t e r t h e war, o t h e r f o l k c r a f t s m u s e u m s w e r e
W o r k s w i t h f l o w i n g n a g a s h i g u s u r i glazes w e r e p r o d u c e d at
f o u n d e d t h r o u g h o u t the c o u n t r y o n the J a p a n F o l k Crafts
k i l n s t h r o u g h o u t t h e c o u n t r y ; i t is d i f f i c u l t to t e l l w h e r e
M u s e u m model.)
t h e y w e r e p r o d u c e d o n s i g h t . Y o s h i d a u s e d t h e somewake
?lifestyle a r t
T h e r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n T o k y o a n d ?the r e g i o n s ?
(bicolored) design, simple a t first glance, again and again.
c o n t i n u e s a l o n g t h e same line, essentially u n c h a n g e d
H i s e n c o u r a g i n g its d e v e l o p m e n t as t h e U s h i n o t o k i l n
today, a l t h o u g h t h e s i t u a t i o n d i f f e r s f r o m t h e D e p r e s s i o n
i c o n was a n a c t o f g r e a t w i s d o m . A n o t h e r star w a s Sepia
o f t h e 1 9 3 0 s w h e n Y o s h i d a s t a r t e d his e f f o r t s i n t h e n e w
I n k (4_106], a p r o d u c t u s i n g s q u i d i n k , a m a t e r i a l r e a d i l y
f o l k c r a f t s f i e l d . T h e t e r m ?Mingei? has b e e n u n d e r g o i n g
a v a i l a b l e i n T o t t o r i , w i t h its large catches o f s q u i d . T h e s e
c o n s t a n t change, w i t h repeated ups a n d d o w n s , t h r o u g h
p r o d u c t s t h a t m a k e e f f e c t i v e use o f l o c a l r e s o u r c e s w e r e
t h e e n d o f Japan?s p e r i o d o f r a p i d e c o n o m i c g r o w t h a n d
created because Y o s h i d a w a s so f a m i l i a r w i t h his area.
t h e l o n g recession f o l l o w i n g t h e collapse o f the e c o n o m i c
Plus Sepia I n k w o r k e d w e l l w i t h I z u m o washi, a t r a d i t i o n a l
b u b b l e . M i n g e i lives v i g o r o u s l y o n a m i d c h a n g e .
Japanese p a p e r m a d e i n t h e San?in r e g i o n , a n d B e r n a r d
I f t h e t e r m ?Mingei? r e t a i n s its f r e s h n e s s i n 2 0 2 1 ,
Leach l o v e d t o use t h e m as a set. T h e u n e x p e c t e d n e s s
t h a t is b e c a u s e its h i s t o r y is w o v e n o f t r i a l a n d e r r o r i n
o f t h e idea o f t u r n i n g a f a m i l i a r f o o d s t u f f i n t o a c r a f t
u t i l i z i n g o r i g i n a l r e s o u r c e s t o i m p r o v e society.
m a t e r i a l c o m b i n e d w i t h t h e p i c t u r e o f L e a c h , washi, a n d
the i n k was a c h a r m i n g and flawless p r o m o t i o n t h a t
speaks o f Yoshida?s o u t s t a n d i n g a b i l i t i e s as w h a t w o u l d
t o d a y be c a l l e d a p r o d u c e r .
T h e ? M o d e r n ? i n M i n g e i , the F o l k C r a f t s
M o v e m e n t ?M u s e u m s , P u b l i c a t i o n s , a n d P r o d u c t i o n a n d D i s t r i b u t i o n
287
(Notes]
precincts of Takabayashi Hyoe's residence in Se
1
H a m a m a t s u , Shizuoka prefecture,
?Mingei t o m i n g o [Folk crafts and folk speech],? Folk Crafts
Monthly, 1:1, April, 1939, pp. 12-13.
15 Yanagi M u n e y o s h i , ?Mingeikan no shimei [Themissi
the Folk Crafts M u s e u m ] , Kogei, No.7 0 ,October, 1 9 a , of
Sakai Tetsuo, ?Yanagi Muneyoshi no b i no shiso [Yanagi
Muneyoshi: Ordinary Beauty, Everyday Mystery (Mie: M i e
1
i n f o u r types, d e p e n d i n g on the size o f theobjects. lam
Research on Folk Crafts coterie members a n d reevaluations
also p r e p a r i n g viewing stands and considering
of t h e m are, however, proceeding, and substantial solo
partitions, d i s h stands, and frames. For the tex
e x h i b i t i o n s o f t h e i r w o r k are being held. Examples include
Yoshida Shoya?
s World (Tottori Folk Crafts M u s e u m , 2015),
Yanagi M u n e y o s h i , ?Nihon mingeikan annai [Intr
Ryuzaburo Shikiba: Mirrors of Cerebral Ventricles (Hiroshima
to the Japan Folk Crafts Museum],? Gekkan Minge,
City Museum o f Contemporary Art, Niigata City Museumo f Art,
September, 1939, p. 4.
1
gall
Oduction
1:6,
i,
The f o l l o w i n g p r i o r research on Yoshida Shoya was
His Work and Commemorating the 120 Anniversary of,Jyugaku
consulted: K i t a n i Kiyohito, ?Yoshida Shoya no Shogai [The
Shizu?s Birth ( M u k o City Cultural M u s e u m , 2021). O u r
life o f Yoshida Shoya],? Yoshida S h o y as' World exhibition
e x h i b i t i o n owes m u c h to them.
catalogue ( T o t t o r i Folk Crafts M u s e u m , 2015),
To clarify the timeline, the three-part w h o l e consisting of
Irie Shigeki, ?Mingei no sozo: 1930 nendai ni okeryTottori
uti
at
PP.
36-40;
the museum, publications and production to d i s t r i b u t i o n
shin m i n g e i no jissen w o megutte [The creation of ?Minger*,
(the shop) was n o t f o r m e d at first. The magazine Kogei
O n t h e practice o f n e w f o l k crafts i n Tottori in the 1930s],
was launched i n 1931. Folk Crafts Shop Takumi opened
Journal of the Japan Society o f Design, No. 57, 2011 » Pp. 29-
i n Tottori i n 1932 a n d its Ginza branch i n 1933. The Japan
43; Kobatake Kunie, ?Showa shoki ni kijutsu sareta kyodo to
Folk Crafts Museum opened i n 1936. After the tree parts
t e s h i g o t o [ L o c a l i t y a n d h a n d i c r a f t r e c o r d e d i n early Showal,?
o f t h e Folk Crafts Tree were in place, Gekkan Mingei began
Kyodo k e n k y i k a i , ed., Homeland: representations &practices
(Kyoto: Sagano Shoin, 2003), pp. 46-66; Inotani Satoshi,
s u p p l e m e n t i n g Kogei, which, being made of washi paper
?Mingei u n d o no j i s s e n ? Y o s h i d a Shoya no katsudo wo
a n d textiles, tended to be delayed, and as a magazine aimed
rei n i ? [ P u t t i n g the Folk Crafts Movement into practice?
at the wider society, to attract n e w readers to the f o l k crafts
The activities o f Yoshida Shoya as an example},? in Design
swiftly.
H i s t o r y F o r u m , ed., M o d e r n C r a f t a n d Design Movements
Yanagi Muneyoshi, Kogei no michi [The path o f the crafts]
(Kyoto: Shibunkaku, 2 0 0 )8, pp. 251-64; Tottori Folk Crafts
(Tokyo: Kodansha Gakujutsu Bunko, 2005), pp. 26-27.
M u s e u m , ed., Yoshida Shoya no monozukuri [Yoshida Shoya?s
Yanagi Muneyoshi, ?Kindai Bijutsukan to Mingeikan [The
m a k i n g o f things] (Tottori: T o t t o r i Folk Crafts Society, 2001);
Museumo f M o d e r n Art and the Folk Crafts Museum],?
T o t t o r i Folk Crafts M u s e u m , ed., Yoshida Shoya?Mingei no
Mingei, No. 64, April, 1958, pp. 10-11.
puroduusaa [Yoshida S h o y a ? F o l k crafts producer] (Tottori:
A c c o r d i n g to Yanagi, health is the most i m p o r t a n t standard
Tottori Folk Crafts Society, 1998); M a k i n o Kazuharu, Yoshida
o f value for h u m a n life. It is
Shoya to T o t t o r i ken no teshigoto [Yoshida Shoya and Tottori
a
standard for critiquing n o t
only lifestyles b u t also t h i n k i n g . It is also the standard for
c r i t i q u i n g social structures. Tsurumi Shunsuke, Yanagi
prefecture handicrafts] (Tokyo: M a k i n o Shuppan, 1990).
18 Yanagi Kaneko supported his activities, holding, for
Muneyoshi (Tokyo: Heibonsha, 1994), p. 135.
example, a concert to raise funds for establishing the Korea
Ota Naoyuki, ?Chiho kogei no shorai [The future of regional
Folk-Arts Gallery. The concert that she held at this time
crafts],? Shimane mingei roku, Izumo shinf u d o k i [Shimane f o l k
m u s t have had strong connotations of support for Yoshida?s
craft record,
a
new Izumo gazetteer] (Tokyo: Toka Shobo,
1987), p. 4.
n e w products f r o m the Ushinoto k i l n .
1
Actually, one of the j o i n t sponsors o f this exhibition is t h e
1 0 Yanagi Muneyoshi, catalogue for the Japan Folk Crafts
Nihon sangyo bijutsu nenkan [Japan industral art annual]
(Osaka a n d Tokyo: Osaka M a i n i c h i Newspaper, Tokyo Nichi-
Mainichi Newspaper.
Nichi Newspaper, 1932).
20 Tanaka Shinjiro, ?Ushinoto gama?Kobayashi Hideharu
Exhibition, 1927.
ni k i k u [Interview w i t h Kobayashi H i d e h a r u about the
Bruno Taut, ?Kaya yane no genso: Tozai noka kenchiku no
U s h i n o t o kiln],? Mingei, No. 36, March, 1955, pp. 9-11.
h i k a k u [A thatched-roof mirage: C o m p a r i n g farmhouses,
East and West],? Asahi Graph, 21:23, J a n u a r y , 1933, p. 15.
1 2 Yanagi Muneyoshi, ?Sashie no toriatsukaikata [ H o w to use
Illustrations],? Kogei, No. 9, September 1931, pp. 20-37.
21
Nihon sangyo bijutsu nenkan, op. cit, p. 4.
22 Yoshida Shoya, ?Tottori m i n g e i kyodan to watashi [The
T o t t o r i Folk Crafts G u i l d and I],? Minget, No. 36, December,
1955, p . 2 .
Yanagi Soetsu, ?Mingeikan no oitachi [Birth of the Folk
Crafts Museum], Kogei, No. 60, January, 1936, p. 58.
14 In April, 1931, a p e r m a n e n t facility, the Japan Folk Crafts
M u s e u m o f A r t , was founded in a farmhouse w i t h i n the
288
Platforms,
tile
have provided special displays in which they can bef e
ed"
publication i n 1939. Shikiba positioned Gekkan Mingei as
13
?The display shelves w i l l have a Korean quality angb e
Prefectural A r t M u s e u m , 1997), p. 4.
Nerima Art Museum 2020), and Jyugaku Bunsho, the M a n and
11
Pp.
3 - 5 . Emphasis added by t h e author o f this essay
Soetsu? s concept o f beauty],? e x h i b i t i o n catalogue for Yanagi
[Translated by Ruth S.McCreery]