Crossing Perspectives

Based in Kyoto, Jorie Johnson creates wool felt works while also participating in the research and reconstruction of the Shosoin Kasen felts. Through the study of Silk Road felt traditions and collaborations with materials such as leather, lacquer, and plants, she continues to expand the expressive possibilities of wool.

Thor Holvila, a ceramic artist from Sweden, creates bonsai pots that merge Nordic perspectives on nature with Japanese bonsai culture. Through his training in Tokoname, he gained a deeper understanding of the essence of bonsai pots and continues to work internationally while pursuing expressions rooted in his own cultural background.

“ikasu” is a textile art project that reconstructs vintage kimono that have fulfilled their role, transforming them into art that continues to exist beyond time. By translating the memories, craftsmanship, and stories embedded within kimono into contemporary spaces, the project creates works intended to be passed down to future generations.

My Introduction to Bonsai, Which Began with a MovieI first began my journey into the art of bonsai at the age of 13 when I received my very first tree from my parents as a birthday gift.

The Impact of a Japanese Sword, Seen Through the Eyes of a CraftsmanWhen I was 17 and traveling in France, I came across a Japanese sword at an exhibition in a department store.

Handwoven textiles embody a unique intersection of material and imagination. Hannah Waldron experienced Japanese crafts such as kasuri weaving and tsutsugaki, focusing on their dyeing and resist processes. These crafts rely on natural materials and labor-intensive processes developed through dedicated craftsmanship.

Kathleen Reilly, a Scottish metalworker, explores the fusion of Japanese craftsmanship and Western conceptual design. Through her experience in Tsubame-Sanjo, she developed the knife “Oku” in collaboration with local artisans, gaining international recognition. She also works on projects that connect cultures between the UK and Japan.

This article introduces Belgian artist Trees De Mits and her experiences in Japan. It explores how her residency in Shigaraki and exposure to Japanese literature influenced her perception of materials and aesthetics. The piece explains how themes of the body and sensory experience are reflected in her work.

Sarah Brayer is an artist who developed a unique practice after encountering washi. Working in Echizen, she explores expressions of light and water through a meditative creative process. She also created the fusuma work “Lapis Waterfalls” at Komyo-in Temple in Kyoto, integrating the artwork with the surrounding space.

Andoche Praudel, originally from France, turned to ceramics after encountering Shozo Tanida. Influenced by Japanese culture and literature, he explores Japanese aesthetics through the creation of Raku tea bowls.

Robert Yellin has introduced contemporary Japanese ceramics to the world through encounters with artists across Japan. He explains their value and spirituality through regional clay, historical context, and connections to tea ceremony and Zen.

The article recounts her experience in an artist-in-residence program at the Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park. Through production, firing, and interaction with international artists, she deepened her understanding of Japanese aesthetics such as “ma” (emptiness) and the acceptance of natural unpredictability in materials.

Textile designer Riddhi Jain discovered Arimatsu Shibori through the 11th International Shibori Symposium, where she encountered Japan's craft philosophy and the dedication of its artisans. At STUDIO MEDIUM, she reinterprets Japanese shibori and Indian Bandhani in a contemporary way while exploring the future of craft and the challenges of passing on traditional techniques.

Nicolas Soergel of Chinriu Honten Co., Ltd. promotes Japan’s traditional industries to a global audience through NIHON ICHIBAN, a brand dedicated to international markets. Pointing to challenges such as a shrinking domestic market and the shortage of successors facing traditional businesses, he shares his vision for supporting succession and creating systems to nurture the next generation of artisans.

While working at Mizutori Industry Co., Ltd., a traditional geta manufacturer in Shizuoka, Jonathan Barnabe has encountered the craftsmanship of artisans across Japan. Reflecting on the spirit of Japanese craftsmanship and the value of “Made in Japan,” he also shares his concerns about the shortage of successors in traditional crafts and his hopes for preserving these skills for future generations.

Steve Beimel speaks about the spirit of Japanese craftsmanship and the cultural value of Japanese crafts, while warning of the growing threat posed by the declining number of artisans. Through JapanCraft21, he supports the training of future craftspeople and the revitalization of traditional techniques, working to ensure that Japan’s craft heritage is passed on to future generations.

After moving to Japan from France, Eric Chevalier apprenticed under Yasuhiro Hirakawa, a master blacksmith in Sakai, becoming the first foreigner to complete a full five-year blacksmithing training program. Today, while running his own brand, "De Sakai," he actively promotes Sakai cutlery and traditional Japanese culture both in Japan and abroad.

Textile researcher Tulika Ranjan explores Yuzen dyeing out of a passion for Japanese textile culture, studying its history, techniques, and regional characteristics. Through the Kyo-Yuzen Saree Project and field interviews with artisans, she views Yuzen as a meaningful medium for cultural exchange and future preservation.

My first encounter with Japanese crafts was in 2019 when I studied as an exchange student at Hiroshima City University.

FIRST STEPS IN JAPANWhen I’m asked what made me love Japan, I think back to a few episodes from my childhood.

As an actor in New York in the 1990’s, I was involved in the downtown scene where narratives were being discarded for more atmospheric expressions of performance.

In 2008, I visited Kamiji Kakimoto, a renowned paper shop in Kyoto that sells hundreds of beautiful Japanese papers "washi".

There are certain materials that a traditional Japanese Nihonga painter absolutely cannot do without.

Mesmerized at First GlanceI will never forget the first time I saw an authentic Japanese kimono at a flea market in Tokyo.

David Stanley Hewett discusses the preservation and continuation of Japanese culture and traditional crafts as an essential part of national identity. Over more than 30 years in Japan, he has traveled across the country, engaging with artisans and artists while developing his own creative practice. His collaborations with Wajima lacquerware artisans and Sakai Glass also incorporate traditional Japanese craftsmanship into contemporary artworks.

My name is Jeff. I have been a lantern maker in Ibaraki for the past seven years.

Japan holds a deep respect for crafts and the artisans who continue traditions and I think that’s great.