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Although it is said that traditional Japanese crafts have been facing a crisis in recent years due to a lack of successors, there are many craftspeople who have continued to weave their venerable traditions from generation to generation with great care. This exhibition spotlights Hakata Kyokumono, Hakata Hariko, and Imajuku Dolls from among the traditional crafts that have been nurtured and passed down through the long history and traditions of Hakata, Fukuoka ・ and introduces the beauty and craftsmanship inherited by female craftspeople.

The origin of Hakata Kyokumono is said to date back to the reign of Empress Jingu, and according to "Chikuzen Province Shoku-fudoki" written by Kaibara Mashiken in the Genroku era, it was used as a ritual tool for Hakozaki Hachiman Shrine at the time. Made of cedar or cypress boards, heated, bent, and bound with cherry bark, it was used for daily necessities such as ohitsu (rice bowls) and lunch boxes, as well as for tea ceremony utensils. The difference between kyokumono and those made in other regions is that kyokumono are not coated with lacquer, but rather the grain of the wood itself is brought out to full advantage. Another unique feature of Hakata is that pictures are painted directly on the kyokumono. In particular, the "poppo-zen," a set of dishes used for the Shichigosan ・ 100-day-old weaning ceremony to celebrate the growth of a child, is unique to Hakata and is not found in other regions, and is decorated with the pine, bamboo, plum, and crane and turtle motifs that are essential for celebrations. This exhibition introduces the kyokumono created by Yoshiko Shibata and the craftsmen of Shibata Toku Shoten, one of the two remaining kyokumono stores in Fukuoka City. Hakata hariko has a history of being made as a good luck charm since the Edo period, and many lucky pieces such as tigers and dharma dolls are still being made. The process of making them is almost the same as in the Edo period. High quality handmade Japanese paper and newspaper are glued together with wheat flour glue onto a mold made of clay or wood. After drying in the sun, the molds are removed and each piece is painted by hand. Before World War II, there were more than a dozen papier-mâché stores in Hakata, but today only two continue the tradition. This month's article introduces the work of one of them, Takashi Miura （, a fifth-generation papier-mâché maker ）, and his son-in-law, Tomoko, who came forward as his successor. The papier-mâché tiger became known to all Japanese people when it was adopted for the 1998 （ 1998 ） Japan Post commemorative stamp.

Imajuku dolls, the folk clay dolls that were the mother of Hakata dolls, began in 1905 when Mr. Seisuke Ohashi opened "Hitosei," a Sekku doll shop in Imajuku. Many of the dolls are connected to people's traditional lifestyles, folklore, and beliefs, and representative examples include "monkey masks" to protect against fire ・ and theft, "Saizo Sasano masks" and "Otafuku masks". Imajuku dolls, with their simplicity and warmth, have been loved by many people. Currently, Seisuke and Shigeo, the second generation, have taken over the clay molds that they have carefully used, and Shigeo's niece, Yumiko Sato, continues to preserve the tradition. This exhibition also features creative clay dolls made by Yumiko, who is supported by her family in the creation of her Imajuku dolls, and her husband, Yoshiaki Sato, a traditional Hakata doll craftsman and judge at the Nitten and other exhibitions. Yumiko says that she wants to preserve her dolls made of clay from her hometown, Nanakuma （ ） in Jonan-ku, Fukuoka City, because she believes that the most important thing in doll making is clay, while preserving what is old and new in it.

Please enjoy the beauty and skill of craftsmanship inherited by female artisans.　

Organizer ： The Japan Club
Sponsor ： J.C.C. Fund （ The Japanese Chamber of Commerce Foundation of New York ）
Cooperation ： Seki Shoji Co.
Hakata Traditional Artisan Association
Curator ： Mie Tsunobu


＜ Virtual ・ Opening Reception ＞

Tomoko Miura of Hakata Hariko, Yumiko Sato of Imajuku Dolls and Tokuko Kitajima of Hakata Kyokumono will appear live to and will talk about the art of Hakata Kyokumonos. Entertainment will be provided by a jazz quartet of Fukuoka musicians active in New York City: Erika Matsuo （ vocals ）, Yoshinori Waki （ bass ）, Masami Ishikawa （ guitar ）, Takashi Inoue （ drums ）. The quartet will perform jazz music.

■ October 13 （ Fri ）
■ 7 pm ～ 8 pm （ ET ）
■ Cost ： Free （ First 500 people

Click here to register ： https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_HmaGqLsXQvuH_XDIDk_5DQ#/registration