Mingei is so to say a concrete form of 'wisdom of life' or 'tradition of minds'. There a unique aesthetics and creativity is magnificently expressed. This exhibition focuses on Edo period, which was the golden-age of MINGEI in Japan, and about 200 pieces of works such as ceramics & porcelains, weaving and dyeing textiles, wood crafts, furniture, and metal works are exhibited from the collection of the museum. Please enjoy the world of beauty which has existed in people's life in Japan.

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IROE is a decorating technique, painting in polychrome enamels on surfaces of ceramics after firing at a high temperature. Then painted ceramics are fired again in special kilns for over-glaze enamels. The museum holds various IROE ceramics such as wares especially for export made in folk kilns of Jing-de-zhen or Zhangzhou from the end of Ming to the beginning of Qing dynasty, and Imari porcelains with paintings. Besides these works, in this exhibition, IROE works produced in Tsuboya, Okinawa, and ceramics of colored paintings by Shoji Hamada are also on display.

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It is said that Windsor chairs were developed in the central-south area of England in 17th century. Windsor chairs, whose parts including seat and back are all made of wood, highly were admired by Soetsu Yanagi, Shoji Hamada, Keisuke Serizawa, Sanshiro Ikeda, and so on. Hence, they have been recognized as a representative of Western furniture. In this exhibition, excellent works of English Windsor chairs in Japan now as well as many pieces of wooden furniture are exhibited. It shows you the beauty of crafts produced from natural materials with certain technique.

*This exhibition was also held in Nagano prefectural Shinano Museum from July 1st to August 27th.

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Dedicated to the pursuit of quality handicrafts for today and the future, the Museum sponsors an annual competition, display, and sale of handmade objects by craftspeople. Anyone can participate in the competition. The categories are: ceramics, hand dyed or hand woven textiles, wood work, lacquered ware, metal, bamboo, straw, glass, paper and others.

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A wood block artist Shiko Munakata respected and admired Soetsu Yanagi as his only master throughout his life. Yanagi, on the other hand, had admitted and cherished Munakata's talent. It could be said that Munakata is the person who embodied philosophy of mingei which focuses on Other-Power or Yanagi's philosophy which places importance on Mushin (the state of no-mindedness). This exhibition includes letters between them, and introduces attractiveness of works by Munakata.

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