Like all Japan House exhibitions, Hyakkō is beautifully laid out, designed and explained. It is a celebration of Japan’s contemporary arts and craft landscape, meaning it is an assembly of over 2,000 items – teapots, bowls, cups and mugs, plates and cutlery, made from materials such as clay, glass, wood, leather, bamboo and raffia, bronze, iron and steel – humble everyday objects but beautifully designed and handmade by 123 Japanese craftspeople.
Part of the display in ‘Hyakkō: 100+ Makers from Japan’ @ Japan House (photo by the author)
How can you fit so many objects into the relatively small exhibition space under Japan House (the Japan House gallery space is downstairs from the main shop which is just 50 yards from Kensington High Street tube station)?
You can fit them all in because 1) they are all relatively small, some of them very small – and 2) by arranging them tastefully and beautifully and compactly, in clusters or sets of pieces by each of the 120 or so designers.
Showing how pieces are grouped by maker in ‘Hyakkō: 100+ Makers from Japan’ @ Japan House (photo by the author)
The exhibition derives from the quest by its curator, Nagata Takahiro, to investigate the state of contemporary craft in Japan, a quest which took her to all parts of the country and to meet over 120 craftspeople. And hence the title. Hyakkō literally means ‘a hundred makers’ but can be taken metaphorically to mean ‘lots of makers’. This is an exhibition of ‘lots of [contemporary Japanese] makers’.
History and context
Japan has long been associated with a rich culture of craft, with many practices such as urushi (lacquerware) and metalwork being passed down through generations, often as the result of strict apprenticeships. Historically, the expensive products of many of these more formal crafts were out of reach for most and were often created more as objects to be admired rather than to actually be used.
In the 1920s, the mingei (folk craft) movement turned people’s attention to the crafts of the people, focusing on the beauty of hand-crafted, utilitarian objects. Integral to this philosophy was the perceived anonymity of the craftspeople – the emphasis being on the item rather than its maker.
Bronzeware by Urukami Yōsuke in ‘Hyakkō: 100+ Makers from Japan’ @ Japan House (photo by the author)
Philosophy
As always at Japan House, there’s some Zen-flavoured philosophy, this time concerning the making of pots and bowls and plates. The wise words of four leading designers are quoted at length in wall posters. Why?
The Japanese word kōgei (‘craft’) spans a wide range of contexts, including Mingei (‘folk craft’), antiques, art and design. Its depth is immeasurable and even among makers it is not uncommon to pause and ask, ‘What does this term truly mean?’
Hence the thoughts on the subject of the four leading figures, namely:
- Kurata Takashi, philosopher
- Nakamura Masahiro, Assistant Professor of Design
- Nakamura Yuta, Artist
- Sakamoto Dai, Gallerist
Nearby, in the entrance foyer, there’s a list of 32 Japanese terms which are applied to native crafts, first the Japanese word and then a paragraph-length explanation of its meaning.
The wall of terms in ‘Hyakkō: 100+ Makers from Japan’ @ Japan House (photo by the author)
Here are a few to give you a flavour:
tsukurite: maker: a maker is someone who engages directly with materials and shapes them with their hands. This term includes not only artists but artisans and craftspeople whose lives and relationships with the land are reflected in their work.
fukanzensa: imperfection: in Japanese craftsmanship and aesthetics, beauty and richness are felt more in imperfection than perfection. The irregularities of natural materials and handcrafted work are valued for their uniqueness, stimulating the user’s imagination and affection for the object.
shizukesa: more than simply the absence of sound, shizukesa conveys a sense of clarity and composure. the serenity felt in a Japanese garden or tea room highlights the beauty of objects and spaces, linking spiritual fulfilment with aesthetic experience.
dezain: design: more than the refining of form or function, design generates new value and relationships in daily life and society as a whole. In Japan, design has historically prioritised an approach that harnesses the inherent properties of materials and seeks harmony between people and nature, rather than focusing solely on decoration or superficiality. It has developed through the integration of craft and architecture in everyday life.
And at the end of the foyer a wall-sized bookshelf housing 45 or so lovely hardback art books covering various aspects of the crafts or individual designers.
Bookshelves containing some 45 books about Japanese craft in ‘Hyakkō: 100+ Makers from Japan’ @ Japan House (photo by the author)
The pieces
All very enlightening but the point is the objects themselves and these are exquisite, wonderful. Who knew there could be quite so many types and styles and designs and materials for making plates, bowls, cups and mugs, glasses and cutlery?
The grouping by designer allows 6 to 10 pieces per person and this turns out to be just enough to showcase more than just a technique but an entire worldview in miniature.
Iwata Tetsuhiro
Clayware by Iwata Tetsuhiro in ‘Hyakkō: 100+ Makers from Japan’ @ Japan House (photo by the author)
Okihara Saya
Wooden cutlery by Okihara Saya in ‘Hyakkō: 100+ Makers from Japan’ @ Japan House (photo by the author)
Nishikawa Satoshi
Bowls and teapots by Nishikawa Satoshi in ‘Hyakkō: 100+ Makers from Japan’ @ Japan House (photo by the author)
Isihara Toshihisa
Comic figures by Isihara Toshihisa in ‘Hyakkō: 100+ Makers from Japan’ @ Japan House (photo by the author)
Sasakawa Kenichi
Glassware by Sasakawa Kenichi in ‘Hyakkō: 100+ Makers from Japan’ @ Japan House (photo by the author)
Abe Hitomi
Stones wrapped in bamboo by Abe Hitomi in ‘Hyakkō: 100+ Makers from Japan’ @ Japan House (photo by the author)
Seki Kenichi
Lacquerware by Seki Kenichi in ‘Hyakkō: 100+ Makers from Japan’ @ Japan House (photo by the author)
Yoshikawa Kazuto
Plates and spoons by Yoshikawa Kazuto in ‘Hyakkō: 100+ Makers from Japan’ @ Japan House (photo by the author)
Otani Tetsuna
Ceramics by Otani Tetsuna in ‘Hyakkō: 100+ Makers from Japan’ @ Japan House (photo by the author)
Tokuda Masami
Vases made from raw wood by Tokuda Masami in ‘Hyakkō: 100+ Makers from Japan’ @ Japan House (photo by the author)
Yamada Yōji
Patterned bowls by Yamada Yōji in ‘Hyakkō: 100+ Makers from Japan’ @ Japan House (photo by the author)
Hidaka Naoko
Decorated ceramics by Hidaka Naoko in ‘Hyakkō: 100+ Makers from Japan’ @ Japan House (photo by the author)
Ninjō Ikkei
Astonishingly smooth and gracefully bowls by Ninjō Ikkei in ‘Hyakkō: 100+ Makers from Japan’ @ Japan House (photo by the author)
Moriguchi Shinichi
Thrillingly ribbed wooden trays by Moriguchi Shinichi in ‘Hyakkō: 100+ Makers from Japan’ @ Japan House (photo by the author)
Jōji Yoshimichi
Beautifully moulded and frilled bowls by Jōji Yoshimichi in ‘Hyakkō: 100+ Makers from Japan’ @ Japan House (photo by the author)
Merch
Works from over 30 of the featured makers are available to buy in the shop on the ground floor. They’re expensive, of course, but they’re exquisite. The risk is that, once you’d loosened your wallet, you wouldn’t be able to stop.
Worlds of exquisiteness in ‘Hyakkō: 100+ Makers from Japan’ @ Japan House (photo by the author)
Related links
- Hyakkō: 100+ Makers from Japan continues at Japan House until 10 May 2026
- Article about the show by Morioka Yoshiyuki
Books & Boots 