LOS ANGELES, Oct. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles announces its upcoming exhibition, “JAPAN CRAFT | Art for Living – Hyakkō,” opening Friday, November 6, 2026. Shifting the perception of Japanese craft from historical masterworks to a living, evolving daily practice, the exhibition gathers approximately 2,000 works by 123 living makers, craftspeople, and artisans. The exhibition is curated by Ryohin Keikaku Co., Ltd., the company behind MUJI and spans from a wide range of materials and techniques including ceramics, glass, wood, leather, metal, and bamboo.
The term Hyakkō (百工), which forms part of the exhibition title, brings together two aspects: hyaku ("one hundred") denotes vast diversity, and kō ("craft") encompasses people, practice, and objects. The exhibition draws on the utilitarian beauty associated with the 1920s mingei (folk craft) movement while centering the individual maker's perspective and practices. Japan has a rich tradition of crafts like pottery, metalworking, and urushi (Japanese lacquer). Yet by looking beyond the finished works to the materials, techniques, places, ways of life, and ideas of the makers behind them, we begin to see the diverse forms that craft takes today begin to emerge." Japanese craft isn't just a preserved artifact from the past, it is a living tradition that evolves through everyday use,” said Yuko Kaifu, president, JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles. “In the exhibition, no two works are alike. There are as many ways to create the crafts as there are people creating the crafts, born from an ongoing relationship between the maker, their environment, and the handmade process. Every piece on display at JAPAN HOUSE highlights imperfect beauty, showing how craft and daily living shape each other."
Exhibition Highlights & Gallery Layout
- Forms of Hyakkō (Gallery Entrance): Through the “forms” and “names” of vessels that have long been part of everyday life in Japan—including bowls, teapots, and flower vessels—the gallery introduces some of the fundamental forms that have been passed down through Japanese craft.
- Words of Hyakkō and Films: Through words that invite reflection on Hyakkō, together with films capturing makers at work and scenes from their creative processes, this space introduces aspects of craft that are not always visible in the finished works. A large central platform, or monolith, provides a place for visitors to sit and spend time with the words and short films.
- Philosophical Reflections: The exhibition presents texts by four contributors—philosopher Takashi Kurata, gallerist Dai Sakamoto, design researcher Masahiro Nakamura, and artist Yūta Nakamura—each considering the question of what craft means today from their own perspective.
- Main Gallery: Approximately 2,000 works by 123 makers working across Japan are brought together in one expansive gallery. Works made from diverse materials and through different techniques—including ceramics, glass, wood, bamboo, metal, urushi (Japanese lacquer), and leather—are presented side by side, without being confined by established genres or hierarchies, offering a broad view of the diversity of contemporary craft.
- Interactive Library Activations: The mini library within the gallery and the library space on the fifth floor feature books related to craft, as well as a publication created specifically for the exhibition by ATELIER MUJI GINZA, a gallery operated by Ryohin Keikaku Co., Ltd. The publication focuses on the work and everyday lives of seven of the participating makers. Selected works are also available for visitors to pick up and experience firsthand.
“JAPAN CRAFT | Art for Living – Hyakkō” will be on display from Friday, November 6, 2026 – Sunday, January 24, 2027, and is organized in collaboration with Ryohin Keikaku Co., Ltd. (MUJI). Visitors are invited to discover the people and processes behind the craft of Japan’s every day, where form and function exist in harmony. For those visitors interested in bringing the work of participating makers into their daily lives, the WAZA Shop at JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles will introduce a small selection of works from the artists in the exhibition, just in time for the holiday shopping season.
To celebrate the opening of the exhibition JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles will present a special fireside chat with Takahiro Nagata, curator of the exhibition and member of the creative team at Ryohin Keikaku Co., Ltd. on Saturday, November 7, 2026. The conversation will explore Japanese craft—where it has come from, how it continues to evolve, and the challenges facing makers who sustain these practices today, giving a rare glimpse into the lives, workshops, and philosophies behind the objects displayed in the exhibition.
For more information, visit the JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles website and social channels: Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube and LinkedIn.
ABOUT JAPAN HOUSE
JAPAN HOUSE is an innovative, worldwide project with three hubs – London, Los Angeles, and São Paulo – conceived by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. It seeks to nurture a deeper understanding of Japan in the international community. JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles is a place for new discoveries, offering experiences that showcase the best of Japan through its spaces and diverse programs. Occupying two floors at Ovation Hollywood, the second floor features an exhibition gallery and WAZA Shop while the fifth floor offers a variety of programs and events at the multi-purpose hall (Salon), restaurant space, and the library.
Location: 6801 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90028
Website: www.japanhousela.com
Media Contacts:
Lisa Nakanouchi | 323-904-9298 | lnakanouchi@japanhousela.com
Nerissa Silao | 310-874-9230 | nerissas@ca.rr.com
