The Mingei movement began through gatherings in Kyoto between philosopher Yanagi Soetsu, and potters Kawai Kanjiro and Hamada Shoji. During a research trip to study Mokujiki’s wood-carved Buddhist statues , their discussions deepened, leading to the coining of the term “mingei” (“folk art”) in 1925. To mark the 100th anniversary of the term’s inception, we are holding the special exhibition, The 100th Anniversary of Mingei: Kyoto’s Legacy of Everyday Life, which reveals the relationship between Mingei and Kyoto.

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The Kyoto City Kyocera Museum of Art opened in 1933 as the "Tairei Memorial Kyoto Art Museum" and after World War II became the "Kyoto City Museum of Art". The building, which has been familiar to visitors for almost 90 years since its opening, is now the oldest existing public museum building in Japan. 2020 renewal will utilize the design of the original building based on the concept of architects Jun Aoki and Tetsuo Nishizawa, while adding modern elements to make it more highly functional. We hope you will enjoy the new museum where "old" and "new" overlap with a fresh image.

The 100th Anniversary of Mingei: Kyoto’s Legacy of Everyday Life

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