Japan Folk Craft Museum

Jan 17: The Japan Folk Craft Museum (Nihon Mingei-kan) is tiny but uniquely showcases various handicrafts from all over Japan. It was founded by Soetsu Yanagi, who promoted the Fok Craft (Mingei) movement. 

Soetsu paid attention to the healthy and honest beauty in ordinary people’s craftworks made by unknown artisans.

The traditional-style building, built in 1936 and designed by Soetsu himself, has a black-tiled roof and an elegant and impressive white stucco exterior. I felt nostalgic as I stepped onto a stone floor at the entrance because the oak staircase, ceramics, and others on display fit into our daily lives.

 All on display are simple Japanese classic crafts collected by Soetsu and others. I felt I’d seen them when I was young in my house. My mother probably loved their pieces and collected them on the kitchen board.

I bought a  “Mingei Movement” book and Essays by Yanagi Soetsu to learn more about his philosophy. Across the street is a black gatehouse that was brought from Tochigi Prefecture.