For two weekends in February, the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center in Downtown Los Angeles will showcase handcrafted works by 16 artisans from Kyoto, Japan. The event is part of an ongoing series at the center that highlights artisans and craft traditions from different regions of Japan.
Casa Kyoto: Craft & Design Forum will take place Saturday, Feb. 7, and Sunday, Feb. 8, and again Saturday, Feb. 14, and Sunday, Feb. 15, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
“This is the first time that these artisans are coming to the United States,” Carolina Roque, executive development and marketing director for JACCC, said. “It’s a really great opportunity for individuals who are interested in the Japanese arts, but also for individuals who are interested in design work and architecture to come and see and learn craft that you can only really see in Japan.”
During the event, attendees will have the opportunity to purchase a curated selection of handcrafted works. Items include Buddhist ritual objects, prayer beads, Nishijin-ori textiles, architectural tools, furniture, glass, metalwork and culinary goods. Many of the featured craft traditions draw on over 1,300 years of cultural practice.
Alongside these handcrafted works, Casa Kyoto will offer workshops where participants can learn directly from artisans. Workshops include a tea ceremony and Kyoto etiquette, prayer bead making, Buddhist bell casting, gold leaf techniques, stained glass, hinoki woodworking, sound meditation and Kyoto tastings.
“We hope that individuals are able to learn a little bit more about Kyoto,” Roque said. “Kyoto is very famous for quite a few things, but unless you are physically there, it’s really impossible to experience them. We are hoping that people get to take home with them a little piece, whether it’s through a product, or by attending one of these workshops.”
JACCC is a nonprofit organization founded in 1972 and located in Little Tokyo. The center works to present and preserve Japanese and Japanese American arts and culture while engaging with Los Angeles’ diverse communities.
Casa Kyoto is one of several cultural events hosted by JACCC throughout the year. Last October, the center hosted the Tsubamesanjo Artisan Fair, which featured nine artisans from the Tsubamesanjo region of Niigata Prefecture. That event focused on metalwork and handcrafted kitchen tools and included knife-sharpening and name-engraving workshops.
JACCC also hosts biweekly listening parties in partnership with In Sheep’s Clothing. These events feature curated selections of Japanese records, where attendees can listen to music, enjoy Japanese whisky and spend time in the James Irvine Japanese Garden. The listening parties will resume in March, with more details to be announced.
The artisans participating in Casa Kyoto include FUTAKATAYA, Hori Metal Leaf & Powder Company, Inoichi.inc, Ishikawa Stone Works, Kanbe Juzuten Company, Kyoryori Fujiya, MORISAN Company, NACACUE CORPORATION, NISSHO.Inc, Oden, Plameries Company, Sakushima Company, Takagikinzoku Company, Tomo Company, WATABUN Company and Kinpaku-oshi YAMAMURA Company.
Items available at Casa Kyoto will range in price from about $23 to $50,000. The most expensive item is a traditional Japanese tea house. Admission to the event is free, while workshops require tickets that can be purchased online. Prices vary depending on the workshop, and attendees can select preferred time slots.
“We’re really excited to be able to present this particular pop-up to the Los Angeles community,” Roque said. “It’s been in the works for such a long time, so we’re really happy that it’s actually coming to fruition this year.”
Casa Kyoto: Craft & Design Forum
WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 7 and Sunday, Feb. 8, and Saturday, Feb. 14 and Sunday, Feb. 15, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
WHERE: George J. Doizaki Gallery, 244 S. San Pedro Street
INFO: jaccc.org/events/casa-kyoto-craft-design-forum
AloJapan.com