Ryozo Kawagita

• Designation
  Living National Treasure (Important Intangible Cultural Property for Wood crafts)
• Category
  Wood and Bamboo
• Techniques
  Wood turning, Wood inlay
• Born
  1934 -
• Based in
  Ishikawa
• Membership
  Full member, Japan Kogei Association
  Councilor, Ishikawa Prefectural Artistic and Cultural Association

Biography

• 1935
  Born in Nakayama-onsen, Kaga City, Ishikawa Prefecture
• 1950
  Studied lathe techniques under his father KAWAKITA Koichi
• 1962
  Selected for the 9th Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition on the first attempt. Selected 51 times to date
• 1964
  Full member, Japan Kogei Association
• 1965
  Award candidate at the 12th Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition
• 1988
  Produced tea ceremony utensils using wood from the old sal tree planted by Sen no Rikyu that was preserved at the Juko-in of Daitokuji
• 1990
  Produced the “Sacred Treasure Rokurobako” for the Shikinen Sengu Ceremony in Ise Jingu
• 1993
  His work was offered as a gift to the Crown Prince by Ishikawa Prefecture
• 1994
  Produced tea ceremony utensils using wood from old materials of the small chamber at Myoshinji, Kyoto
  Designated as an Important Intangible Cultural Property Holder
• 1995
  Shirayama Hime Shrine “Shinboku, Keyakizukuri Jikiro” presented to the Ise Jingu Museum
• 1996
  His work “Keyakizukuri Bon” at Futamata Honsenji in Kanazawa was purchased by Kanazawa City
• 1997
  POLA Foundation for the Promotion of Traditional Japanese Culture
  Completed the “Bringing a Tree Back to Life – Kawakita Ryozo’s Woodwork Crafts”, a MEXT Special Selection Movie
• 1998
  Produced the Heian Jingu Shrine “Kenko Kenchashiki Natsume Kinindai” at the Hanshin Department Store
• 1999
  Received the Medal with Purple Ribbon
• 2004
  Published the “Living with Trees, Giving Life to Trees” in July
  Received the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon at the Autumn Conferment of Decorations
• 2008
  Produced the “Sacred Treasure Rokurobako” for the Shikinen Sengu Ceremony in Ise Jingu
• 2009
  Produced a memorial piece using old materials from the Mieido at Honganji
• Judge at the Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition
  Jury member at the Contemporary Art Exhibition
  Judge at the Japanese Traditional Bamboo and Wood Exhibition
  Jury member Japan Traditional Art Crafts Shikoku Branch Exhibition
  5 purchases by the Agency of Cultural Affairs
  4 purchases by the Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Art
  Councillor at Japan Kogei Association
  Councillor at the Ishikawa Prefectural Artistic and Cultural Association
  Senior lecturer at the Ishikawa Prefectural Institute of Wajima Lacquer Arts
  Guest professor at the Kanazawa College of Art
  Part-time lecturer at Kanazawa University
  Chairman of the Yamanaka Lacquerware Lathe Techniques Preservation Society
  Chairman of the Kaga City Art Association
  Director of the Yamanaka Lathe Technique Training Center
  Ishikawa Lathe Technique Institute
  Designated as an Honorary Citizen (First) of the former Yamanaka Town (2003)

Awards

• 1966
  Received the Japan Kogei Association Award at the 13th Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition
• 1967
  Received the Japan Kogei Association Award at the 14th Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition
• 1978
  Received the Ishikawa Television Broadcasting Award and the 32nd Hokkoku Cultural Award
• 1986
  Received the Ishikawa Television Broadcasting Award
• 1987
  Received the Governor of Tokyo Prize (Grand Prize) at the Japan Flower and Tea Accessories Art Crafts Exhibition
• 1991
  Received the Ishikawa Cultural Promotion Incentive Award
• 1992
  Received a commendation from Yamanaka Town for Distinguished Service in Industry
• 1995
  Received the Ishikawa Cultural Promotion Incentive Award
  Received the Chunichi Cultural Award
• 1997
  Received the Minister of Foreign Affairs Award at the 41st Japan Introductory Movie Videos Competition
• Received the Grand Prize at the Technical Award at the Contemporary Art Exhibition
• Received the Important Intangible Cultural Property Holder’s Prize twice
• Received the Japan Kogei Association Award twice at the Traditional Bamboo and Wood Exhibition