Despite most of Japan’s major museums being closed during my trip, (due to Covid 19 restrictions) I was delighted to still be able to visit Kawai Kanjiro’s House in Kyoto. Luckily most of the places I wanted to go are not classed as major attractions (what?!) so they were still open.
The museum & home of the late Japanese artist Kawai Kanjiro was one of the places I was especially looking forward to seeing. Kanjiro was a hugely influential figure in Twentieth Century ceramics and was central to the Mingei (Japanese Folk Art) and the Studio Pottery movements. He was a close friend and correspondent of Bernard Leach and Sôetsu Yanagi and together the three men shared a philosophical affinity, celebrating the “unknown craftsman” and traditional folk crafts, cultures and values.
Mingei philosophy is hugely significant for me. It is these ideas that really got me interested in pottery - or at least that have helped me hold my attention to it for long enough to develop some small amount of skill.
The house was constructed by Kanjiro in the 1930’s, together with his architect brother and father. It has a wooden frame with sliding paper screens and tatami mats, combined with handcrafted furniture, ceramics, woodwork and textiles. Kanjiro’s pottery workshop and two kilns are also on display - I was particularly taken with the long and useful looking fire tools!
The house, garden and studio had a beautiful, tranquil atmosphere and as the only visitors that morning, we felt very lucky to explore the place alone, except for the resident cat.