NPO Japan Mokumegane Research Institute

Statement of Intent for NPO Establishment

Many of the Japanese time-honoured techniques and their histories have been passed on as valuable cultural heritage through the handing down of skills by craftsmen or by word of mouth. While some traditional techniques have been continuously maintained over the generations, unfortunately, there are others that have become obscured over time.

Japan's world-renowned Mokume-Gane has been one of the techniques that have suffered this fate. Mokume-Gane, Japan's unique metalsmithing technique, originated in the Edo-era about 400 years ago. It adeptly utilizes the different colour metals to form woodgrain patterns. Today, with many of the Mokume-Gane craftsmen in their late sixties or older, it is our urgent mission to record this once-said lost technique and compile its history.

The NPO Japan Mokumegane Research Institute conducts publishing and collecting of Mokume-Gane works in addition to the study and reproduction of the original technique. Through these activities, we strive to preserve and promote this precious traditional Japanese technique.

Our Activities

• Reproduction and study of cultural properties and historical materials
• Promotion and education initiatives including publishing
• Activities related to the aforementioned projects

Research and Study

We execute research activities in coordination with research institutes in Japan as well as abroad.

Representative

Masaki Takahashi

 Profile

• 1995 Graduated in metal carving from the Crafts Department of the Faculty of Fine Arts, Tokyo University of the Arts
• 1997 Earned a graduate diploma in metal carving from the Graduate Research Department of Tokyo University of the Arts
• 1997-99 Part-time lecturer (until 2000) at the Metal Carving Research Center of the Crafts Department, Faculty of Fine Arts, Tokyo University of the Arts
• 1997 Established Mokumeganeya
• 2003 Established Mokumeganeya Limited Company
• 2003 Established NPO Mokumegane Research Institute
• 2011 Graduated from Tokyo University of the Arts, Graduate School of Fine Arts
• 2012 Doctorate (art)

History

• 1998 Reproduction study of silver-plated copper earrings excavated from the Zaruuchi Kofun tumulus, at the Shirakawa Hall of the Fukushima Prefecture Cultural Properties Center
• 2001 Reproduction study of harness and fittings excavated from tunnel tomb #37 of the Zaruuchi Kofun tumulus at the Shirakawa Hall of the Fukushima Prefecture Cultural Properties Center
• 2003 Akita City Red brick Folk Museum Akita Prefectural Art Museum Research cooperation of Mokume Gane Collection
• 2004 Octagonal tsuba made of Yamagane raw copper and Suaka pure copper, with Mokume grain forging.Signed Masamitsu, a resident of Mimasaka Province (NPO Japan Mokumegane Research Institute)
• 2005 Reproduction study of mokume gane kozuka made of gold, silver and other metals, signed Shoami Denbei (1999-2003)
• Selected for Society for the Preservation of Japanese Art Swords’ Shinsakuto (newly made swords) exhibition (Kozuka made of gold, silver, shakudo and pure copper)
• 2006 Collaborative research on Mokume Gane owned by the Boston Museum of Art in the United States
• 2006 Tsuba made of Shakudo and Suaka pure copper, signed Shoami Denbei, resident of Dewa Akita(NPO Japan Mokumegane Research Institute)
• Selected for Society for the Preservation of Japanese Art Swords’ Shinsakuto (newly made swords) exhibition (Guribori tsuba made of shakudo and suaka pure copper)
• 2007 Tsuba with openwork design of guri scrolls, signed Shigenao, with kao (NPO Japan Mokumegane Research Institute)
• Manufacture of reproduction ring Selected for Society for the Preservation of Japanese Art Swords’ Shinsakuto (newly made swords) exhibition (Watermark guribori tsuba made of shakudo and pure copper)
• 2008 Reproduction of unusually shaped tsuba made of silver, shakudo and copper, signed Nyofudo Seizui (Collection of Design Museum Denmark)
• Selected for Japan Jewellery Art Competition Selected for Society for the Preservation of Japanese Art Swords’ Shinsakuto (newly made swords) exhibition (of unusually shaped Mokume Gane tsuba made of silver, shakudo and copper)
• 2009 Planning and supervision of "Textbook of Mokume Gane"
• 2009 Three Schools Project : A Mokume Gane Seminar
• 2009 Yoshino River tsuba made of shakudo and shibuichi, signed Takahashi Okitsugu, with kao (Boston Museum of Fine arts)
• Selected for Society for the Preservation of Japanese Art Swords’ Shinsakuto (newly made swords) exhibition (Yoshino River tsuba made of shakudo and shibuichi)
• 2010 Mokume Gane Lecture : Hiko Mizuno College of Jewelry
• 2010 Tsuba made of copper and shakudo, signed Tsunetada, resident of Kawagoe, Musashi province (NPO Japan Mokumegane Research Institute)
• Selected for Society for the Preservation of Japanese Art Swords’ Shinsakuto (newly made swords) exhibition (Mokume gane tsuba made of shakudo and copper)
• 2011 Mokume gane tsuba made of yamagane raw copper, shakudo and shakudo, with a square chrysan themum crest pattern
• Piece by Shoami Morikuni, rsiding in Matsuyama, Iyo province, imitating a Tagayasan tree (NPO Japan Mokumegane Research Institute)
• 2012 Mokume Gane seminar : Bunka Gakuen University
• 2012 Mokume Gane tsuba signed Masakuni, residing in Musashi Province (NPO Japan Mokumegane Research Institute)
• Selected for Society for the Preservation of Japanese Art Swords’ Shinsakuto (newly made swords) exhibition (Mokume gane tsuba)
• 2013 Mokume Gane lecture : Nagoya Zokei University（Every year since）
• 2014 Planning and supervision of "Textbook of Mokume Gane New Edition"
• 2014 Mokume Gane tsuba made of Shakudo and suaka pure copper, signed Masahisa (NPO Japan Mokumegane Research Institute)
• Selected for Society for the Preservation of Japanese Art Swords’ Shinsakuto (newly made swords) exhibition (Mokume gane tsuba made of shakudo and pure copper)
• 2015 Mokume Gane Lecture : Morioka College of Businesse
• 2015 Mokume gane tsuba made of copper, shakudo and shibuichi. Signed Tsunetada, residing in Kawagoe (Baur Foundation Museum of Far Eastern Art in Geneva, Switzerland).
• Study on Mokume Gane owned by the Danish "Danish Craft Museum" in Denmark
• 2015 Mokume gane tsuba made of copper, shakudo and shibuichi. Signed Tsunetada, residing in Kawagoe (Baur Foundation Museum of Far Eastern Art in Geneva, Switzerland).
• Mokume gane tsuba made of copper, shakudo and shibuichi. Signed Tsunetada, residing in Kawagoe (Baur Foundation Museum of Far Eastern Art in Geneva, Switzerland). Given the “Effort Prize” at the Society for the Preservation of Japanese Art Swords’ Shinsakuto (newly made swords) exhibition in 2015.
• 2016 Mokume Gane Lecture : Tokyo University of the Arts
• 2016 A study on Guribori in the collection of "Hamburg Museum of Arts and Crafts" in Germany
• 2016 Mokume gane tsuba signed Masamichi, a resident of Kofu (NPO Japan Mokumegane Research Institute)
• Selected for Society for the Preservation of Japanese Art Swords’ Shinsakuto (newly made swords) exhibition (Mokume gane tsuba)
• 2017 Mokume Gane Tour : Nippon design welfare college
• 2017 Mokume Gane lecture : Tokyo university of science Graduate School Innovation Studies（Every year since）
• 2017 Mokume gane tsuba signed Toshinobu, a resident of Matsuyama (NPO Japan Mokumegane Research Institute) Effort Awards at the Preservation of Japanese Art Swords’ Shinsakuto (newly made swords) exhibition
• 2018 Study of Mokume Gane in British British Museum, Oxford University Museum
• 2018 Mokume gane tsuba signed Shoami Moriaki, a resident of Matsuyama (NPO Japan Mokumegane Research Institute)
• 2019 Mokume gane tsuba signed Masamitsu, a resident of Mimasaka Province (NPO Japan Mokumegane Research Institute)