Mingei: Japan's Enduring Folk Arts

265 Pages·1990·73.832 MB·English

by  Saint-Gilles, Amaury

MINGEI
JAPAN'S
ENDURING
\ I
FOLKA RTS
AmauryS aint-Gilles
CHARLEES.T UTTLCEO MPANY
RutlaVnedr,m o&n Tto kyJoa,p an
Form y Grandmother,
OlivTihae resa,
whoses torioefas youthfoulld,e err af imlyl child­
hoodm emorieIsm.a geasn dt alessh et olhda vet heir
counterpaarrtosu ntdh ew orldH.e rei nJ apamny
fascinatwiiotnht hes toribeesh inmdi ngesit em
directflryo mw arma ndh appym emoriessh ea ndI
sharendo tt ool onagg .o
Publishbeytd h eC harlEe.sT uttCloem panyI,n c.
ofR utlanVde,r mon&t T okyoJ,a pan
witehd itoroifafli caets
2-6S uid1o- chome, BunkTyook-yk1ou1 ,2
© 19831,9 8b9y A maurSya int-Gilles
Allr ighrtess erved
FirTsutt teldei ti1o9n8,9
Seconpdr inti1n9g9,8
LCCC ardN o.8 9-50148
ISBN0 -8048-1606-9
Layoubty K oikKea zumi
IllustrbaytM iaotnssu uHriad eaki
PhotograbpyhS yo nobCeh oa ndY okoSih igeharu
PrintiendS ingapore
CONTENTS
Prefac5e
Introduct6i on
Locatomra p s
1 AinuT ebori-b.a. c7h0i 27 Sumiyoshi-.o d.o 6r.2i
2 Yawata-um. .a . . . 7 22 8N ingyo-f.u. d e. .6 .4
3 Oni-arare.-. g a.m a. 7 4 29N agashi-.b i.n a. 6.6 .
4 lwai-g.e .r a. . . . . . 307H a6n a-go.z .a . . 6.8 . .
5 ltto-b.o .r i. . . . . . 317 F 8u shina-.y a.k i. 7.0 .
6 Kokesh.i. . . . 2.0 . . 32B ingo-g.a s.u r.i . . . 7 2
7 Nishin-b.a.c.h.i. 22 33K ingyo-cho.c h.i 7n.4
8 Sankaku-da.r. u m.2a 4 34H ok o-sa.n . . . . . . 7 6
9 Nikko-ge.t .a . .2 .6 . 35S uiren-ba• .c h.i .7 8.
10K ataezo&m e 36T akenoko-.g a.s a.8 0
Aizome.. ....... 28 37T obe-ya.k.i. ....8 2
11 Maneki-n.e k.o . 3.0 . 38K i-us.o. . . . .8 .4 . .
12 Uchiw.a. . . . .3 .2 . . 39O nda&
13 Daruma. . . . .3 .4 . . Koishiwara-.y..a 8k6i
14 Funado-ha.r.i.k.o 3 6 40S hio-te.g.o. ....8 8
15 Hato-gur.u m.a . 3. 8. 41N aeshirogawa-9y0a ki
16K oma. .........4 0 42F utakawa-.y. a k.i 9. 2
17K oshu-in.d e.n . 4.2 . 43K ujira-gu.r. u m.a 9 .4
18 Yanagi-g.o .r i. .4 .4 . 44O zaki-ni.n. g y.o .9 .6
19T ako. ......... 46 45J ishi-g.a.m.i. ...9 8
20B angas.a. . . . 4.8 . . 46K iji-gur.u.m.a. ..7 00
21W ajima-n.u .r i. .5 .0 . 47Aka-bek.o. .....7 02
22 Marubashira.-. y 5a2k i. 48H ariko-no.-.t.o.r7 0a 4
23H atta-y.a .k i. . 5.4 . . 49H atsutatsu.-.n.e7 0k 6o
24K ama& 50T aiguru.m.a. ....7 07
Nigiri-b.a.s.a.m.i 5 6 51 Ushiwaka/Be.n.k7 0e 8i
25 Sens.u. ........5 8 52O bake-no-K.i.n.t7 0a 9
26K ujira-b.u .n e. .6 .0 . 53 Hana-teb.a.k.o. .7 7 o
54M atsutake-o.k.a1 m11e 89N obori-z.a. r. u. . .7 9 4
55E do-anesam.a 112 90S himenawa . 79 6
. . . . . . . . .
Coloprl ates . 7 7 3 91O miki-guch.i. 7.9 8
. . . . . . . .
56K ubi-ning.yo. 7 3 7 92 Hitsuji-dore2i0 0
. . . . . . . .
57K esho-ba.ko 73 8 93A kebi-kag.o. .2 02
. . . . . . . .
58K ogi.n 73 9 94 Dai-kichi.-gom2a04
.. . . . . . . . . . . .
59T ai-bombor.i .1 40 95 Poppen . .2 06
. . . . . . . . . .
60M ayumi-um.a .7. 4 7 96 Kumi-him.o. 208
. . . . . .
61Y uki-gutsu 742 97Hebi-bue . .210
. . . . . . . . . . .
62S hishigas. h. .i.r.a1 43 98O kinas.a.n. . . .2. 7. 2
63 Bingata. . .. 474 99O rigami . 2 7 4
. . . . . . . . . . . .
64K ami-gunkan 745 10 0U zura-guruma 2 7 6
. . . . . . . . .
65Z aru-kaburi-i1n4u6 101T ake-tom.bo . 2.7 8
. . . . . .
66 Ita-sumo 74 8 102T enjin-sa.ma .2 20
. . . . . . . . . .. · .
67O kesa-goma. . 570 103M i . . .2 22
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
68S usuki-mimizu75k 2u 10 4 Undo-ningyo 224
. . . . . . .
69 lto-mari .1 54 105T obe-kaer.u. 226
. . . . . . . . . . .
70E ma 756 106K oi-nobo.r.i,. .22.8
. . . . . . . . . . .
71S umi-tsubo 158 107M iharu-goma. 230
. . . . . . . . . .
72H agoit.a. . .76 0 108U sagi-gur.u.ma. 23. 2.
. . . . .
73T engu . . 162 109l nari-s.a.ma. .2.3 4. .
. . . . . . . .
74S oba-cho.ko. . 7.6 .4 110K ibigara-n.ez.u2m.3i6
.
75N eputa-choch.i7 n6 6 111T atsu-gur.u.ma. 2.38.
. .
76 Kibazar.u 76 8 112l noshishi.-d.or2.4e.0i
. . . . . . .
77S omin-shorai. 710 113S ashi.ko. . . .2.42. . .
. . . .
78S akura-kawa-z7a7 i2k u 114T anekashi-.s.am2.a4. 4
.
79T efukGil ass 1 74 115H ongyo-ya.k.i .2.46.
. . . . .
80H inoki-be.nto . 776 116W ash.i .. . . . .24.7 . .
. . .
81B eigoma . .77 8 CollectSoorusr ce.s . 2.4.8
. . . . . .
82S uzuri . . . 78 0 INDEX/GLOSSAR.Y .2.49
. . . . . .
83S hu-rosoku. ..1 82 Cove&r Photcor edi.t s2 60
. . . ·.
84J i zo-sama. . 78 4 Authorb'iso graphy 261
. . . . . . . . .
85 Furin . 1.8 6
. . . . . . . .
86S hugi-bukuro 78 8
• . . . .
87K i-ushi . . 79 0
. . . . . . .
88H ato-bu.e . .79 2
. . . . .
PREFACE
The" artosf t hep eopleo"f J apana rea livinggr,o wintgr adittihoanit s
a continuuomf c hangoev erh undredasn de vent housanodfsy earisn t he
caseo fp ottermya kingT.h eya ret hed istillaotfia o cnu lturreef lectailnlg
ther icvha riatioofnt sh em ountainous iosflJ aanpadns.
So compleixs t her icvha rieotfys implaen da bundannta turmaalt erials
imaginativuesleyd .W ood,ba mboo, papers,t raws,h elll,a cquercsl,a y,
metals,t onaen do themra teriaalrset ransformiendtd oe lighfuclhlayr ming
objecotfsd ailuys eO.f teonf a beautuyn surpassiendt heiqru iehtu mility,
theya reu sefualn ds atisfytiont gh eh umans pirit.
Mingeiis a specitarla nscultwuorradlm eanin"ga rtosf t hep eople."
Combinintgh eJ apanesweo rdsf orp eopl(em ina)n da rt( geii)tw, a sc oined
fiftyye arasg ob y thel atDer .Y anagSio etsrue,v ersecdh oloafrJ apan.H is
keene yeo bservetdh atm any articlmeasd e by unknownc raftsmoefn
pre-industritailmiezswe edr eo f a beautys eldome qualebdy artisotfs
moderns ocietiHeissq. u estionoifnw gh y thimsi ghtb e revealiends ight
regarditnhgen aturoef b eautoyf t hingwsh icha rei ntegrarlellya tteodl ife
andb orno fa statoef m indn ota ttachteoda conscioiudse oaf b eautoyr
uglineRsast.h eri,ti sa unifieexdp ressiwoint hn o divisioofnh eadh,e art
andh and.
Inh isd esirteo c ommunicatteh ipsr ofounidn sighhte,,t ogethweirt h
HamadaS hojain dK awaiK anjirfoo,u ndetdh eM ingeAis sociatainodnt he
firfsotl akr tm useumi nJ apanT,h e MingeikiannT okyo.
Manyo ft hec ontemporary crafwthsomme Yna nagniu rturweedr el ater
designataesdL ivinNga tionaTlr easuroefsJ apan.T heiwro rk iPOssesSI!S
qualitoifen sa turalnaensdsb eautayk int ot haotf t heu nknownc raftsmen
ofp riodra ys.
Thust heJ apaneshee ritaogfe " artosf thep eoplew"a sn otl ostto
presenatn d futureg eneratioanss i sh appening throutghheo iunt­
dustrialwiozreldd U.n derstandoifnt gh ew orlds ignificaanndci en fluence
ofM ingehia sb eenc onveyetdh rougthh ew ritinogfsb otht hel atEen glish
potteBre rnarLde achi n" TheU nknownC raftsmaann"d t hel atHea mada­
Sensei.
Int hibso ok,MI NGEI -Japan'sE ndurinFgo lkA rtsw,e arei ntroduced
andr eacquainwtietdh " artosf thep eoplet"h rougthh ee yeso fA maury
St-GillHees .i sa longt imer esideonftJ apanw itht hep erspectoifv ae
sensitainvdea ppreciapteirvseo wnh o hasc omef roma nothecru lture.
Dr.M arthLao ngenecker
FoundinPgr eside&n Dti rector
MingeIin ternational
Museumo fW orldF olkA rt
LaJ ollCaa,l ifornia
INTRODUCTION
Folkart arountdh ew orlhda sl ongc apturmeyd imagina­
tionW.h enevearn dw hereveIr v isainto thecru lturIef ,i nd
iti sf olkart andh andmadec raftst hatf ilmly suitcatsoe s
overflowcionmgi nhgo me.T heres'osm ethisnpge ciaablo ut
folka rt- an almositn describaaubrlaet hatm akest hem
appeasro uniqueP.e rhapist i sm ereltyh eilra cko fp re­
tensiobnust,I t hinakl stoh eiart tracthiaosnt od o witht he
obvioucsa rwei thw hicht heyh aveb eenc rafted.
I cannogto f urthweirt houtta kinag f ewl inetsoe xpress
my sincearpep reciattioo Mnr .O kadaH iromuP,r esident
of BingoyaC raftS hop and to Mr. ShigaN aokun,i
Presideonft T akumiC raftS hop.B otho f theslee arned
gentlemeunn stintinggalvyet heitri mea ndk nowledgien
helpinmge gatheirn formatfioornt hei nitiaarlt iclWeist.h ­
outt heierx perhte lpt,h ee ssaywso uldh aveb eenn early
impossitbloce o mpile.
And oncet hes eriehasd endedi tw ast hee nthusiastic
supporotf M s.K okoH ashimo fN YC andM r.K aiF rosotf
JohnW anamakerP hiladelpwhhioa s awt hep otentioafl
makingt hec ollectoifoc no mpleteesds ayisn tao book,and
assem'biainn ge xhibitoifo nf olkart base•d on 1 1t hese
itesm.
By no meanss houltdh isse lectioof1n 16i tembse c on­
strueads thoen lyr emainifnogl ka rti nJ apanF.a rf romi t,
ast heraer el iterahlulnyd redfsr omw hicha choichea dt o
be made.I selectiendi tiaolnl tyh eb asiosf locatiboyn ,
pickinogn ep erp refectumroev ingf romH okkaidsoo uth
toO kinawaT.h en givefnu lrle iIn skippeadl lo vert hei s­
landpsi ckinugp functioncarla fttso,y sa ndt hem orem is­
understoaondd pervasivEeN GI (literlaulclkyb ringers).
Theseo ftend oublea s toysa ftetrh eierf fectivehnaess s
worno uta nda reg ivetno childrseonw hilsptl ayintgh ey
(engcia)n e ffectth eiprr otectpiovwee rs.
Unfortunatseolmye of thei temsI originawlrloyt e
abouth avea lreadcye asetdo b e.T het wo-paprrto duction
ofH atta-yavkeis sealrse s ucha n exampl,ae sa ret he" salt­
sprayinwgh alec artso"f Nagasaki-kAennd. o therasr e
waninga s theirm arketnsa rrowa,n d o�casionadlilsy­
appear almost yboeufrvo errey e yes. This htarsbe enedn
somewhatr eversbeyd a renewedi ntereisntc ollecting
mingesip awnedb y regulairm,p ressicvoel oulra youtisn
popularl,e isure magazines tcoa ttheer tirnagv elling
middle-clAa stso.u ri�o>rmi entattioo bne sureb,u tb etter
thann onea sa markeatl thougchr ascso mmercialoifs m
somei temsh asd onet hemi nf romt hate ndo ft hes cale.
The biggesptr oblefma cintgh em akerosf t hesuen ique
itemiss t eachitnhge c raftsmansnheiepd efdo rc ontinued
productitoon a readya ndw illianpgp rentiocrre e lat.i ve
Manym ingehia veb eenp assefdr omg eneratitoogn e nera­
tionf orc enturibeustt, h.el uroef a bettelri faetb ettepra y
isc reatihnagv owci tht hissy stem.
I trietdo c ompilteh ibso okt ob ea sr eadabalned u seful
as possiblEea.c hi temi si llustreaittehde wri tha pen
drawingo ri na colouprh otograpMho.s ta ppeadri rectly
oppositwer itteinn formatiaobno utt hem, but colour
printicnogs tfso rcemde tog athephro totso gethienro ne
section. Each phiotsio dgernatpihf wiietdhi tnsa mea nd
chapter numSboemre. itemsh avei, n addititono their
illustratai ocnosl,o uprl atseh owing spepcrioadlu ction
methodsm,a nnero fu seo re vent hew ayt heya ret ypically
solda si st hec aseo fD arumaI.n t hef ewi nstancIeg sa ve
Japanesnea mesI, l istperdo pefra milnya mesf irsAtn.d I
haveg ivetnh er eademra nyJ apanewsoer dsi nt het exts -
moste xplainiemdm ediatealnyda llo thers explained
ina combineIdn dex/Glossaattr hye b acko f theb ook.
Thel ocatomra p whichd irectfloyl lso wthiisn troduction
ist o givey ou somei deao f theg eographiscparle aodf
itemsse lectPerde.f ectuarreets i tlaendd c haptenru mbers
relatitvoe e acha rel istetdh ere. guAi dteo t hec olour
closeuupsse do n thec oveirs g ivewni thp hotoc rediotns
page2 60.
Meantt o be compactd,i verasned i nformataitvt eh e
samet imeI, h oper eaderosfM INGE!,J apanE'nsd uring
FolkA rtsw ileln joyj ourneyingt hrougthh iesn capsuled
worlda ndp erhapgsa ina new perspectoinv teh ev aluoef
folakr ta sa result.
Intervencienngt urifeasla lw ayw heno nec ontemplates
thep athoso f littHloek o-s'asnd evotioonr sensetsh e
romantiecl eganocfe givinag r aincatpoey ouri ntended.
Perhaptsh issm alclo llectwiiolnhl e lps temt hed estructive
tideosf changper ogressese mst o brinign i tsw ake,a nd
thush elpm aintaitnh ei ntegroiftf yu nctiaonnd u set hat
thesmea nyu niquiet emasr ei mbuedw ith.
Ci�S�-�\�
Tokyo,1983
LOCATOR M AP
Circlnedwn bers erre tfo cha.p ters
KYOTO
FUKUOKA SHIMANE
YAMAGUCHI
I
NAGAASKI �
(D I
TOKUSIHMA
...... KAGAWA NAR.L
,,
,
MIYAZAIK
--- I WAKAYAMA
" KAGOSIMHA
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OKINAWA \
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HOKKAIDO
SHIGA��
FUKUI
ISHIKAWA
SHIZUOKA
MIE 0
T 0K YO Q)�(i)(D��0
KANAGAWA
YAMANASHI