From Monday, September 1 to Friday, October 3, 2025, the exhibition Tradition x Design x Technology - Exploring the Possibilities of Spatial Design through Craft-based Art will be held at Kyoto Amplitude. This event is jointly organized by Hiyoshiya Co., Ltd., HAKUTEN Inc., and Amplitude Co., Ltd. This exhibition will present "Aru-bi" (Beauty from Within), a work that highlights the refined beauty of kyowagasa (Kyoto-style traditional umbrellas), and the delicate craftsmanship behind them. By combining design and technology, the piece explores new possibilities in craft-based artistic expression.
From October to December 2023, "Aru-bi" was presented as a window display at the Shiseido Building in Ginza, Tokyo, as a collaborative creation of Hakuten, Hiyoshiya and Shiseido Creative. It received high acclaim both in Japan and internationally, winning the highest distinction at the Red Dot Award, one of the world’s top three design awards. It also secured the Grand Prix at the Japan Space Design Awards. Prompted by this recognition, the exhibition will showcase the beauty and techniques of Kyoto’s traditional crafts, central to the piece, along with the new spatial design process developed through craft-based art. It invites both local communities and visitors to rediscover and appreciate their appeal.
Event Overview
Exhibition dates
September 1 (Mon) - October 3 (Fri), 2025
Closed on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays
Hours
10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Venue
Kyoto Amplitude Gallery & Showroom
208-2 Morinoki-cho, Oike-dori Horikawa Higashi-Iru
Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto, 604-0053
Special Lecture - September 19 (Fri), 2025
Horikawa Oike Gallery
238-1 Oshiyu-koji-dori, Aburanokoji-dori Oike
Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto, 604-0052
Organizers
HAKUTEN Inc.
Kyoto Amplitude Co., Ltd.
Hiyoshiya Co., Ltd.
Free Admission
Exhibition Content
- Installation of kyo-wagasa (Kyoto-style traditional umbrellas)
- A behind-the-scene look at the collaboration between Hakuten and Hiyoshiya that resulted in Aru-bi (The Beauty from Within)
- Exhibition and sale of new craftworks, including lacquerware, featured by Kyoto Amplitude
- Displays introducing the organizing companies
- Special lecture event only on September 19 (Fri), 2025
For more information about the Aru-bi project, the center-piece of the exhibition, please visit the link below:
https://www.hakuten.co.jp/story/shiseido_beautyfromwithin
Special Lecture (Free Admission)
In conjunction with the exhibition, a special lecture will be held to explore the beauty of Kyoto’s traditional crafts and the delicate techniques that sustain them. It will also explore the new possibilities that emerge from fusing traditional crafts with contemporary design and technology. We look forward to sharing the process, inspirations, and future outlook with you.
Date & Time: September 19 (Fri) 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Advance registration is required.
Please register through the following site:
https://kogei-art-2025.peatix.com/
Hiyoshiya Workshop Tour (Free Admission)
Following the lecture, we invite you to join a special guided tour of the Hiyoshiya workshop. In addition to learning about the history and production process of kyowagasa (Kyoto-style traditional umbrellas), the tour will share little-known facts and behind-the-scenes stories. You will walk through the workshop, filled with the scent of oil paper and bamboo, and experience the artisans’ delicate craftsmanship up close. We hope the visit will give fresh inspiration for your own creative work.
Tour Schedule
First session: September 19 (Fri) 3:00 pm - 3:25 pm (Approx. 20 participants)
Second session: September 19 (Fri) 4:00 pm - 4:25 pm (Approx. 20 participants)
- A complimentary shuttle bus will be provided between the lecture venue and the workshop.
- Participation in the tour requires separate registration in addition to the registration for the lecture.
The workshop tour requires advance registration.
Please sign up for both the lecture and the tour via the website below:
https://kogei-art-2025.peatix.com/
HIYOSHIYA INTERIOR
HIYOSHIYA INTERIOR brings unique value to interior spaces in Japan and abroad by incorporating the techniques, aesthetics and materials of traditional Japanese craftsmanship.
About the Organizers
Kyowagasa - Hiyoshiya
Founded in the Edo period, Hiyoshiya is the only remaining workshop dedicated to kyowagasa (Kyoto-style traditional umbrellas). For five generations, the company has passed on its refined traditional skills, producing and restoring various types of wagasa (traditional Japanese umbrellas). In 2004, the current president Kotaro Nishibori took over as the fifth-generation head of the company. Under the motto ‘Tradition is Continuing Innovation’, Hiyoshiya not only continues to preserve traditional craftsmanship but also to develop innovative new products that push the boundaries of what traditional crafts can be.
Kyoto Amplitude
Kyoto Amplitude is a regional trading company wholly owned by Kyoto Chuo Shinkin Bank. With a focus on creating "a new kind of traditional craft," the company develops innovative architectural materials and interior products that combine traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design. These creations are proposed for use in architectural and spatial design for hotels, residences, commercial facilities and more.
HAKUTEN
HAKUTEN is a creative agency that designs integrated experiences across a wide range of fields, including event promotion, exhibitions, retail spaces, showrooms, urban development, and cultural initiatives. The agency helps companies and organizations address their marketing challenges through spatial and experiential design. In recent years, HAKUTEN has been exploring new possibilities for traditional crafts by combining them with spatial design, technology, and artistic expression through installations and contemporary art projects.
Mail info@wagasa.com
TCI-LAB.Co.,Ltd.
(Reservation only)
