Morioka Yoshiyuki, curator and owner of a Tokyo bookstore with the unique concept of selling only one book title at a time, shares his thoughts on encountering seikatsu kōgei: objects that enrich daily life.
I believe I first encountered what is called seikatsu kōgei in around 2002. At the time, I was living alone in a small apartment in Tokyo and bought a ceramic cup to enjoy a glass of beer. The idea that the slight unevenness on the surface of the clay could help the foam linger was new to me, yet what pleased me just as much was how the appearance of the ceramic fitted with the look of the room. It made the everyday space feel a little richer. After that moment, I began gradually adding more seikatsu kōgei, such as plates, spoons, teapots, rice bowls, little by little, to my home.
I have just used the term seikatsu kōgei, however it is probably useful to explain this word. With seikatsu meaning ‘daily life’ and kōgei meaning ‘craft’, it clearly refers to crafted objects intended for everyday use. But similar ideas can fall under other names too – sometimes simply kōgei, and sometimes mingei (known more often as folk craft). What distinguishes them from one another? I would like to offer my personal thoughts.
A gallery of 1 item.
What is kōgei? A historical and cultural backdrop
When considering what defines kōgei, the history of the word ‘art’ in Japan gives us some clues. According to one account, when Japan prepared exhibits for the 1872 Vienna World’s Fair, a translation was needed for the term ‘fine art.’ Painting and sculpture were designated as geijutsu (art), while objects used in daily life – ceramics, clothing and so forth – were labelled as kōgei. Even today, many in Japan unconsciously maintain this division between art and craft. Of course, the boundary varies widely from person to person.
What is mingei? Five characteristics
The concept of mingei was proposed by the philosopher Yanagi Sōetsu in 1925. Items considered examples of mingei share the following five qualities:
- Anonymous beauty that speaks for itself, independent of the maker’s name
- They are created for daily life and their beauty deepens through everyday use
- They are made by hand, not premised on mass production or mass consumption
- They are intended to be affordable and accessible for ordinary people.
- They express of the spirit of Buddhist philosophy
In my personal view, Yanagi Sōetsu’s Buddhist philosophy lies in unifying the dualistic worldviews such as beauty and ugliness, or East and West, into a singularity. If you think about it, ‘beautiful’ cannot be perceived without the existence of ‘ugly.’ While we seek the ‘beautiful,’ the concept of ‘ugly’ is always present in its background. In this sense, perhaps Yanagi sought an absolute beauty that would allow him to escape dualistic thinking.
Seikatsu kōgei can be understood in both a broad and a narrow sense. Broadly, it encompasses all craft used in daily life, whether handmade or industrially produced. There is no single design definition. The narrower meaning, however, emerged around the early 2000s. Its defining characteristic is that the makers themselves sought out and created specific forms that they genuinely wanted to use in their own lives. If we imagine design as a process of ‘addition’ and ‘subtraction,’ this approach favoured subtraction: focussing on simplicity, and valuing the maker’s hand work – something absent from industrial products.
At times, the category also includes objects without a specific purpose — mobiles, wooden cubes and other abstract pieces. In my view, placing those abstract items alongside functional, concrete examples of kōgei, creates a sense of rhythm that enriches living spaces.
A gallery of 1 item.
The growing presence of seikatsu kōgei in Japan today
Regardless of terminology, many individual makers in Japan are now active as ‘Tsukuri-te’ (lit. making hand) or ‘makers’. One reason that many individual artists can thrive is the deeply rooted culture of seikatsu kōgei. An example of this is the practice of families in Japan having specific dishes or utensils belonging to a single member – ‘Dad’s rice bowl,’ ‘Mum’s chopsticks,’ ‘my cup.’ This naturally fosters respect for the people who make these objects.
Furthermore, the number of galleries and shops serving as ‘sellers’ is substantial, and these spaces are highly refined. Customers, the ‘users’, sometimes make purchases by appointment or purchase through a lottery system. Japan’s longstanding tea culture also plays a supporting role.
In recent years, the spread of seikatsu kōgei coincided with the rise of social media. Makers, sellers and users each sharing objects and exhibitions on their own channels. In addition, visuals began appearing on social media showing food being placed on plates and other tableware, visibly demonstrating the harmony between the food and the vessel used to serve it. Naturally, lifestyle magazines also responded to reader demand by repeatedly publishing articles featuring visits to craftspeople in their production regions. As a result, support for seikatsu kōgei spread organically.
A gallery of 1 item.
Why seikatsu kōgei resonates globally
The natural growth in interest was not only down to attractive visuals on social media or in magazines. People recognized the beauty of the change in these items that comes about as a result of their use in daily life over the years. Through that process, personal thoughts and memories become interwoven into the items, and they become even more precious.
When you think about it, human life is a continuous series of the using of these kinds of items. If the time spent using them feels richer, the quality of our lives also improves. This viewpoint may be why seikatsu kōgei is now appreciated not only in Japan but more widely around the world.
A gallery of 1 item.
The significance of seikatsu kōgei
Seen in this way, seikatsu kōgei has the possibility of reversing a culture built on disposability. Reevaluating a single small cup can prompt us to rethink our entire way of life. And beyond each spoon or vessel lies the presence of someone with whom we share it. In a world that often feels difficult to navigate, these objects have the ability to make daily life a little more enjoyable, a little more beautiful. That is surely the defining quality of seikatsu kōgei.
About the author
Morioka Yoshiyuki (born 1974) is the owner of Morioka Shoten, a bookstore with the unique concept of selling only one book title at a time.
Morioka has also curated and planned various significant exhibitions including ‘Soba ni iru kōgei’ (or ‘Crafts Nearby’) at SHISEIDO GALLERY (2016), ‘Khadi: Spinning India’s Future – Homage to Martand Singh’ at 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT(2018), ‘Ikei to Kōgei or Awe and Craft’ at Yamagata Biennale (2018). He has also worked on several book projects including ‘A day in February with light’ by Kuroda Taizō (2021), and ‘C Point’ by Yoshida Naotsugu (2024).
The Hyakkō Shop collection
Browse a collection of of hand-crafted items related to the Hyakkō exhibition on the Japan House London Shop.
This collection celebrates the people and processes behind everyday craft in Japan, from distinctive urushi (Japanese lacquer) walnut plates to vibrant blue soda-glass hirahai (a shallow sake vessel).