{"title":"Kawagita Ryozo 川北 良造","description":"\u003cp\u003eKawakita Ryozo is a celebrated master of Yamanaka lacquerware and woodturning designated a Living National Treasure in 1994. He was born in Yamanaka, Ishikawa prefecture in 1934, and Studied lathe techniques under his father Kawakita Koichi from 1950. He gained acclaim for his work selected at the 9th Dento Kogeiten (National Traditional Crafts Exhibition) in 1962, and has been consistently exhibited there since receiving many awards. Kawakita selects zelkova, mulberry, maple, black persimmon and other precious woods carefully exploiting the unique characteristics to emphasize the beauty of surface and grain. He combines traditional aesthetic sense with modern sensibility to create graceful pieces of art. \u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"lnt-o-natsume-tea-caddy-ー川北-良造-大棗","title":"LNT O-Natsume Tea Caddy ー川北 良造 “大棗”","description":"\u003cp\u003eA beautifully restrained Tea caddy turned from zelkova by Living National Treasure Kawagita Ryozo enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled O-Natsume. One thing I find particularly appealing about Kawagita is that his starting point remains the functional vessel and the traditional skills of the kijishi. Yet the extreme refinement of the turning, sensitivity to grain, and occasional restrained inlay elevate his vessels into extraordinarily sophisticated works of modern kōgei. What makes this work particularly interesting is that he takes the extraordinary technical precision of the lathe-turned vessel and allows the character of the wood itself to dominate, carefully exploiting grain and figuring. It is 7.3 cm (3 inches) diameter, roughly the same height, and in perfect condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKawagita Ryōzō (b. 1934) is one of Japan’s foremost contemporary woodworkers and was designated a Living National Treasure for woodcraft (mokukōgei) in 1994. Born in Yamanaka, Ishikawa Prefecture, a region celebrated for its long tradition of lacquerware and woodturning, he learned the fundamentals of the kijishi tradition from his father, Kawagita Kōichi, before studying under the distinguished woodcraft artist Himi Kōdō. Kawagita first exhibited at the Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition in 1962 and went on to receive numerous awards, including the Medal with Purple Ribbon in 1999 and the Order of the Rising Sun in 2004. Working with such woods as zelkova, horse chestnut, maple, and black persimmon, he is particularly renowned for lathe-turned vessels of exceptional precision and refinement, often allowing the natural grain and figuring of the wood to become their principal decoration, while occasionally incorporating delicate gold or silver wire, shell, or other inlay. Deeply rooted in the functional traditions of Japanese woodcraft and the utensils of tea and dining, his work transforms bowls, trays, containers, and tea wares into objects of quiet sculptural presence, balancing extraordinary technical control with a profound sensitivity to the individual character of the wood.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kawagita Ryozo","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51326154539255,"sku":"K1629","price":900.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2026-09-09_12.47.32.jpg?v=1792118134"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/collections\/2026-09-0912.47.41_35cae999-9894-4889-a86f-5cad624bf701.jpg?v=1792564823","url":"https:\/\/kuramonzen.com\/collections\/kawagita-ryozo-%e5%b7%9d%e5%8c%97-%e8%89%af%e9%80%a0.oembed","provider":"Kura Monzen Gallery","version":"1.0","type":"link"}