Learning from Japan’s National Living Treasures program
At a time when quantity is often chosen over quality, what does the pinnacle of craftsmanship look like today? What does mastery look like now? Where might we draw inspiration for how to have more master makers in the US?
One country that has been an innovator at preserving and elevating craft is Japan. Many decades before the UN began their program of systematically recognizing and protecting craft through their UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage program, Japan created a program for Living National Treasures. This program formally recognizes buildings, places of scenic beauty, performing arts, and craftspeople that are crucial to Japan’s culture.
There can only be a maximum of 58 people at any given time who are National Living Treasures in the field of crafts. These artists receive 2 million yen per year (~$12K), and by elevating them to National Living Treasure, they are able to command a premium for their exquisite items. Many museums around the world actively collect pieces made by National Living Treasures, for example, the British Museum has a lovely collection of Onishi Isao’s incredible wooden lacquer trays. Belonging to this rarified group is extremely respected in Japan. And it comes with a vital obligation: to train the next generation of aspiring artists.
The Japanese Kogei Association helps organize training sessions between National Living Treasures and junior artists, building off of a deep-rooted tradition in Japan of the student learning from the master, then going on to create their own works and take apprentices of their own.
I wish that government-sponsored apprentice programs and training were more common. I have met dozens of talented, elderly makers in the US (like the carpenter who build this home) who could never find an apprentice and therefore their skills will die with them. It’s incredibly sad to watch this kind of knowledge get erased with time.
How does someone become a National Living Treasure in Japan? There is a comprehensive system of exhibitions across the country, and as master makers earn awards for their work, they advance in the system and eventually become eligible for the National Living Treasure designation. Like how the one-in-a-million chance of getting rich from an IPO inspires so many people to start their own tech companies, the extremely challenging road to becoming a National Living Treasure inspires makers in Japan to become more skilled. By having something to aspire to, an entire ecosystem has evolved that elevates Japanese craft, even if the vast majority will never become a National Living Treasure themselves.
Some National Living Treasures whose work moves me are:
- Maeta Akihiro, who makes white porcelain ceramics
- Osao Futatsuka, who makes incredibly detailed textiles
- Yukie Ōsumi, the first woman metalsmith to be a National Living Treasure
While we don’t have a system quite like this in the United States, this week will see a convergence of some of the most exquisite makers in the US at the Smithsonian Craft Show. If you’re in the DC area this week, I strongly encourage you to check it out.
Regardless of if you can attend or not, I humbly ask for you to imagine: What might the state of US craft look like if these talented artists received the same support as their peers in Japan?
