Traditional crafts artisans team up in Kyoto-Vienna exhibits
KYOTO (Kyodo) -- Following an exhibition held in Kyoto during the 2025 Osaka Expo, traditional artisans from Vienna and Kyoto are strengthening ties,
In 2025, traditional artisans from Vienna and Kyoto collaborated in a Kyoto exhibition during the Osaka Expo, aiming to strengthen mutual connections and expand their customer base. These artisans believe that traditional products, with their history and craftsmanship, serve as a bridge to the past. Organizer Nicola Rath, 52, from Vienna, emphasized the importance of holding joint exhibitions with partners in Kyoto to preserve the skills and spirit of craftsmanship.
The Kyoto exhibition took place at the former main building of the Kyoto Prefectural Government Office, a national important cultural property. The venue was adorned with intricate chandeliers, jewelry, and traditional crafts such as Kyoto-style paper umbrellas, Nishijin-ori silk brocade, and yarn-dyed textiles. Representatives from around 20 Austrian and Kyoto businesses attended the event and interacted with invited guests.
One Austrian artist who exhibited a ceramic sculpture that had chipped during transport was inspired by the Japanese art of kintsugi, the traditional art of repairing broken pottery and decorating the repaired areas with gold. The artist said she no longer felt sad about the damage, and the experience would spark her creativity.
The collaboration between Austria and Kyoto is not a one-off event. Meisterstrasse, a Vienna-based portal site connecting around 5,000 workshops with customers worldwide, organized the second such collaborative event in April 2025. The event was held in Kyoto at a nationally registered tangible cultural property residence owned by Nishikawa Teizaburo Shoten, a Kyoto company founded by Kayoko Nishikawa, 67.
Nishikawa, the third-generation president of Nishikawa Teizaburo Shoten, stressed the need for international collaboration to overcome sluggish sales in traditional industries and the shortage of people willing to take up traditional crafts. Young entrepreneurs from Kyoto and craftsmen from Austria echoed Nishikawa's sentiments, stating that standing alongside traditional craftspeople from long-established workshops keeps them motivated.
The Austrian carpenter, who participates in the April exhibition, adheres to the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi, finding beauty in imperfection, impermanence, and simplicity. He creates furniture based on the belief that even coarse wood grain adds character and uniqueness to the work.
The coronavirus pandemic in 2021 left a lasting impact on Rath, who was deeply moved by a virtual exhibition by Nishikawa's company. The company specializes in Kyo-yaki and Kiyomizu-yaki pottery, finely crafted handmade ceramics and porcelain produced in Kyoto. Their collaboration has resulted in bold business initiatives, such as blending tradition with innovation.
Plans are underway to hold an exhibition in Vienna in October and to reveal wares jointly developed by artisans from both cities in 2027.
Written by urgent.news from The Mainichi's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
