Kurashiki Museum of Folkcraft (hereafter referred to as “Kurashiki Museum of Folkcraft”) presents the Kurashiki Museum of Folkcraft Award once every three years to a young individual or group in the field of folkcraft whose future achievements are especially promising.
On Friday, March 13, 2026, a press conference was held at the Kurashiki Museum of Folkcraft to announce the recipient of the 16th Kurashiki Museum of Folkcraft Award and discuss the change of museum director.
The information provided was current when this article was published in March 2026. Please note that it may differ from current information.
About the Kurashiki Museum of Folkcraft Award
The Kurashiki Museum of Folkcraft Award was established in memory of the achievements of its first director, Tonomura Kichinosuke. Since 1994, recipients have been selected once every three years.
Recipients are young individuals or groups whose future achievements are especially promising and who are active in the following fields:
- Creating folkcraft items
- Training and developing craftspeople
- Promoting the folkcraft movement
Over the past 15 awards, 14 individuals or groups have received the award.
The press conference
The press conference lasted about 50 minutes and was held on Friday, March 13, 2026, in the irori room of the Kurashiki Museum of Folkcraft.
Kurashiki is a heartland of folkcraft
The press conference began with remarks by Ohara Kenichiro, chair of the board and current director of the Kurashiki Museum of Folkcraft, who announced the recipient of the 16th Kurashiki Museum of Folkcraft Award and explained his thoughts on the change of director.
Ohara Kenichiro (honorific omitted)
The 15th Kurashiki Museum of Folkcraft Award, held previously, resulted in no recipient being selected. In preparation for the 16th award, we therefore replaced the judging panel and reconsidered the selection criteria. As a result, Sunami Ryuki was selected as this year’s recipient.
The director of the Kurashiki Museum of Folkcraft will also change from me to the current assistant director, Yanagisawa Hideyuki.
At present, we have two major thoughts.
First, Kurashiki is a heartland of folkcraft.
Although the first director, Mr. Tonomura, was not from Kurashiki, he established the Kurashiki Museum of Folkcraft with the conviction that the future of folkcraft lay here.
“A heartland of folkcraft” refers to a world created by three parties: the makers of folkcraft works; the happy users who discover beauty in these works and use them in their daily lives; and the distributors who connect the two. The Kurashiki Museum of Folkcraft hopes to be a medium for creating such a heartland of folkcraft.
At the same time, Kurashiki is home to the Ohara Museum of Art.
The relationship between folkcraft and fine art is still being explored, as it has been in the past. That is why we hope to unravel the relationship between folkcraft and fine art from the perspectives of modern and contemporary Japanese cultural, artistic, and art history.
Against this background, Sunami, who is helping to promote folkcraft from Kurashiki, was selected for the 16th Kurashiki Museum of Folkcraft Award, and the directorship is being passed to Yanagisawa, who has close ties with Kurashiki’s makers and distributors and extensive experience at the Ohara Museum of Art.
Sunami Ryuki, recipient of the 16th Kurashiki Museum of Folkcraft Award
The recipient of the 16th Kurashiki Museum of Folkcraft Award is Sunami Ryuki, who was born in Kurashiki City and lives there.
As the fifth-generation head of Sunami Toru Shoten, founded in 1886, Sunami makes traditional igusa (rush grass) products. He also works to promote the folkcraft movement as vice chair of the Okayama Folkcraft Association, a standing director of the Japan Folk Crafts Association, and an editorial committee member of the magazine Mingei.
The judges highly praised his efforts to develop original products suited to modern times by adapting traditional rush-weaving techniques, as well as his work to promote the folkcraft movement.
Sunami made the following comments upon receiving the award.
Yanagisawa Hideyuki to become the fifth director of the Kurashiki Museum of Folkcraft
On Wednesday, April 1, 2026, Yanagisawa Hideyuki will succeed Ohara Kenichiro as director of the Kurashiki Museum of Folkcraft.
After working as a curator at the Okayama Prefectural Museum of Art, Yanagisawa joined the Ohara Museum of Art as a curator in 2002. Since 2023, he has also served as assistant director of the Kurashiki Museum of Folkcraft.
Yanagisawa made the following comments regarding the change of director.
The fundamental aim of the folkcraft movement is to “improve the quality of life for many people.”
I want the Kurashiki Museum of Folkcraft to be a place where many people can reconsider how they live. To that end, I hope to consider ways to improve quality of life, encourage makers, and distribute their works to the world, thereby improving society itself.
Commemorative events
The following commemorative events are planned to mark the selection of the recipient of the 16th Kurashiki Museum of Folkcraft Award.
- Presentation ceremony for the 16th Kurashiki Museum of Folkcraft Award
Sunday, April 19, 2026, from 2:00 p.m. - Commemorative talk for the 16th Kurashiki Museum of Folkcraft Award
Sunday, April 19, 2026, from 3:00 p.m. - Exhibition and sale commemorating the 16th Kurashiki Museum of Folkcraft Award: Sunami Ryuki
Sunday, April 19–Wednesday, May 6, 2026 (substitute holiday)
From the Writer
Ohara, Sunami, and Yanagisawa were in good spirits throughout, chatting animatedly before and after the press conference. It was a chance to experience the open and welcoming nature of Kurashiki’s folkcraft community.
It has been 18 years since a local Kurashiki resident last received the Kurashiki Museum of Folkcraft Award.
With Yanagisawa, who has close ties with Kurashiki’s makers and distributors, becoming director at this auspicious time, there is much interest in what kind of museum the Kurashiki Museum of Folkcraft will become.
The Kurashiki Museum of Folkcraft is one to watch.
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I received this award not through my efforts alone, but thanks to the support of the people who help with my work, grow the rush, sell my products, and share them through exhibitions and other means. I am grateful to everyone who has been involved.
Today, folkcraft is attracting attention as a lifestyle choice, including in the furniture and apparel fields. I hope to continue working to promote folkcraft through a variety of approaches.