On Tuesday, December 9th, our university held a seminar on the Future of Tradition Research entitled "The Challenge of Turning Traditional Crafts into a Brand - The Arita Porcelain Industry and 10 Years of Overcoming Crisis with 'Rin'" with approximately 160 students and members of the public in attendance.
The seminar was held with the aim of learning about successful examples of branding in traditional crafts, and was led by Shinji Kaneko and Sakura Kaneko, representative directors of Kinshodo Co., Ltd. They explained everything from the origins of Arita ware to its future prospects, using videos and actual porcelain.
Utilizing the various techniques of Arita ware, which boasts a 400-year tradition, the company launched the innovative Arita ware brand "Lin" in 2015, with the theme of "Bringing sparkle to everyday life." The brand features a metallic-like texture and lustrous colors that change depending on the angle from which it is viewed. The brand has received high praise in specialist magazines and exhibitions overseas.
Sakura Kaneko, a graduate of our university, explained the production process and the skills of the craftsmen based on her own experience. She also introduced the unique design of "Arita ware" and the differences between it and "Hasami ware."
Kaneko Shinji spoke about the hardships he felt during the Lehman Shock and the COVID-19 pandemic, including the market conditions at the time. He spoke about what inspired him to come up with the idea of rebranding Arita ware and the strategy that has enabled him to establish his current position. He concluded the seminar by saying, "Keep taking on small challenges, and little by little find your strengths that set you apart, and find things you love that you can use as your core."
TraditionalArts and CraftsResearch CenterIn the future, the Future will strengthen its role as a hub for research exchange, and will also hold FutureTraditionalArts and Crafts Research Seminars with the aim of promoting surveys and analytical research aimed at resolving issues facing traditional crafts.
[Traditional Future Research Center]
