Mingei at 100: why Japan’s folk-craft movement still shapes design today

From English potter Bernard Leach to Japanese creative director NIGO and American artist Theaster Gates: these are some of the creators who resonate with Mingei. Wallpaper* guides you through what underpins Mingei and its enduring relevancy in contemporary society.

What is Mingei?

Mingei did not emerge all of a sudden. It is about recognizing the ‘beauty of utility’ in everyday objects that had long been crafted and used for daily life; these everyday items came to be called Mingei, and the Mingei movement arose to raise awareness and promote their value.

Mingei, an abbreviation for folk crafts in Japanese, is a neologism coined in 1925 by Japanese philosopher Sōetsu Yanagi – who felt empathy towards the ideas of British thinkers John Ruskin and William Morris and the Arts and Crafts movement – together with potters Shoji Hamada and Kanjiro Kawai. In the early 20th century, as mass-produced, machine-made items began to spread through life in Japan, Yanagi referred to the simple, practical items created by anonymous artisans - using readily available materials to make useful tools for the people - as 'folk crafts mingei', and recognised in them a wholesome beauty free from ego of artist. The Mingei movement presented a new way of viewing objects and new aesthetic values.

The nine rules of Mingei

So, what are the characteristics that define mingei items? As defined by Yanagi: they need to be practical; they must be made by anonymous craftsmen, rather than by signed artists; they are produced in large quantities for widespread use; they demonstrate skilled craftsmanship honed through the accumulation of labour; as items need to be produced in large numbers, they are made through the division of labour among several artisans; they embody the craft and knowledge passed down from predecessors; they rely on external factors; they reveal the culture of terrain where they are made. Furthermore, they must be affordable so that ordinary people can purchase them. Such objects were produced in the vicinity of people’s daily lives in times when logistics were underdeveloped; naturally mingei items were made throughout Japan and across the world.

A home for Mingei: The Japan Folk Crafts Museum

The Japan Folk Crafts Museum, founded in Tokyo in 1936 by Souetsu Yanagi and others to widely disseminate the concept of mingei and present a new perspective on objects, houses a collection of approximately 17,000 items gathered through the lens of Yanagi. The museum showcases works from Japan, China, Korea, Taiwan and the United Kingdom, represented in the works of ceramics, woodwork, dyed textiles, paintings, metalwork, basketry and stonework, all of which illustrate how folk art arises from everyday life across the globe.

In particular, in Japan – a country stretching long from north to south with climatic differences between regions – lifestyles vary from region to region, and mingei artefacts were created to meet the specific needs of each area. It is also worth noting that many of these traditional crafts still thrive in Japan today. A major factor in this can be attributed to the country’s long-standing policy of national isolation.

From 1639 to 1854 during the Edo period, Japan implemented a policy of national isolation, virtually severing trade and exchange with the rest of the world. By doing so, the ruler sought to limit foreign influence, to make governance of the country easier, and establish a distinct Japanese identity.

Thanks to this policy of minimising foreign influence, industrialisation, which had already begun in the West, was significantly delayed in Japan, for better or for worse. Whereas the UK had pioneered industrialisation in the 18th century, industrialisation had not even begun in Japan. Japan was not yet modernised. Consequently, it can be said that traditional crafts have survived for a long time in Japan.

However, once the Edo period’s policy of national isolation came to an end, the newly established Meiji government rushed to modernise, taking the West as its model, in order to become a modern country. Industrialisation, standardisation and efficiency were essential for modern society. It was against this backdrop of industrialisation in Japan, and mass-produced goods were gradually permeating everyday life, that mingei was coined. In other words, it was an era in which craft was on the transitional stage of being replaced by industry.

The role of Mingei today

Naoto Fukawasa, one of the world’s most influential industrial designers of today and the Director of the Japan Folk Arts Museum, says: ‘I recognise that there is an important relationship between Mingei and design. I do not believe that the role of a contemporary designer is to express oneself, as an artist does. The role of design is to create functional objects that serve everyday life, and design emerges from various factors, such as local materials and local culture. I believe that this approach to design resonates with the spirit that underlies Mingei objects.’

As Fukasawa suggests, many designers, including those from overseas, visit the Museum as a must-see destination in Tokyo, suggesting that there is much to be learnt from Mingei now. ‘Tasks will likely be replaced by technologies such as AI. We can leave the task to AI. However, I believe people are drawn to the uncontrollable elements such as inconsistencies that arise from human hands and cannot be replicated by machines,’ he adds.

Among the museum’s collection, one of Fukasawa’s favourites is a ceramic brazier that fishermen would cradle between their legs whilst on a cold fishing boat. It would be possible to replicate the same object today. However, the thoughtfulness behind the original invention of the brazier - care to keep the body warm whilst at sea - is perhaps something only a human being could have conceived.

The Japan Folk Crafts Museum
4-3-33 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo