ASPIRE TOKYO GALLERY

Birudan washi　1981–

Takakuni Kawahara

川原隆邦

Chronology

  1. 1981Born on 31 May. Grows up in Kanagawa, Chiba and Indonesia as his father's work moves the family
  2. 2003Becomes a pupil of Torakichi Yoneoka, the only remaining maker of Birudan washi (Kawahara Seisakusho, Asahi, Toyama Prefecture)
  3. 2009His teacher Torakichi Yoneoka dies; he becomes the only direct heir to Birudan washi
  4. 2015Makes the interior of Kurobe-Unazukionsen Station on the Hokuriku Shinkansen, among other commissions. Moves his workshop to Mushidani in Tateyama
  5. 2018Takes part in an official event of Japonismes 2018 at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris
  6. 2020Makes the entrance at Toranomon Station on the Tokyo Metro and the reception wall at Toranomon Global Square
  7. 2025Makes BIRUDAN for the entrance to the State Guest House at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai
  8. 2026Takes part in Grand Seiko's The Nature of Time at Milan Design Week 2026, showing aurora and Utsuroi

Awards

  1. 2018Participated in “Japon-Japonismes” (150 Years of Japonisme), Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris
  2. 2017Grand Prize, U-50 International Hokuriku Kogei Award
  3. 2017Selected for the Forbes JAPAN Local Innovator Award 2017
  4. 2016Prime Minister’s Award and Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry’s Award, Human Power Award (Junior Chamber International Japan)
  5. 2016Runner-up Grand Prix, ADC Award, Members’ Award and Jury Special Award, TOYAMA ADC
  6. 2009Japan Folk Crafts Association Prize, Japan Folk Crafts Museum Exhibition
  7. 2006Silver Prize, Toyama Traditional Crafts Competition

Group Exhibitions & Art Fairs

  1. 2026Grand Seiko at Milan Design Week 2026, The Nature of Time. Exhibited aurora and Utsuroi
  2. 2025BIRUDAN, entrance of the State Guest Hall, Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai (approx. 2 × 6.5 m)
  3. 2020Toranomon Station entrance, Tokyo Metro Ginza Line / Reception wall, Toranomon Global Square (3.5 × 10 m)
  4. 2018–19Japonismes 2018 official programme, Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Palais du Louvre, Paris
  5. 2015Interior, Kurobe-Unazuki-Onsen Station, Hokuriku Shinkansen / Lobby, Toyama Prefectural Citizens' Hall / Walls of TOYAMA Kirari, floors 2–3 (Kengo Kuma & Associates)
  6. 2014Revived the hand-printed talismans of Ashikura, Tateyama, from Edo-period woodblocks; has produced the Tateyama talisman for Oyama Shrine every year since
  7. 2012Presented a washi rendering of the city crest to the Mayor of Florence / Work delivered to the Koshi-no-Kuni Museum of Literature, Toyama
  8. 2011Entrance installation, Japan Expo, Paris
  9. 協働Collaborations with companies including ASICS Walking (WALKS) and Zensho Holdings (ZENSHO STORY)