Meet the Artisan Online
伝統文化の職人とオンラインで交流できる新たな取り組み
新型コロナウイルスの流行により国境を超えた文化体験が止まっている中、いかに国境を越えた伝統文化の伝播を止めずにできるかを弊社は常に思索してきました。
オンラインを使用した交流が産学問わず様々な領域に広がっていることを参照し、これを文化体験に持ち込まずにいることはできないと考え、この度は新たな取り組みとしてオンラインで伝統文化の職人と交流する機会を作ってみました。
In a moment where travel and in-person cultural experiences pose many safety risks, we at TOKI have been imagining ways to keep the spread and growth of cross-cultural experiences alive in new and innovative ways.
The radically imaginative uses of digital space in recent months has inspired us to reimagine some our most bespoke cultural experiences. Working in partnership with our cultural partners, we have created an exciting online opportunity to speak directly with Japan’s most treasured gatekeepers of tradition.
Artisans
About the Artisan
Yoshindo Yoshihara is considered the foremost present-day swordsmith in terms of both popularity and skill - a true genius.
Yoshihara has crafted works for the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, and countless other institutions and individuals in Japan and around the world. His mastery and technique has contributed to the spread of sword making as a true work of art. Yoshihara has welded over 500 swords in his lifetime, and at 77 years of age, still crafts each sword by hand.
Currently, only 300 swordsmiths in Japan remain active in the art of sword making. However, only 30 are able to make swordsmithing their sole occupation.
The Yoshihara workshop, with 6 active apprentices, is the last remaining location in Tokyo to continue the tradition of Japanese sword making. To become a master swordsmith, one must commit to 10 years of rigorous apprenticeship.
About the Service
時間は40分ほど、料金は$700
事前に話したい内容に関するアンケートにお答えいただき、当日は普段体験のファシリテーションを務める通訳も入れた上で会話を進めます。
また、長い刀の注文をここで行うこともできます。長い刀はオーダーメイドでしか注文を受けないため、本来は対面で会わないと注文を受けられませんが、この機会を利用して長い刀の注文を行うこともできます。
$700/40 min
Before the talk session, please answer a questionnaire about what you are interested in speaking with Yoshihara about. In line with our in-person experiences, there will be an interpreter-guide during the call to facilitate and translate the conversation.
Long katana commissions are also possible in this call. A long katana is completely tailor-made, thus we typically request that guests visit and speak with Yoshihara before commissioning. However, Yoshihara has now specially extended his commission requests to this one-on-one online talk session.