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Category: Matsumoto

Celebration of Handmade: Visiting the 2013 Matsumoto Craft Fair

August 6, 2013Matsumoto Travels

Every year as spring turns to summer, the quiet castle town of Matsumoto in mountainous Nagano prefecture is transformed into the craft capital of Japan. Crowds of people come from afar to celebrate the work of several hundred of the country’s leading craftspeople at the two-day Matsumoto Craft Fair.

Since its humble beginnings in 1984, the fair has become the biggest and most prestigious of a growing number of open-air craft fairs that take place across Japan annually. Although the Matsumoto event showcases the work of approximately 260 craftsmen, the competition for places is fierce, which means that entry standards are very high. Only 1 in 5 of applicants reportedly are accepted to participate.

The manhole covers in Matsumoto depicts the town's famous craft, temari. embroidered balls for traditional ball games.
This brightly colored manhole covers in Matsumoto depicts the town’s famous craft, temari. embroidered balls for traditional ball games. Such attention to detail seemed quite appropriate for the town that hosts the largest craft fair in Japan.

I experienced the excitement of the most recent craft fair in Matsumoto on the final weekend of May 2013 when I, along with 250,000 other craft enthusiasts, made the two and a half hour pilgrimage by train from Tokyo.

At the train station, I was welcomed by an advertising banner announcing “Matsumoto Craft Month” (kougei-no-gogatsu). The success of the craft fair has contributed to the growth of the city’s tourism and it now organizes numerous craft related events and workshops throughout May that builds up to the climax of the main craft fair at the end of the month.

The banner advertising Matsumoto Craft Month welcoming guests at JR Matsumoto station.
A banner advertising Matsumoto Crafts Month welcomes guests at JR Matsumoto station.

It takes around 20 minutes to walk from the train station to Agata-no-Mori Park where the show is held. This 15-acre sprawling park is lined with tall Himalayan cedars and houses a beautiful historic school building. By the time I arrived in the late morning though, the park’s promenade was tightly packed with the biggest crowd that I have ever seen at a Japanese craft fair. The atmosphere was festive and everyone seemed excited to be there.

A large crowd packs the Agata-no-mori Park promenade at Craft Fair Matsumoto.
A large crowd packs the Agata-no-mori Park promenade at the Matsumoto Craft Fair.

Each of the stalls that I visited displayed beautiful and truly unique work. Besides the exceptional quality on show, another characteristic that differentiates this fair from others that I have visited was the sheer diversity of crafts on display. Of the 260 stalls, approximately 80 were ceramics, 50 wood, 25 glass, 25 textiles, 20 metal, 10 leather, 4 apparel, and 40 other miscellaneous outlets. This “others” group included stalls selling raw materials, tools and even books related to crafts that I have not seen elsewhere. Additionally, there were 40 stalls brimming with food and drinks that made the fair an event that one can enjoy for a whole day.

A man demonstrates cotton spinning on a wheel at Craft Fair Matsumoto
A crafts maker demonstrates cotton spinning on a wheel at the Matsumoto Craft Fair

Another unique feature of the show was its serendipitous design. The participants choose where to locate their stalls on a first-come first-serve basis. There was no map to locate where a favored craftsman might be found, so there was plenty of incentive to go around as much of the show as possible to see what was on display. I really enjoyed this element of surprise, which allowed me to wander through all the stalls without the distraction of intent. After a while, I noticed that the end of the park was far less crowded than the entrance, so the next time I come here I will start at the end and work my way back to the front of the park.

The makers Kobayashi Katsuhisa, Ito Akinobu, and Sakai Mika, whom Studio KotoKoto has introduced to the U.S. were also participating in the show, and it was very exciting for me to see them again at such a prestigious setting.

Woodworker, Kobayashi Katsuhisa's stall was found on the promenade of Agata-no-mori Park
Woodworker Kobayashi Katsuhisa’s stall on the promenade of Agata-no-mori Park. His shaker-style cherry tea boxes were sold out in just 30 minutes.
Potter Ito Akinobu with his family at Craft Fair Matsumoto.
Potter Ito Akinobu and his young family at the Matsumoto Craft Fair. This is a fun weekend event for participants and their families.
Ceramic artist Sakai Mika in Matsumoto. Her stall was found close to end of the park.
Nerikomi potter Sakai Mika at the craft fair with her husband. Her stall was located towards the end of the park.

With its sterling reputation and huge popular appeal, it is hard to imagine that the Matsumoto craft fair has only been running for 29 years. It normally takes many more decades to become so renowned. The fair was founded by a small group of dedicated craft artists after one of its members was inspired by craft shows that he had witnessed in the U.S. and the U.K. He proposed starting a similar outdoor event in Matsumoto where the fans of handmade crafts could meet their makers in a fun environment.

The Matsumoto fair will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2014. If you happen to be in Japan during the last weekend of May and want to see what the very best of the country’s young and talented crafts makers have to offer, this is the place for you. Just bring your enthusiasm, a hat, and a comfortable pair of shoes.

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