• Our Craft Leaders

    from three annual contests

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  • Ronnie Prize Winner: Shuji NAKAGAWA

    2023 Traditional Crafts

    Ronnie Prize Winner: 

    Shuji NAKAGAWA

    Learn More
  • Ronnie Prize Trophy

                      Ronnie

                      Prize

                      Trophy

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  • New 8 winners/

    Craft Leaders

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  • Steve Beimel

    Steve Beimel

    JC21 Founder

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  • Michael Sonnenfeldt


    Michael 

    Sonnenfeldt

    JC21 Co-Founding Director

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  • Shuji NAKAGAWA



    2023 Ronnie Prize Winner, 

    Shuji NAKAGAWA and 

    U.S. Ambassador to Japan, 

    Rahn Emanual

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  • Tomi Matsuba

    Tomi MATSUBA, Gungendo

    JapanCraft21

    Award Ceremony

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  • Flower Bouquet


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  • Reception


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Our Purpose
To revitalize traditional Japanese master crafts
(dentō kōgei 伝統工芸) by identifying

issues faced by artisans and implementing solutions for the 21st Century.

What We Do

JapanCraft21 was created to reverse the rapid decline of traditional Japanese crafts. In addition to helping to create a school of advanced traditional building skills, we have launched a series of Japan Traditional Craft Revitalization Contests, each designed to revive a traditional Japanese craft so that it flourishes in the 21st century.  Learn More at What We Do.

Traditional Craft
Revitalization Contest

Our Japan Traditional Craft Revitalization Contests search for exceptional project ideas from individuals with outstanding talent, track records and passion, and provide them with a broad and significant support package.

We co-founded the School of Traditional Building Arts in Kyoto to teach rapidly disappearing building skills. Our intensive yearlong courses are held on Sundays to accommodate young working trades people. We teach joinery to carpenters, bamboo mud-wall construction to plasterers, advanced courses in Japanese garden building & maintenance, and training in natural lacquer. JC21 provides full scholarships to all students.

apanCraft21 is committed to educating young up-and-coming crafts people in such projects as our School for Traditional Building Arts, and to educating the public about the value of fine Japanese Master Crafts through social media and our online magazine Japan Living Arts. Also, in order to maximize our effectiveness in achieving our craft revitalization vision, it is imperative that we educate both our staff and our membership. We accomplish this with regular online lectures for our members & private cultural events for our patrons.

The RONNIE Prize is awarded to the first place winner in our Japan Traditional Craft Revitalization Contests, and consists of 5 million yen ($50,000) in project funding for the winning project aiming to revitalize a craft for the 21st Century. The trophy given to each Ronnie Prize winner was created by renowned Japanese sculptor, Kan Yasuda. The work crafted from white statuary marble is entitled Tempi, meaning "mysteries of heaven."

2022 Revitalization Contest Finalists・Craft Leaders

2021 Revitalization Contest Finalists・Craft Leaders

Our Presentation

Asia Society Symposium

Learn more about Japanese Arts & Crafts

JapanLivingArts.com Homepage

A crafts-related website celebrating the Japanese entering into a new “Golden Age” of culture, with time honored arts and crafts, moving rapidly and appropriately into 21st Century life.

What You Can Do

We have opportunities beyond donating to help support the arts.  Find out more here.

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