Japanese Craftsmanship Exhibition Opens at ADI Design Museum in Milan

The exhibition 工＝藝 KO = GHEI, curated by architect Naohiko Mitsui, opened at the ADI Design Museum in Milan, showcasing contemporary Japanese high craftsmanship. The term kogei (工藝) integrates technique (Ko) and creativity (Ghei), balancing function and beauty. The display features works by Living National Treasures, including Sekijin Ito (Sekisui ITO V), in ceramics, lacquer, and kabazaiku (wild cherry bark craft from Kakunodate, Akita Prefecture). The exhibition is part of an international expansion program for Japanese regional products. Mitsui, who works between Milan and Tokyo, stated that Milan's design heritage provides an ideal context for presenting these works not as folklore but as mature design projects. The show symbolically continues the legacy of kitamaebune merchant ships that transported goods and culture along the Sea of Japan from the 17th to 19th centuries.