Society for Japanese Art

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Society for Japanese Art

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Society for Japanese Art est. 1937
📖 Andon journal - twice a year
🗞️Monthly Newsletter
🎨Activities, lectures & seasonal seminars (also online)

05/10/2026

NEWSLETTER ARTICLE | Silvain Guignard’s Collection

This month’s newsletter turns to a hanging scroll by Hashimoto Gahō, drawn from the collection of SJA member Silvain Guignard. Musicologist, scholar of Japanese culture, and licensed master of the biwa (the traditional Japanese lute), Guignard spent forty years in Kyoto, where he assembled a private collection devoted to scroll paintings, screen paintings, and Zen calligraphy from the 16th to the 19th century.

Read the full article on our website via the link in our bio.
Discover more pieces from Silvain Guignard’s collection: https://guignard-kyoto-collection.ch

27/09/2026

SJA ACTIVITY | Tea Ceremony with Matsuo Haruka 🍵

Yesterday’s activity centred on the Japanese tea ceremony, guided by ceramic artist and tea master Matsuo Haruka. She opened with an introduction to the Kigata Banko technique and its relationship to her tea practice. Afterwards, architect Barry van Waveren shared his insights on Dutch and Japanese architecture, and how these shaped the tea hut in which Haruka later performed the ceremony. The occasion was further enriched by Anouk Vlinders’ singing, and the day closed with a conversation on the history of tea ceremony and Japanese craft traditions.

We are thankful to Matsuo Haruka for hosting us and to Barry van Waveren and Anouk Vlinders for their contributions. And of course, thank you to everyone who joined us!

Couldn’t make it? Read our interview with Matsuo Haruka on our website.

10/09/2026

RECAP OF JAPANESE PRINTS WORKSHOP | Marjolein de Raat shares about her experience

“In August, I participated in a workshop on Japanese woodblock carving and printing, sponsored by the SJA. I was very excited for this opportunity, because while I have studied and worked with Japanese woodblock prints before, I had never experienced the process of making them. This workshop gave me renewed respect for the craftspeople involved in the complicated process of creating these prints. Especially the carving of the wooden blocks, with their fine lines and need for exact accuracy, is an incredible skill. Mr Kitamura, the artist who taught the workshop, was very patient and encouraging, and taught us much more about the process. He showed us his own work, which was amazing to see. I thought I knew a fair bit about woodblock prints but I realised there is so much more to learn. Reading about the process is one thing, but seeing the amount of blocks needed for a print in real life, and feeling for yourself how much time and skill it takes to carve even one, really changes your perspective.
For my own print, I was inspired by an original by Tsukioka Yosh*toshi. It depicts a priestess confronting the ghost of her father’s murderer, and I love the composition and drama. The two days of the workshop were only barely enough to finish the black lineblock and the red colourblock, but I am happy with what I managed to achieve!” - Marjolein de Raat

Image of the print: Tsukioka Yosh*toshi. Moonlight over Mount Yoshino, 1886. Woodblock print on paper. Victoria and Albert Museum, E.1009-1914.

22/08/2026

SJA ACTIVITY | Meet Matsuo Haruka

On Saturday, 26 September, we are taking you behind the scenes of artist, ceramist, and tea master Matsuo Haruka’s studio and tea hut in Hilversum.

About the artist:
Matsuo Haruka is a Japanese artist, ceramist, and tea master who holds degrees from both the Kyoto City University of Arts and the Gerrit Rietveld Academy. As the 9th-generation successor in Kigata Banko ceramics, she explores how traditional Japanese tea culture can be reinterpreted in modern, sustainable ways.

What to expect?
🍵 Discover the rare technique of Kigata Banko, a traditional method where clay is wrapped around wooden moulds to create light, delicate tea ceramics.
🍵 Step into Haruka’s tea hut for an introduction to the Ōbaku Baisa Ryū school of Sencha.
🍵 Enjoy two infusions of premium Gyokuro green tea during the tea ceremony, traditional Japanese sweets, and a curated selection of other teas.
🍵 Learn about her self-designed, eco-conscious tea house project, “Tea Tree, Tea Treaty,” followed by an informal chat and Q&A.

SJA members: €24,50 (30+) / €7,50 (under 30)

Want to bring a +1? Don’t want to come solo? Bring a friend along! Non-members can sign up for an SJA membership for the rest of the year for a discounted rate and attend this event for just €27,50 total. They can sign up directly through the event link above; no need to register on our main website first, and we’ll take care of setting up their membership for them.

Sign up through the link in bio and see you on 26 September 2026, 13:00–16:00 @ Mierenmeent 122, Hilversum!

14/08/2026

NEWSLETTER ARTICLE | Poetry Inspired Pottery - The Adornment of Japanese Tea Ware by Laura Vermeulen

This month’s contribution « Poetry Inspired Pottery: The Adornment of Japanese Tea Ware » is written by our new board member, Laura Vermeulen, who explores the interplay between Japanese ceramics and poetry. She discusses works by masters Ogata Kenzan and Ōtagaki Rengetsu, as well as a surimono by Hokusai featuring a comical kyōka.  
The article is available to SJA members on our website. Link in bio.

Image 1: Katsushika Hokusai 葛飾北斎 (1760–1849), ‘Sōma Ware’ (Sōma yaki), from the series Horse Compendium (Uma zukushi), 1822 (Year of the Horse), surimono, polychrome woodblock print, poem by Shūfūen Hananushi 秋風園花主 (dates unknown). Photo © Yale University Art Gallery.

Image 2: Otagaki Rengetsu 大田垣蓮月(1791–1875), tea cup inscribed with a self-written waka poem, nineteenth century, earthenware (Rengetsu-yaki). The Rengetsu Foundation Project (2005–2026), photo © The Rengetsu Foundation.

Image 3: Otagaki Rengetsu 大田垣蓮月(1791–1875), lidded box adorned with a self-written waka poem, nineteenth century, earthenware (Rengetsu-yaki). The Rengetsu Foundation Project (2005–2026), photo © The Rengetsu Foundation.

Image 4: Ogata Kenzan 尾形乾山 (1663–1743), Plates with Poems and Paintings of the Twelve Lunar Months, late eighteenth century, earthenware with underglaze iron and overglaze enamels. Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), photo © Museum Associates / LACMA.

06/08/2026

WINNER OF THE JAPANESE PRINTS WORKSHOP | Marjolein de Raat won the funded spot!

Marjolein is taking part in the woodblock printing workshop at the Wereldmuseum in Leiden this week. She holds an MA in East Asian Studies from Leiden University, where she focused on the exchange between Japanese and European art and material culture in the early modern period. She has since worked for various museums in the Netherlands and the UK, including the National Museum of Scotland, the Zuiderzeemuseum, and the Victoria & Albert Museum, working mainly with textiles and clothing, ceramics, and works on paper. Inspired by the objects she encountered in these collections, she went on to pursue further training in conservation and restoration, which she is currently studying at the University of Antwerp.
In her personal art practice, she explores the styles and techniques of different periods in art history. Shecreates both replicas for educational purposes and original illustrations. She’s especially drawn to the strong lines and rich colours shared by medieval European illuminations and Japanese woodblock prints.

After the workshop: an interview with the artist, and a post revealing the result!

01/08/2026

YOUTH MEMBER EVENT | Traditional Tea Ceremony and Ceramic Studio Visit

On September 26th, our youth members are invited to join us for a visit to Haruka’s ceramic studio, where she will share the fascinating history and techniques behind Kigata Banko ceramics. Afterwards, we’ll head to her tea hut, where she will introduce us to the Ōbaku Baisa Ryū school of Sencha and perform a traditional tea ceremony. Throughout the day, you will enjoy two infusions of Gyokuro green tea, Japanese sweets, and a curated selection of other teas. We will wrap up the day with a presentation on her Tea Tree, Tea Treaty tea hut project, followed by a Q&A session.

Matsuo Haruka, a Japanese artist/designer, ceramist and tea master, holds degrees from Kyoto City University of Arts and the Gerrit Rietveld Academy, and currently lives and works in the Netherlands. She is the ninth-generation successor to be working in Kigata Banko, a rare traditional technique in which a thin layer of clay is wrapped around a special wooden mold. The result is a thin and light ceramic piece, perfect for drinking green tea. In May of this year, she opened her self-designed tea house “Tea Tree, Tea Treaty”, made of recycled and reused materials, through which she explores how the traditional Japanese tea house can be reinterpreted in modern society.

The visit to Haruka’s ceramic studio and tea hut will take place on 26 September 2026, 13:00-16:00 @ Mierenmeent 122, Hilversum. Costs are €24,50 (30+) / €7,50 (until age 29). Sign-up can be done through the link in bio.

All images courtesy of Matsuo Haruka.

24/07/2026

NEWSLETTER ARTICLE | “Globalisation Fascination: The 1929 Commemorative Zeppelin Kimono” by Luca van Leeuwen

Every month, a short article will be published on the SJA website that covers a different topic, such as objects in museums or members’ collections, as well as interviews with artists, curators, collectors and authors.

This month’s contribution, “Globalisation Fascination” explores the story behind the fascinating kimonos that were designed in commemoration of the LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin that landed in Tokyo in 1929. The airship was piloted by Dr. Eckener, who made a flawless flight around the world in just 21 days, making only 3 stops along the way, including one in Tokyo. The arrival of the Zeppelin attracted immense attention in Japan, and its crew and passengers were even personally welcomed by the mayor of Tokyo. Many businesses sought to take advantage of this historic occurrence to sell memorabilia, resulting in multiple kimono designs featuring the airship.

The article is available to SJA members on our website. Link in bio.

We also welcome our members to share more about their own collection, research and interests for our monthly article; ideas can be submitted to [email protected].

Image 1. Image 4: Under-kimono for men in honour of the circumnavigation of the Graf Zeppelin. ca. 1929, printed cotton, 130 x 109 cm. © The Phoebus Foundation, Antwerp.

Image 2. Haori in honour of the circumnavigation of the Graf Zeppelin. ca. 1929, printed silk, 129 x 107 cm. © The Phoebus Foundation, Antwerp.

Image 3. Haori in honour of the circumnavigation of the Graf Zeppelin, lining detail picture. © The Phoebus Foundation, Antwerp.

13/07/2026

REMINDER FUNDED POSITION FOR STUDENT ARTIST | Two-day workshop on Japanese prints at Wereldmuseum Leiden, 5-6 August 2026

This is a reminder that the Society for Japanese Art is funding one position for student artists, giving them the opportunity to learn Japanese woodblock printing from master printmaker Shōichi Kitamura.

The position is open to artists currently enrolled at an accredited art academy or fine arts program. Artists can apply by sending a short motivation (max. 150 words) from their institutional email address, detailing how this workshop will benefit their artistic practice, together with three images of their work to [email protected] with the subject line ‘student artist workshop application’. The deadline for applications is 20 July. Funding covers only the workshop fee and does not include travel expenses or accommodation.

The SJA looks forward to receiving your applications!

More information on the workshop is available in the link in bio.

Image: Shōichi Kitamura, published by Unsōdō. Kyoto Folding Fan – Ōnish*tsune Shōten, 2021. Woodblock print on paper, 25 x 34.5 cm. Unsōdō, Kyoto.

04/07/2026

TWO-DAY WORKSHOP & FUNDING | Two-day workshop on Japanese prints at Wereldmuseum Leiden 5/6 August 2026& a funded position for a student artist.

The Wereldmuseum in Leiden offers a unique opportunity to discover the centuries-old Japanese art of woodblock carving and printing. For the first time, master printmaker Shōichi Kitamura is bringing his expertise to the Netherlands to share his craftsmanship.

Mr Kitamura is a highly sought-after woodblock carver from Kyoto who not only carves new printing blocks for reissues of historical prints, but also creates complex woodcuts for international contemporary artists. He has previously led workshops outside Japan, but this is his first visit to the Netherlands.

On the first day, participants will carve a small-format print from wooden printing blocks, which they will then use to create a multi-colour print the following morning. During the workshop, participants will receive a set of tools, including seven Japanese gouges/chisels and various Japanese brushes, allowing them to practice their new craft afterwards.
Tickets, priced at €250, will be available from 12:00 on 13 July on this page: https://leiden.wereldmuseum.nl/nl/zien-en-doen/activiteiten/workshop-japanse-prentkunst-met-shoichi-kitamura (link in bio).

The Society for Japanese Art is funding one position for student artists, providing them with the chance to engage with the medium of Japanese woodblock printing. The position is open to artists currently enrolled at an accredited art academy or fine arts program. Artists can apply by sending a short motivation (max. 150 words) from their institutional email address, detailing how this workshop will benefit their artistic practice together with three images of their work to: [email protected] with the subject line ‘student artist workshop application’.
The deadline for applications is 20 July. Funding only covers the workshop fee and does not include travelexpenses and accommodation.

The SJA is looking forward to receiving your applications!

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