The Tokyo Expo, part of the Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten 300th anniversary event "Dai Nippon City Expo: Five Days of Fun with Crafts—Tokyo, Iwate, Nagasaki, Niigata, and Nara," will be held from January 13th to 17th at the Tokyo Midtown Event Space Atrium.
The expo is being held in Tokyo, Iwate, Nagasaki, Niigata, and Nara, in order to realize Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten's vision of "revitalizing Japanese crafts!" and to first bring crafts closer to more people. The venue, where craft makers and users can meet, will feature exhibits and events that engage all five senses, including hands-on crafts.
In addition to craft shops and workshops shared across the five regions, the Tokyo Expo, which begins on the 13th, will also feature the debut of a limited-edition shop for Hanazono Jusai, a new brand of crafts and plants created in collaboration with plant hunter Seijun Nishihata. Also, as a collaboration between "food and crafts," ABC Cooking Studio and Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten will be holding a cooking lesson called "Learn about Japanese traditions and food: Make delicious Japanese sweets with Japanese tools" (from January 13th to February 29th. The lesson costs 5,000 yen and requires registration). In addition, as a Tokyo Expo exclusive product, the "Kayanoya Official Supplier Soup Bowl Set" by Urushi Rindo of Sabae, Fukui Prefecture will be available in three colors, and original menu items will also be sold at Jyuya (Kayanoya Tokyo Midtown store).
In addition, to commemorate the release of "Japan Crafts Edition Monopoly," a game board that allows you to learn about crafts from all over Japan in a fun way, an event for purchasers, "Japan Crafts Edition Monopoly Tournament Taught by World Champions," will be held on the 17th from 1pm to 6pm. During the expo, advance sales of crafts featured in the Monopoly game will also be available, including the "Tokyo Edo Kiriko Glass Set (Hemp Leaf Design, Plain)" (¥12,000, limited to 200 pieces) and the "Nagasaki Hasami Ware HASAMI BLOCKMUG with Hand-Painted Hemp Leaf Design" (¥6,000, limited to 50 pieces). From the 13th to the 15th, talk shows will be held featuring prominent guests from various fields, including former Japanese national soccer team member Hidetoshi Nakata, who connect Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten with crafts. On the 15th and 16th, there will be a one-of-a-kind Kutani ware workshop using Kutani Seal, a brand of Kutani ware from Kamide Choemon Kiln, and a lacquering workshop featuring Toru Uchida, the 8th generation owner of Urushirindo in Sabae, Fukui Prefecture. Additionally, a special "Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten" will also be set up as part of the "Nakagawa Masashichi Shopping Street," separate from the regular stores. Various commemorative products designed to commemorate the 300th anniversary will also be on sale here, including the "Hexagonal Sake Bottle and Choko" (¥50,000, limited to 50 sets) and the "Kisara Small Heart Pin Badge" (¥3,000 to ¥33,000, limited to a total of 300 of each type).
After the Tokyo Expo ends, the exhibition will travel around the country, moving to Iwate Public Hall in Iwate from May 3rd to 5th, the former Hasami Town Central Elementary School Auditorium and Public Hall in Nagasaki from September 22nd to 25th, Sanjo Monozukuri School in Niigata from October 6th to 9th, and Ukigumo Garden in Nara Park from November 1st to 6th.
