Meet young artisans and experience the charm of traditional crafts! The 13th TOKYO Craftsmen's Exhibition" will be held from August 15 to 28.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Tokyo Metropolitan Small and Medium Enterprise Promotion Agency will hold the 13th Tokyo Craftsmen's Exhibition at the Traditional Crafts Aoyama Square (Minato-ku, Tokyo) from August 15 (Friday) to 28 (Thursday), 2025. Aoyama Square (Minato-ku, Tokyo) from Friday, August 15 to Thursday, August 28, 2025. This event will provide an opportunity for families, students and young people interested in crafts, and foreign visitors to Japan to experience the depth of traditional crafts through their five senses while interacting directly with craftspeople.

The 13th TOKYO Craftsmen's Exhibition

Encounters with young artisans who will pioneer the future of traditional crafts

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Tokyo Metropolitan Small and Medium Enterprise Promotion Agency have been promoting a project to support the development of successors to traditional crafts since FY2011. In recent years, the bearers and consumers of traditional crafts have been aging, and passing on skills and culture has become a social issue. Against this backdrop, this event, in which young craftspeople play a leading role, aims to arouse new interest in the world of crafts, create successors for the next generation, and expand the consumer base.

The event is also positioned as a place for young artisans to meet new customers for their activities and crafts, with the aim of lowering the barriers to traditional crafts and making them more accessible to a wider audience.

Enjoying with the Five Senses: Production Demonstrations and Hands-on Production Corner

In addition to the display and sale of traditional crafts by young Tokyo craftspeople, the exhibition will feature a demonstration space where visitors can observe up-close how craftspeople actually use tools and materials to make their products. Visitors will be able to experience the handiwork of craftspeople right in front of them and listen to them talk directly about their craft, allowing them to experience the depth of the crafts and the techniques behind the crafts.

In addition, at the hands-on production corner, visitors can try their hand at traditional crafts themselves. The programs are designed to be enjoyed by all five senses, from children to adults, and are designed to make it easy for even first-time visitors to participate. This program is designed to dispel the image of traditional crafts as being difficult, and to make them more accessible to the public.

Introduction of young craftsmen *Some excerpts

Edo Kimekomi Ningyo

Craftsman Toshimitsu Kakinuma (Kakinuma Doll Co., Ltd.)

Toshimitsu Kakinuma

＜Why did you decide to become a craftsman?

In order to solve the problem of aging craftsmen in charge of the family workshop, he learned the basics of doll making thoroughly under the guidance of a doll maker himself.

<What are your expectations for the TOKYO SHOSHIN EXHIBITION?

I am looking forward to talking with various people at the TOKYO SHIPPO SHOJIN EXHIBITION, as I value the opportunity to communicate with young people.

Tokyo Shippo 

Craftsman Kana Hatakeyama (Hatakeyama Shippo Factory )

Kana Hatakeyama

＜What made you decide to become a craftsman?

It is my family's business, and I first learned through Arakawa Ward's "Takumi Nurturing Support Program. I have been a craftsman for 7 years, but my father says it takes 10 years to become a full-fledged craftsman, so I am still in training.

＜What are your expectations for the TOKYO Craftsmen's Exhibition?

This will be my first time participating in the exhibition and I will be giving a demonstration. I hope that young people and people from overseas will see my work and become interested in Tokyo cloisonne enamel ware and other traditional Japanese crafts.

Edo Hyogu

Craftsman Satoshi Hosoya (Hosoya Interior)

Satoshi Hosoya

＜Why did you decide to become a craftsman?

My father was the same craftsman, and I trained in Tokyo for 6 years to take over his work, and then returned to Chiba for 10 years, for a total of 16 years.

＜What are your expectations for the TOKYO SHOSHIN EXHIBITION?

I think it is important how to pass on the craftsmanship to the younger generation. Many of today's craftsmen are much older, so I hope that as many young people as possible will become interested and come to the craftsmen's side.

Tokyo Umbrella

Craftsman Ryunosuke Koidemizu (Maehara Kouei Shoten Co., Ltd.)

Ryunosuke Koidemizu

＜What made you decide to become a craftsman?

Since I was a child, I vaguely wanted to become a "traditional craftsman" of some kind, but when I was deciding on my career path, I learned about the reality of craftsmen and ended up in the design field. However, I could not stop thinking about my dream of becoming a craftsman, and through a chance encounter with a craftsman, I was able to pursue my dream of becoming an umbrella craftsman.

＜What are your expectations for the TOKYO Craftsmen's Exhibition?

Since I do not have many opportunities to get involved with craftspeople from other industries, I would like to make use of the connections I made at this exhibition to think of ways to promote crafts as a whole.

Future Prospects and Expansion into the Community and Society

Through this event, we aim to connect the appeal and value of traditional crafts to the next generation through direct interaction between young craftspeople and visitors. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Tokyo Metropolitan Small and Medium Enterprise Promotion Agency will continue their efforts to nurture the bearers of traditional crafts and expand the consumer base, and to develop this event as a venue for local communities and international exchange.

Outline of the exhibition

Dates: August 15 (Friday) to August 28 (Thursday), 2025

　　　　　From 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (from 12:00 p.m. on the first day / until 6:00 p.m. on the last day)

Venue ：Traditional Crafts Aoyama Square Special Exhibition Space

　　　　　(8-1-22 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo)

　　　　　*Free admission

Main Activities: (1) Exhibition and sale of traditional crafts produced by young Tokyo craftspeople

　　　　　(2) Production demonstrations to experience the skills and traditions of craftspeople

　　　　　(3) Hands-on workshops where visitors can try their hand at traditional crafts

*More details will be posted here as they become available.

Tokyo Metropolitan Government Home Page

https://www.dento-tokyo.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/events/2025/0815.html#gsc.tab=0

Organizers

Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Association for the Promotion of Traditional Craft Industries

Supported by

Tokyo Traditional Crafts Industry Liaison Council, Tokyo Traditional Craftsmen's Association

Tokyo Metropolitan Traditional Crafts Industry Promotion Association

Tokyo Metropolitan Government Small and Medium Enterprise Promotion Agency