Report on Living National Treasures Designation Submitted

On July 20, the Council for Cultural Affairs submitted a report on three people to be designated as Important Intangible Cultural Properties (Living National Treasures) to HAYASHI Yoshimasa, the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. The list includes KOMIYA Yasumasa, studied under his father Yasutaka, a Living National Treasure, who mastered the traditional techniques of Edo komon, realizing the exquisite patterns represented by the ‘renko pattern’ by paying thorough attention to the fabrics suitable for dyeing, Japanese stencil paper and glue; and YAMAGISHI Kazuo, studied chinkin (sunken gold) under MAE Taihō and makie lacquer technique under MATSUDA Gonroku, who refined his skills with originality and ingenuity and expanded the possibilities of expression by effectively interweaving the techniques of chinkin and other techniques. (Japanese)