Yomiuri Aoniyoshi Prize Winners Announced

The winners of the 7^th Yomiuri Aoniyoshi Prize (sponsored by the Yomiuri Shimbun with special support from the Japan Society for the Conservation of Cultural Property), which publicly honors individuals and organizations for their outstanding achievements in the fields of conservation science and restoration, were announced. The Aoniyoshi Prize was given to AWATA Junji, who carries on the tradition of Anōshū, a group of stonemasons who were highly respected by Oda Nobunaga and is engaged in repairing castle stonewalls. TORIHARA Yūji, who produces gold and silver threads for gold brocade and other materials used in the decoration of cultural properties, received the Encouragement Prize, and the Sumitomo Foundation (President: SUMITOMO Kichizaemon), which provides grants for the restoration of cultural properties, was selected for the Special Prize. (Japanese)