On October 24, the Japanese government announced five recipients of the Order of Culture and fifteen recipients of the Person of Cultural Merit for the fiscal year 2017. In relation to art, yōga painter OKUTANI Hiroshi was awarded the Order of Culture, and sculptor AMAMIYA Keiko and photographer SUGIMOTO Hiroshi were awarded the Person of Cultural Merit. (Japanese)
On March 8, the Agency for Cultural Affairs announced the recipients of the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology’s Art Encouragement Prize for the fiscal year 2016. In the Fine Arts category, artist KŌNOIKE Tomoko for her exhibition ‘Tomoko Konoike: Primordial Violence Vol.2 A New Species of Bone’ and metal artist HASHIMOTO Masayuki for his live sculpting ‘Sunlight Penetrating Fruit’ shared the prize. In the Criticism category, art critic YAMANASHI Toshio was awarded for his monograph ‘Fūkei gakō: Sekai e no kōkan to shinkō’. In the Media Art category, manga artist AKIMOTO Osamu was awarded for his manga ‘KochiKame: Tokyo Beat Cops’. The three recipients of the Art Encouragement Prize for New Artists were architect TANE Tsuyoshi for his architectural design ‘the Estonian National Museum’ in the Fine Arts category; the founder of teamLab INOKO Toshiyuki for the exhibition ‘Drawing on the Water Surface Created by the Dance of Koi and People – Infinity’ in the Development of Art category; and artist MŌRI Yūko for her exhibition ‘Pleated Image’ in the Media Art category. (Japanese)
The winners of the 11th 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 KURODA Shunsuke (Kyoto Prefecture), who had been working on the restoration of national treasures and important cultural properties by using carefully selected materials and unique techniques to produce the base and outer frames of sliding doors and folding screens. The Encouragement Prize was given to MORIMOTO Kikuo (Cambodia), who had been working to revive traditional Cambodian silk textiles that were nearly lost during the civil war. The Special Prize went to Benridō (Kyoto Prefecture), who had been engaged in the reproduction of cultural properties such as the Shōsōin archives using collotype that offers exceptional reproducibility and durability. (Japanese)
The Ringa Art Encouragement Award (organized by the Ringa Art Encouragement Fund), which publicly honors outstanding individuals for their exceptional achievements in the field of art criticism and art history research, announced the winners of the 29th Ringa Art Encouragement Prize. In the Art History Research Division, SHIOYA Jun (Head of Cultural Properties Information Section as well as Head of Modern / Contemporary Art Section, Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties), MASHINO Keiko (Part-time Lecturer, Waseda University) and EMI Chizuko (Head of Hyaku-gojū-nenshi hensanshitsu, The Tokyo National Museum) were jointly awarded for their publication titled ‘Tennō no bijutsushi 6: Kindai kōshitu imēji no sōshutsu: Meiji Taishō jidai (Art History of the Imperial Court 6: The Meiji and Taishō Periods: Creating the Image of a Modern Imperial Family)’. In the Art Criticism Division, TSUZUKU Masatoshi (Curator, Toyota Municipal Museum of Art) received the prize for his curated exhibition titled ‘Spider’s Thread – Spinning images of Japanese beauty’ and the contribution of his essay to its exhibition catalog. (Japanese)
On March 8, the exhibition ‘Alfons Mucha’ opened at the National Art Center, Tokyo (until June 5). The exhibition featured works by Alfons Mucha, a leading Art Nouveau artist. Among them, ‘The Slav Epic’, a series of 20 large-format canvases, created in his native Czech Republic, were exhibited for the first time outside the county. The exhibition highlighted Mucha’s patriotic side, which had rarely been introduced to the public. (Japanese)
The Buddhist Art Society was established with the aim of providing opportunities to publish research papers on various arts such as painting, sculpture, crafts, architecture and archaeology related to Buddhism and other Asian religions. It also aims to contribute to the development of research in this field. Its inaugural meeting was held at the University of Tokyo (Hongō Campus) on June 10. The background of its establishment was that the academic journal ‘Bukkyō Geijutsu’ (published by Mainichi shinbunsha), which was first published in 1948, ceased publication with its 350th issue in January 2017, and that there were concerns that research in this field might stagnate due to the loss of opportunities to publish papers. (Japanese)
On November 10, the 39th Suntory Prize for Social Science and Humanities (sponsored by the Suntory Foundation) announced that, in relation to art, KATŌ Kōichi (Associate Professor, University of Tokyo) for his monograph titled ‘Toki ga tsukuru kenchiku (Architecture in Time)’ and KANEKO Yū (critic, film artist) for his monograph titled ‘Eizō no ryōiki’ were awarded in the Literary and Art Criticism category. (Japanese)
On March 10, the Council for Cultural Affairs submitted a report on seven assets to be designated as National Treasures and 37 assets to be designated as Important Cultural Properties to MATSUNO Hirokazu, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. The seven assets to be designated as National Treasures are Bronze statue of Shakyamuni Buddha (銅造釈迦如来倚像) (Jidaiji temple, Tokyo); Wooden seated statue of Yuima (木造維摩居士坐像) (Hokkeji temple, Kyoto); Wooden seated statue of Dainichi Nyorai and Wooden seated statue of Fudō gōzanze myōō (木造大日如来坐像・木造不動降三世明王坐像) (Amanosan Kongōji temple, Osaka); Lotus Sutra, Kunōji kyō Sutra (法華経 (久能寺経)) (Private Collection); Issai kyō Sutra, Song Dynasty edition (宋版一切経) (Godaiji temple, Kyoto); Wooden tablets excavated from Heijōkyō (平城宮跡出土木簡) (kept at the Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties); and Excavated artifacts from Tōdaijiyama Tumulus (奈良県東大寺山古墳出土品) (kept at the Tokyo National Museum). One of the 37 assets to be designated as Important Cultural Properties is Rhinoceros-shaped Incense Burner (三彩兕觥形香炉), a representative work of OKUDA Eisen (Kenninji temple, Kyoto). The Council for Cultural Affairs also recommended that 226 buildings, including the Shiriyazaki Lighthouse, the tallest lighthouse (33m) in Japan, be registered as Registered Tangible Cultural Properties. (Japanese)
On June 16, the Council for Cultural Affairs submitted a report on the following places to be designated as Special Historic Site, Places of Scenic Beauty or Historic Sites to MATSUNO Hirokazu, the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. The list includes Kasori Shell Mound (Chiba City), one of the largest Jōmon period settlement sites in Japan, was designated as a Special Historic Site; eleven places such as Miyakozuka Tumulus (Asuka Village, Nara Prefecture), confirmed to be an unprecedented pyramid-shaped mound, to be designated as Historic Sites; six places such as Yubatake, a source of hot spring water at Kusatsu Onsen, to be designated as Places of Scenic Beauty. The list also includes five places such as the Okinawa Prefectural Railways Yonabaru Station site, ruins of the station building of light railways that operated in Okinawa from the Taishō to wartime periods, to be selected as Registered Monuments; and the Cultural Landscape of Aso (Aso City et al, Kumamoto Prefecture); and seven landscapes such as grasslands and farming village, in the area of Mount Aso, to be selected as an Important Cultural Landscape. This was the first new designation of a Special Historic Site in seventeen years. (Japanese)
On November 17, the Council for Cultural Affairs submitted a report on the following places to be designated as Places of Scenic Beauty or Historic Sites to HAYASHI Yoshimasa, the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. The list includes ten sites such as the remains of Inuyama Castle (Inuyama City, Aichi Prefecture) to be designated as Historic Sites; two sites such as Enunkan Gardens (Kesennuma City, Miyagi Prefecture), created in the residence of senior retainer of the Sendai Domain, to be designated as Places of Scenic Beauty; two sites such as the Hozumi Bridge (Uwajima City, Ehime Prefecture) to be registered as Registered Monuments; and three sites such as the landscape of Katsushika Shibamata (Katsushika Ward, Tokyo) to be selected as Important Cultural Landscapes. The Council also suggested 188 structures to be designated as Registered Tangible Cultural Properties, including the Former Shōunkaku Annex of Hanamaki Onsen (Hanamaki City, Iwate Prefecture), a large-scale inn building from the early Shōwa Period. (Japanese)
On March 13, the Japan Academy (SHIONO Hiroshi) announced ten recipients of the Japan Academy Prize for the fiscal year 2017, the annual prize given to outstanding achievements in academic fields. In relation to art, NARASAWA Yumi, Professor at Jōsai University, received the prize for her detailed research and systematization of Christian alters from the fifth to twelfth centuries in southern Gaul, South France. (Japanese)
On June 16, ‘Revisions to the Basic Act on the Promotion of Culture and the Arts’ (the Basic Act on Culture and the Arts) was unanimously passed and enacted at an Upper House Plenary Session. It was promulgated and enforced on June 23. The revisions, not limited to the promotion of culture and the arts, but also further extended to incorporate measures in a wide range of related fields, such as tourism, town development, international exchange, social welfare, education and industry into the scope of the act. They also sought to utilize the various new values created through culture and the arts to further their succession, development and creation. (Japanese)
On November 30, the Japan Art Academy (Director: KUROI Senji) announced that it had elected eight new members to the Japan Art Academy for their outstanding achievements in artistic activities. In relation to art, nihonga painter NISHIDA Shunei, yōga painter NEGISHI Yūji and architect ISOZAKI Arata were elected. The election was officially announced by HAYASHI Yoshimasa, the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology on December 15. (Japanese)
On March 16, the Agency for Cultural Affairs announced the winning works for the 20th Japan Media Arts Festival Awards that are given to excellent media artworks from inside and outside of Japan. The Grand Prizes were given to a media installation titled ‘Interface I’ by Ralf BAECKER (Germany) in the Art Division; a video work titled ‘Shin Godzilla’ directed by ANNO Hideaki and HIGUCHI Shinji in the Entertainment Division; an animation titled ‘Your Name’ by SHINKAI Makoto in the Animation Division; and a manga titled ‘BLUE GIANT’ by ISHIZUKA Shinichi in the Manga Division. (Japanese)
The winners of the 12th Western Art Foundation Prize, which publicly honor individuals and organizations involved in curating exhibitions that have contributed to the understanding of Western art and academic research in the field of Western art, were announced. The Academic Prizes for individuals were given to TSUKADA Miki, Curator of the Setagaya Art Museum (for the exhibition ‘Manuel Álvarez Bravo Photographs: Mexico, Light and Time in Silence’) and MOTOHASHI Yayoi, Curator of The National Art Center, Tokyo, (for the exhibition ‘Alfons Mucha’). The Cultural Promotion Prize for institutions was given to INAX Museums for its 10th anniversary special exhibition ‘Making GAUDI’. (Japanese)
On December 2, the winners of the ICOMOS Japan Prize 2017 as well as the ICOMOS Japan Honorable Mention Award were announced. The ICOMOS Japan Prize and the ICOMOS Japan Honorable Mention Award aim to encourage the preservation and conservation of structures, groups of historic buildings, cultural landscapes, monuments and historic ruins as well as historic sites. The ICOMOS Japan Prize was given to ŌTAKE Sachie (Curator at the Kokuyōseki Taiken Museum), who conducted systematic development activities on research, conservation, dissemination and experience learning at the Jōmon period obsidian mines. The ICOMOS Japan Honorable Mention Award was given to TOMINAGA Yoshiaki (CEO, Heritage Structure Engineering Design, Inc.), who contributed to the conservation and utilization of historical buildings as a structural designer. (Japanese)
On March 17, the winner of the 42nd Kimura Ihei Award (Sponsored by the Asahi Shimbun Company and the Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc.), the award given to exceptional new photographers in honor of photographer KIMURA Ihei’s achievements, was announced. The award was given to HARA Mikiko for her photo book ‘Change’. (Japanese)
In May, the international Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), an advisory body to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) that conducts preliminary inspections to determine whether a site should be inscribed on the World Heritage List, recommended the inclusion of the ‘Sacred Island of Okinoshima and Associated Sites in the Munakata Region’, which had been nominated by the Japanese government, excluding Okinoshima Island and its surrounding reefs, on the World Heritage List. On July 9, the UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee, held in Krakow, Poland, overturned the advisory body’s recommendation and decided to inscribe all constituent assets on the World Heritage List as Cultural Heritage Sites. (Japanese)
On December 11, the winners of the VOCA Prize, which encourages young artists who create two-dimensional artworks, were announced. The Grand Prize of the VOCA was given to USUI Yui (‘our crazy red dots’). FUJII Toshiharu (‘Kairaku no hakumaku’) and YAMADA Nanako (‘Iso’) jointly received the VOCA Encouragement Prize. UMEZAWA Kazuki (‘Subete o shirunomo’) and MORIMOTO Aiko (‘Karakusa moyō’) jointly received the VOCA Honorable Mention Prize. The Ohara Museum of Art Prize was given to URAKAWA Taishi (‘Fūkei to yūrei’). The VOCA exhibition 2018, where the winners’ works were exhibited, was held at the Ueno Royal Museum in Tokyo from March 15 to March 30 in 2018. (Japanese)
On March 22, the Japan Art Academy (Director: KUROI Senji) announced the recipients of the 73rd Japan Art Academy Prize. In the Fine Arts category, the Imperial Prize and the Japan Art Academy Prize were given to TAKAKI Seiu (for his calligraphy ‘Kyōriku’, exhibited at the third Kaiso Shin-Nitten). In the same category, NISHIDA Shunei (for his nihonga painting ‘Mori no sumibito’, exhibited at the Centennial exhibition of Japan Art Institute’s Revival (Saikō Inten)) and NEGISHI Yūji (for his yōga painting ‘Kotan fūsei’, exhibited at the third Kaiso Shin-Nitten) received the Japan Art Academy Prize. (Japanese)