Discovering Tottori Crafts

Tottori is a major folk craft center in Japan. Physician Shoya Yoshida (1898-1972) was a member of the mingei folk art movement, which pursued "beauty in utilitarian objects" made by unknown craftspeople. He opened a shop in Tottori to display traditional craft products, such as pottery, woodwork and other items. And he helped revive many folk crafts by updating traditional designs. On this trip, our reporter Dario Ponissi travels across Tottori Prefecture from east to west to discover the world of Shoya Yoshida's folk crafts. He meets the head potter at a kiln in Tottori city where Yoshida commissioned designs. In Kurayoshi city, he visits a woodcarving workshop where impressive chairs are handcrafted. In Yonago city, he encounters gorgeous, yet functional traditional umbrellas. Dario, an opera producer, experiences the "beauty in the utilitarian" of Tottori crafts.