ON MAY 2023, KARAFUNEYA CO. LTD.（ HTTPS://KOGEIART.KYOTO.JP/ABOUT/ ）, AN HISTORIC KYOTO PRINTING COMPANY, LAUNCHED THE KOGEI ART KYOTO （ HTTPS://KOGEIART.KYOTO.JP/ ）E-COMMERCE SITE TO INTRODUCE ART FANS AROUND THE GLOBE TO THE FASCINATING WORLD OF KOGEI ART AND SELL KOGEI ART OBJECTS COMPLETE WITH NFT CERTIFICATES. THIS SITE IS IN ENGLISH.
What is Kogei Art?
“Kogei art” indicates a diverse range of traditional Japanese genres from dyeing and weaving to ceramics, lacquerware, metalwork, dolls, cut gold leaf, woodwork, and glass art. These were developed through a reverence for Japanese culture as expressed through the spirit of elegance, compassion, and good taste, as well as the concepts of wabi and sabi, which are embodied in Buddhism, Sado (the tea ceremony), Kado (flower arranging), Kodo (the incense ceremony), and other traditional pursuits.
The term is generally used for one-of-a-kind artworks.
Kogei art emphasizes the value of materials and techniques, sometimes lavishly using very expensive and rare materials. The artworks created by Kogei artists represent sophisticated techniques passed down from generation to generation that are fused with modern sensitivities.
In today’s world of AI and digital technology, Kogei art is the antithesis that emerges from the abilities of the human hand, mind, and spirit.
Kogei Artist Yuko Hayashi (Ceramic Artist)
What is Kogei Art KYOTO?
Kogei Art KYOTO is operated by the KARAFUNEYA Co. Ltd. printing company, which boasts a history of over 100 years in Kyoto.
Under the concept of the Japonism of Beauty this EC site is addressed to the overseas art lovers, which is why the site is provided in English. It features 50 Kogei artworks of 10 artists from the Kyoto Kogei Association（https://kogei.kyoto/en）.
These artworks are available for purchase. The average price is around US$16,000 and the most expensive piece is about US$56,000 (as of May 23, 2023).
In addition to the EC pages, information is also provided to introduce the appeal of Kogei art from various angles. This includes videos that show the artists working and provide messages from them in ceramics, dyeing, lacquer, dolls, and cut gold leaf.
Koken Murata Earth, Sky and Sea $ 29,516.83（as of May 23, 2023)）
Another major feature of our EC website is that all works of art are issued NFT blockchain certificates.
KARAFUNEYA Co. Ltd. serves as the handler for NFT certificates on Startrail（ https://startbahn.io/startrail/ ）operated by Startbahn Inc.（ https://startbahn.io/ ）, which allows us to issue and manage these certificates. This not only lets you prove the authenticity of the artwork but also provided protection for the wider value of the artwork with benefits for both the artist and the buyer.
The website also lets you automatically calculate the shipping cost for individual works of art for the specified country.
And we provide complete services of an online shop that specializes in artwork, such as packing and shipping by staff members experienced in shipping artwork to other countries.
Ai Imamura Octagonal Lidded Box with Kirikane Design: “Sprouting” $ 18,330.75（as of May 23, 2023)）
Future Developments
To ensure that the techniques and spirituality that are the heart of Kogei art continue to be passed on to future generations just as they have been passed down over their long history, we want to do everything we can to help as many people as possible experience Kogei art first hand.
Therefore, in addition to our current EC site, we want to use our site as a link to take advantage of the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan and provide a venue so that many people from around the world can directly experience and purchase Kogei artworks.
To commemorate the launching of our EC site, we will present everyone who registers as a site member with a set of original Kogei Art KYOTO postcards.
About KARAFUNEYA Co. Ltd.
KARAFUNEYA Co. Ltd. is a printing company in Kyoto that was founded in 1921. We started business doing woodblock and letterpress printing, but we have actively introduced information technology and, along with printing, we offer one-stop services that included building websites, electronic commerce systems, electronic books, and digital catalogs in our continuing efforts to meet the evolving needs of our customers. Now we have used the knowhow and networks we acquired over the years to start Kogei Art KYOTO as a new line of business. We felt it was our mission to spread information on the world of Kogei as art to create a market for this work and the pass on the traditional world of Kyoto Kogei art to the next generation.
