Kyohei Fujita (藤田 喬平, Fujita Kyōhei; 1921 – September 18, 2004) was a Japanese glass artist. He received training early…Kyohei Fujita (藤田 喬平, Fujita Kyōhei; 1921 – September 18, 2004) was a Japanese glass artist. He received training early in his career as a worker in the factory of Toshichi Iwata and his early work shows Iwata's influence in style and materials. Fujita later matured as a glass artist and developed his own, unique style. With Histoshi Iwata, son of Toshichi Iwata, and fifty other artists, Fujita established the Japan Glass Artcrafts Association in 1972. Kyohei Fujita is best known for his glass boxes with complicated surface decorations, and his work was included in the exhibit One of a Kind: The Studio Craft Movement at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, December 22, 2006 – September 3, 2007.
Akeo Watanabe (渡邉 暁雄, Watanabe Akeo; 1919–1990) was a Japanese symphonic conductor, known for his recordings of the…Akeo Watanabe (渡邉 暁雄, Watanabe Akeo; 1919–1990) was a Japanese symphonic conductor, known for his recordings of the works of Jean Sibelius. Watanabe was born in 1919 to a Japanese father and Finnish mother. He studied violin and conducted at the Tokyo Music School and the Juilliard School of Music in New York City, USA. His conducting premiere was with the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra in 1945. He was music director of the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra from 1948 to 1954 (Kennedy 2006). In 1956, Watanabe founded the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra and continued as its resident conductor until 1968. In 1970, he became music director of the Kyoto Symphony Orchestra, and remained so until 1972. From 1972 to 1978, he was the music director of the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra. In 1978, he once again became resident conductor of the newly reformed Japan Philharmonic Orchestra, with whom he stayed until 1983. In 1988, he became the music director of the Hiroshima Symphony Orchestra, and remained there until 1990. He was also a professor of conducting at the Tokyo University of the Arts from 1962 to 1967 (Kennedy 2006). Watanabe was a regular guest conductor with orchestras in the United States and Europe (Kennedy 2006). Watanabe made the first complete set of recordings of Sibelius' symphonies in stereophonic sound with the Japan Philharmonic from 1960 to 1962 for the Nippon Columbia Company (these were released on Columbia's Epic label in the United States). He re-recorded the Sibelius symphony cycle in digital sound with the same orchestra in 1981 for Denon. Watanabe died in 1990. Japan Philharmonic Orchestra records note that he remained as music director of the orchestra, which he founded, until his death.
Kakuzora Tatehata (Japanese: 建畠覚造 Hepburn: Tatehata Kakuzora, April 22, 1919 – February 16, 2006) was a Japanese…Kakuzora Tatehata (Japanese: 建畠覚造 Hepburn: Tatehata Kakuzora, April 22, 1919 – February 16, 2006) was a Japanese sculptor. He was a leading figure in promoting abstract sculptures in Japan after the Second World War. He incorporated bronze and all kinds of materials such as iron, aluminum, plastic, acrylic, cement, etc. In the 1980s he started to work with plywood.
Mareo Ishiketa (石桁真礼生, 26 November 1916 in Wakayama – 22 August 1996) was a Japanese composer. Ishiketa was taught…Mareo Ishiketa (石桁真礼生, 26 November 1916 in Wakayama – 22 August 1996) was a Japanese composer. Ishiketa was taught composition by Kan'ichi Shimofusa, and graduated in 1939 from the Tokyo School of Music.
Tōichi Katō (加藤 東一, Katō Tōichi; 6 January 1916 – 3 December 1996) was a Japanese painter in the Nihonga style and…Tōichi Katō (加藤 東一, Katō Tōichi; 6 January 1916 – 3 December 1996) was a Japanese painter in the Nihonga style and board chairman of the Nitten, a significant Japanese art conference. He and his older brother, Eizō Katō, have a museum dedicated to their works in Gifu, Gifu Prefecture.
Akiko Futaba (二葉 あき子, Futaba Akiko; born Yoshie Kato (加藤 芳江); February 2, 1915 – August 16, 2011) was a Japanese…Akiko Futaba (二葉 あき子, Futaba Akiko; born Yoshie Kato (加藤 芳江); February 2, 1915 – August 16, 2011) was a Japanese popular music (ryūkōka) singer. As of the end of World War II, she was one of the most popular female singers in Japan, competing with Hamako Watanabe and Noriko Awaya. In addition, she took part in the Kōhaku Uta Gassen, one of Japan's most famous annual musical television shows, ten times.
Hideo Hagiwara (萩原 英雄, Hagiwara Hideo; 1913 – November 4, 2007) was a Japanese artist who worked mainly with woodblock…Hideo Hagiwara (萩原 英雄, Hagiwara Hideo; 1913 – November 4, 2007) was a Japanese artist who worked mainly with woodblock prints. He was born in Kōfu, Yamanashi. Between 1921 and 1929 he lived in Korea and Manchuria. He studied at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts, where he graduated at the Oil Painting Section in 1938. While still there he attended Un'ichi Hiratsuka's extracurricular woodblock printing course, and in the same year he became quality controller at the Takamizawa Woodblock Print Company. He was conscripted into the army in 1943. In 1945 he had lost his house, his atelier and nearly all his early works. Around 1950 he had sufficiently recovered to start painting again. At the same time he started making Sōsaku Hanga, both figurative and abstract prints. He was known as a constant innovator and he was generally considered one of the best post-World War II Sōsaku Hanga artists.
Minoru Yamamoto (山本 秀, Yamamoto Minoru; 1912 or 1913 to 5 October 1996) was a Japanese composer. He is known…Minoru Yamamoto (山本 秀, Yamamoto Minoru; 1912 or 1913 to 5 October 1996) was a Japanese composer. He is known principally for writing the tune for the Hiroshima Peace Song.
Churyo Sato (Japanese: 佐藤 忠良, Hepburn: Satō Chūryō; 1912 – 2011) was a Japanese sculptor and painter. He was born in…Churyo Sato (Japanese: 佐藤 忠良, Hepburn: Satō Chūryō; 1912 – 2011) was a Japanese sculptor and painter. He was born in Miyagi Prefecture and grew up in Hokkaido. In 1932 he moved to Tokyo to become a painter. Becoming influenced by Aristide Maillol and Charles Despiau, Sato decided to specialize in sculpture. He graduated from the Tokyo School of Fine Arts. From 1934 on, Sato spent the next seventy years making art works primarily from bronze to much acclaim. He was a dedicated artist working from 8 am until 8 pm every day and died on 30 March 2011 at the age of 98.
Kōmei Abe (安部幸明, Abe Kōmei; 1 September 1911 – 28 December 2006) was a neo-classical Japanese composer who specialized…Kōmei Abe (安部幸明, Abe Kōmei; 1 September 1911 – 28 December 2006) was a neo-classical Japanese composer who specialized in string quartets. He performed both as cellist and clarinetist.
Minoru Kawabata (川端実, Kawabata Minoru; born on May 22, 1911, died on June 29, 2001) was a Japanese artist. Kawabata is…Minoru Kawabata (川端実, Kawabata Minoru; born on May 22, 1911, died on June 29, 2001) was a Japanese artist. Kawabata is best known for his color field paintings. Between 1960 and 1981, Kawabata had 11 solo shows at the prominent Betty Parsons Gallery in New York. At the 31st Venice Biennale in 1962, Kawabata’s work was exhibited in the Japan Pavilion alongside that of four other Japanese artists. Kawabata has had solo exhibitions at the Everson Museum of Art in 1974, the Museum of Modern Art, Kamakura in 1975, the National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto and Ohara Museum of Art in 1992, and Yokosuka Museum of Art in 2011. Kawabata’s works are in the collection of the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Artizon Museum, Everson Museum of Art, Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, the Museum of Modern Art, Kamakura & Hayama, the Museum of Modern Art, São Paulo, the National Museum of Art, Osaka, the National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto, the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, the Newark Museum of Art, Ohara Museum of Art, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Yokohama Museum of Art, Yokosuka Museum of Art, among others.
Toshio Yodoi (淀井 敏夫, Yodoi Toshio; February 15, 1911 – February 14, 2005) was a Japanese sculptor, and a pioneer of…Toshio Yodoi (淀井 敏夫, Yodoi Toshio; February 15, 1911 – February 14, 2005) was a Japanese sculptor, and a pioneer of Japanese modern and contemporary arts. In 1994, he was officially recognized by the Japanese government as a "Person of Cultural Merit" and in 2001, the Order of Culture was conferred.
Minoru Matsuya (松谷穣, Matsuya Minoru; 2 January 1910 – 15 May 1995) was a Japanese jazz pianist, graduated from Tokyo…Minoru Matsuya (松谷穣, Matsuya Minoru; 2 January 1910 – 15 May 1995) was a Japanese jazz pianist, graduated from Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. He was also known as Jo Matsuya or Yuzuru Matsuya. He lived in Kamakura. He learned piano under renowned Russian pianist Leo Sirota. After World War II, he started playing jazz music in an American base and taught many Japanese jazz vocalists. He was a close friend of Ichiro Fujiyama. He enjoyed performing some works by George Gershwin. He was also a good friend of Roh Ogura and made the first performance of Roh Ogura's work, Sonatine for piano (1937). He was the father of Midori Matsuya.
Yasushi Sugiyama (杉山 寧, Sugiyama Yasushi; 20 October 1909 – 20 October 1993) was a Japanese painter of the Shōwa and…Yasushi Sugiyama (杉山 寧, Sugiyama Yasushi; 20 October 1909 – 20 October 1993) was a Japanese painter of the Shōwa and Heisei eras, who practiced the nihonga style of watercolour painting.
Yozo Hamaguchi (April 5, 1909 - December 25, 2000) was a Japanese copper printmaker who specialized in mezzotint and…Yozo Hamaguchi (April 5, 1909 - December 25, 2000) was a Japanese copper printmaker who specialized in mezzotint and was responsible for its resurgence as a printmaking medium in the mid-20th century. Hamaguchi's prints are distinguished for their careful attention to detail of boldly hued animals and objects contrasted against a velvety black background. The corpus of Hamaguchi's prints are focused on the still life genre. Once considered a major printmaking medium in Europe throughout the 17th, 18th, and 19th Centuries, the influence and technological ingenuity of photography signaled the end of mezzotint printmaking as a modern reproducible form. However, Hamaguchi valued its emphasis on tonality and texture as expressed in a work's lighting and tactile qualities. By working in a European-born printing technique, Hamaguchi received praise from the European, American, and Japanese art centers for his distinct mezzotint printing methods and re-popularization of the long-ignored medium. His works attained global exposure after Hamaguchi participated in the prestigious São Paulo Biennale in Brazil (1957) and was included in the Japanese Pavilion at the Venice Biennale in Italy (1960). Hamaguchi's legacy is preserved in the Musee Hamaguchi Yozo that possesses much of his prints and it frequently organizes exhibitions centered on his printmaking, alongside works by his wife Keiko Minami and contemporary practitioners of mezzotint printmaking.
Shingo Yamada (15 December 1908 – 7 July 1977) was a Japanese painter. His work was part of the painting event in the…Shingo Yamada (15 December 1908 – 7 July 1977) was a Japanese painter. His work was part of the painting event in the art competition at the 1936 Summer Olympics.
Hiroshi Ohchi (Japanese: 大智 浩, Hepburn: Ōchi Hiroshi; 1908 – 1974) was a Japanese graphic designer as well as a visual…Hiroshi Ohchi (Japanese: 大智 浩, Hepburn: Ōchi Hiroshi; 1908 – 1974) was a Japanese graphic designer as well as a visual designer best known for his work as the first art director of IDEA magazine. He also designed the logo for Idemitsu Kosan.
Tanaka Takashi (田中 孝, 22 July 1908 – 11 September 1977), known by his art name Tanaka Isson (田中 一村), was a Japanese…Tanaka Takashi (田中 孝, 22 July 1908 – 11 September 1977), known by his art name Tanaka Isson (田中 一村), was a Japanese Nihonga painter from the Shōwa period noted for his flower-and-bird paintings of the Amami Islands.
Kaii Higashiyama (東山 魁夷, Higashiyama Kaii; July 8, 1908 – May 6, 1999) was a Japanese writer and artist particularly…Kaii Higashiyama (東山 魁夷, Higashiyama Kaii; July 8, 1908 – May 6, 1999) was a Japanese writer and artist particularly renowned for his Nihonga style paintings. As one of the most popular artists in post-war Japan, Higashiyama was awarded the Japan Art Academy Prize in 1956 and the Order of Culture in 1969.
Motonari Iguchi 井口 基成 (Iguchi Motonari) (17 May 1908, in Tokyo – 29 September 1983, in Tokyo) was a Japanese pianist…Motonari Iguchi 井口 基成 (Iguchi Motonari) (17 May 1908, in Tokyo – 29 September 1983, in Tokyo) was a Japanese pianist and educator.
Masayoshi Ise (伊勢正義, 28 February 1907 – 18 November 1985) was a Japanese painter. His work was part of the painting…Masayoshi Ise (伊勢正義, 28 February 1907 – 18 November 1985) was a Japanese painter. His work was part of the painting event in the art competition at the 1936 Summer Olympics.
Eizō Katō (加藤 栄三, Katō Eizō; August 20, 1906 – May 24, 1972) was a Japanese painter in the nihonga style. He and his…Eizō Katō (加藤 栄三, Katō Eizō; August 20, 1906 – May 24, 1972) was a Japanese painter in the nihonga style. He and his younger brother, Tōichi Katō, have a museum dedicated to their works in Gifu, Gifu Prefecture.
Kikuko Kanai (金井 喜久子, Kanai Kikuko; née Kawahira, 13 March 1911 – 17 February 1986) was a Japanese composer and one of…Kikuko Kanai (金井 喜久子, Kanai Kikuko; née Kawahira, 13 March 1911 – 17 February 1986) was a Japanese composer and one of the first Japanese women to compose classical music in the Western tradition.
Hashimoto Kunihiko (橋本國彦; also Qunihico Hashimoto) (September 14, 1904 – May 6, 1949) was a Japanese composer…Hashimoto Kunihiko (橋本國彦; also Qunihico Hashimoto) (September 14, 1904 – May 6, 1949) was a Japanese composer, violinist, conductor, and musical educator.
Tamaki Tokuyama (徳山 璉, Tokuyama Tamaki; July 27, 1903 – January 28, 1942) was a classically trained baritone and a…Tamaki Tokuyama (徳山 璉, Tokuyama Tamaki; July 27, 1903 – January 28, 1942) was a classically trained baritone and a famous singer of popular music in early Shōwa era Japan.
Ryōhei Koiso (小磯 良平, Koiso Ryōhei; Japanese: [koiso ɾʲoːheː]) (July 25, 1903 – December 16, 1988) was a Japanese…Ryōhei Koiso (小磯 良平, Koiso Ryōhei; Japanese: [koiso ɾʲoːheː]) (July 25, 1903 – December 16, 1988) was a Japanese artist. He graduated from the Tokyo University of the Arts western art department in 1927 and had a successful career from early on. During World War II he was often commissioned paintings depicting Japanese military scenes, such as the signing of the British surrender of Singapore, and Japanese infantrymen making their way through high grass fields in Malaysia. He returned to mainstream painting following the war, and painted until his death. His work was also part of the painting event in the art competition at the 1936 Summer Olympics.
Takeo Yamaguchi (山口長男, Yamaguchi Takeo, born November 23, 1902, in Seoul, Korea, died April 23, 1983, in Tokyo, Japan)…Takeo Yamaguchi (山口長男, Yamaguchi Takeo, born November 23, 1902, in Seoul, Korea, died April 23, 1983, in Tokyo, Japan) was an avant-garde Japanese painter of monochrome Art Informel works.
Takanori Ogisu (荻須 高徳, Ogisu Takanori; 30 November 1901 – 14 October 1986), styled as Takanori Oguiss, was a Japanese…Takanori Ogisu (荻須 高徳, Ogisu Takanori; 30 November 1901 – 14 October 1986), styled as Takanori Oguiss, was a Japanese figurative painter who lived and worked most of his life in France. He is known by his cityscape paintings.
Akiko Seki (Japanese: 関鑑子) (September 8, 1899 in Tokyo – May 2, 1973 in Tokyo) was a Japanese soprano. She is commonly…Akiko Seki (Japanese: 関鑑子) (September 8, 1899 in Tokyo – May 2, 1973 in Tokyo) was a Japanese soprano. She is commonly recognized as the founder of the movement of The Singing Voice of Japan (Japanese: 日本のうたごえ, Nihon no Utagoe / うたごえ運動, Utagoe-undō). In 1955 she was awarded the Stalin Peace Prize.
Kisaku Itō (伊藤 熹朔, Itō Kisaku; 1 August 1899 – 31 March 1967) was a Japanese art director. He was born in Tokyo. He…Kisaku Itō (伊藤 熹朔, Itō Kisaku; 1 August 1899 – 31 March 1967) was a Japanese art director. He was born in Tokyo. He developed a skill in drawing, and became among the most prominent set designers in Japanese cinema following World War II. He won the Mainichi Film Award for Best Art Direction for the 1953 film Ugetsu. In 1955, he served as art director for She Was Like a Wild Chrysanthemum.
Hironobu Kaneko (5 June 1898 – 17 August 1988) was a Japanese painter. His work was part of the painting event in the…Hironobu Kaneko (5 June 1898 – 17 August 1988) was a Japanese painter. His work was part of the painting event in the art competition at the 1936 Summer Olympics.
Iwao Yamawaki (山脇 巌, Yamawaki Iwao; 29 April 1898 – 8 March 1987), born Iwao Fujita, was a Japanese photographer and…Iwao Yamawaki (山脇 巌, Yamawaki Iwao; 29 April 1898 – 8 March 1987), born Iwao Fujita, was a Japanese photographer and architect who trained at the Bauhaus.
Yūzō Saeki (佐伯 祐三, Saeki Yūzō; 28 April 1898 – 16 August 1928) was a Japanese painter, noted for his work in developing…Yūzō Saeki (佐伯 祐三, Saeki Yūzō; 28 April 1898 – 16 August 1928) was a Japanese painter, noted for his work in developing modernism and Fauvist Expressionism within the yōga (Western-style) art movement in early twentieth-century Japanese painting.
Kanichi Shimofusa (Japanese: 下総皖一; March 31, 1898 - July 8, 1962) was a Japanese composer. Kanichi Shimofusa was born…Kanichi Shimofusa (Japanese: 下総皖一; March 31, 1898 - July 8, 1962) was a Japanese composer. Kanichi Shimofusa was born in Sunahara, Haramichi-mura, Saitama (now Ōtone, Saitama). He studied composition with Kiyoshi Nobutoki at Tokyo Music School (now Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, also called Geidai), where he graduated first on the list in 1920. Later, he studied with Paul Hindemith at Berlin University of the Arts in Germany, making him the forerunner of Brahms-Hindemith-descended German style at Tokyo Music School. His notable students at Tokyo Music School include Ikuma Dan, Makoto Sato, Yasushi Akutagawa, Mareo Ishiketa, Yuzo Toyama and Taminosuke Matsumoto; his private students included Kunio Suda. Kanichi Shimofusa composed numerous nursery rhymes and government-approved music for music textbooks. He also composed a number of school songs for elementary, junior high, and high schools. The total number of his composition went over 1,000. His music style was unostentatious and steady. He became an associate professor at Tokyo Music School in 1934. He became a member of the textbook editorial committee of the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture in 1940. He became a professor at Tokyo Music School in 1942 and the dean of the Department of Music at Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music in 1956.
Junpei Eto (25 March 1898 – 16 November 1987) was a Japanese painter. His work was part of the painting event in the…Junpei Eto (25 March 1898 – 16 November 1987) was a Japanese painter. His work was part of the painting event in the art competition at the 1932 Summer Olympics.
Luke (Lucas) Hasegawa (9 July 1897 – 3 July 1967) was a Japanese artist and convert to Catholicism who was commissioned…Luke (Lucas) Hasegawa (9 July 1897 – 3 July 1967) was a Japanese artist and convert to Catholicism who was commissioned to paint murals remembering the 26 Martyrs of Nagasaki for the Church of the Holy Japanese Martyrs in Civitavecchia, Italy. He is a graduate of Morning Star (Gyosei) International School in Tokyo. His work is documented in a book titled Each with His Own Brush: Contemporary Christian Art in Asia and Africa by Daniel Johnson Fleming, published by Friendship Press in 1938.
Shogo Taguchi (1897 – 14 August 1943) was a Japanese painter. His work was part of the painting event in the art…Shogo Taguchi (1897 – 14 August 1943) was a Japanese painter. His work was part of the painting event in the art competition at the 1932 Summer Olympics.
Seiko Takata (September 13, 1895 – March 19, 1977; in Japanese, 高田せい子, or kana, たかた せいこ ), born Sawano Sei, was a…Seiko Takata (September 13, 1895 – March 19, 1977; in Japanese, 高田せい子, or kana, たかた せいこ ), born Sawano Sei, was a Japanese dancer and dance educator. She is considered a pioneer of modern dance in Japan.
Huang Tu-shui (Chinese: 黃土水; pinyin: Huáng Tǔshuǐ; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: N̂g Thô͘-chúi; 1895–1930) was a pioneer of modern…Huang Tu-shui (Chinese: 黃土水; pinyin: Huáng Tǔshuǐ; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: N̂g Thô͘-chúi; 1895–1930) was a pioneer of modern sculpture in Taiwan. From his youth, Huang was familiar with the traditional carving of Taiwan, and was influenced by modern Western styles during his studies in Tokyo.
Kotaro Ikeda (池田 幸太郎, Ikeda Kōtarō; 28 March 1895 – 16 August 1976) was a Japanese painter. His work was part of the…Kotaro Ikeda (池田 幸太郎, Ikeda Kōtarō; 28 March 1895 – 16 August 1976) was a Japanese painter. His work was part of the painting event in the art competition at the 1932 Summer Olympics.
Chen Cheng-po (Chinese: 陳澄波; pinyin: Chén Chéngbō; Wade–Giles: Chʻen2 Chʻeng2-po1; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tân Têng-pho; 2 February…Chen Cheng-po (Chinese: 陳澄波; pinyin: Chén Chéngbō; Wade–Giles: Chʻen2 Chʻeng2-po1; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tân Têng-pho; 2 February 1895 – 25 March 1947), was a Taiwanese painter and politician. In 1926, his oil painting Street of Chiayi was featured in the seventh Teiten (Imperial Arts Exhibition) in Japan, which was the first time a Taiwanese artist's work could be displayed at the exhibition. Chen devoted his life to education and creation, and was greatly concerned about the development of humanist culture in Taiwan. He was not only devoted to the improvement of his own painting, but also to the promotion of the aesthetic education of the Taiwanese people. He was killed as a result of the February 28 Incident, a 1947 uprising in Taiwan which was repressed by the Kuomintang (KMT).
Isoya Yoshida (吉田 五十八, Yoshida Isoya; December 19, 1894, - March 24, 1974) was a Japanese architect. He graduated from…Isoya Yoshida (吉田 五十八, Yoshida Isoya; December 19, 1894, - March 24, 1974) was a Japanese architect. He graduated from Tokyo Art School (now Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music) in 1923. His style, which he called sukiya with reference to the centuries-old sukiya-zukuri tradition, combines elements of traditional Japanese architecture and modernist architecture. Among his notable projects was the fourth iteration of the Kabuki-za, which was torn down in 2010 and replaced in 2013 by a new structure designed by Kengo Kuma. Yoshida was born and died in Tokyo.
Tamezō Narita (成田為三, Narita Tamezō; 15 December 1893 – 29 October 1945) was a Japanese composer. Narita was born in…Tamezō Narita (成田為三, Narita Tamezō; 15 December 1893 – 29 October 1945) was a Japanese composer. Narita was born in Yonaizawa, Kitaakita District, Akita.