Gohachi Shobo Collection | Set of 8 Craft Books

Gohachi traces its origins to a shop specialising in art and Mingei, founded in Tokyo in 1911 by Kinzaburo Yamauchi. His son Hidetaro later carried on his aspirations, walking in deep sympathy with the Mingei movement advocated by Soetsu Yanagi. The starting point of this series lies in recording and sharing "nameless beauty" on the verge of being forgotten, such as regional folk toys, Otsu-e and stencil-dyed prints.

The Living National Treasure Keisuke Serizawa, in particular, was indispensable to Gohachi Shobo. From the press's logo to its book design and even the Katazome Rinpyoshu (stencil-dyed match labels), much was entrusted to his hands. Soetsu Yanagi also served as a spiritual pillar, contributing writing and lending from his collection, and powerful prints by Shiko Munakata adorned its pages: it truly became a gathering place for the giants of Mingei.

Set apart from ordinary commercial printing, each volume has the dignity of an independent "work of art," with craftsmanship such as the texture of washi, hand colouring, woodblock printing and stencil dyeing, and even actual match labels and fabric swatches pasted directly onto the pages.

The complete set of eight volumes of "Collection" at hand, published from 1982 to 1984 (each limited to 1,300 copies), is a group of gems that crowned the final years of the "Gallery Gohachi" era. Carrying on half a century of the Mingei spirit, it can be called a precious legacy that conveys to the present the last artistic encounter with Keisuke Serizawa, who passed away in 1984 to much regret.

Nos. 83, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90 and 92

Publisher: Gohachi Shobo
Publication year: 1982–1984
Dimensions: 150 × 177 mm

Gohachi Shobo / Book Collection / Japanese Craft Books