KAWAI KANJIRŌ (1890–1966) was a Japanese potter and co-founder of the mingei (folk craft) movement. During a trip to Kyoto, we took a tip from a guidebook and visited his home, now preserved as the Kawai Kanjiro Memorial Museum. We were captivated by the harmony of his living and working space—the art, tools, and household pieces he designed and collected—all of which he considered his artistic life-work.

We feel a deep affinity with Kawai’s belief that beauty resides in the objects of daily life, as well as his admiration for functional craftsmanship, asymmetry, and hand-made imperfection. In his writings and musings—especially those gathered in We Do Not Work Alone by Yoshiko Uchida—he distills with striking clarity many of the values we hold about art and life.