Japan: 73rd Japan Traditional Kogei Exhibition Celebration and Konosuke Matsushita Memorial Panasonic Award Ceremony
With award-winning artists from the Kinki Branch
The Kyoto edition of the 73rd Japan Traditional Kogei Exhibition was held at Kyoto Takashimaya from October 7 to 12. On the opening day, the Kinki Branch of the Japan Kogei Association and the Panasonic Group hosted a celebration and the Konosuke Matsushita Memorial Panasonic Award Ceremony in Kyoto.
Organized by the Japan Kogei Association since 1954, the Japan Traditional Kogei Exhibition is Japan's largest juried exhibition of traditional crafts.
The Panasonic Group's relationship with the association dates back to founder Konosuke Matsushita, who began supporting the association in 1960 and served as the first Director of its Kinki Branch.
In 1979, the Group introduced the Konosuke Matsushita Award, later renamed the Panasonic Award, to recognize artists from the Kinki region who received an award or had their work selected for the national exhibition for the first time. In 2024, it was renamed the Konosuke Matsushita Memorial Panasonic Award. In addition to the traditional award for first-time selections at the national exhibition, the Group introduced two new awards for Kinki Branch members: one recognizing first-time selection at the Kinki Regional Exhibition and a Distinguished Service Award honoring achievements and contributions to the field.
The ceremony opened with remarks by Yoshiyuki Miyabe, Director of the Japan Kogei Association's Kinki Branch and former Executive Vice President of Panasonic Holdings Corporation (PHD); Michiko Ogawa, PHD Executive Officer in charge of corporate citizenship activities, representing the Panasonic Group; and a representative of the Kyoto City Culture and Citizens Affairs Bureau. The recipients of the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) Award and the Tokyo Governor's Award at the 73rd Japan Traditional Kogei Exhibition then delivered speeches. Ms. Ogawa subsequently presented certificates and prizes to the recipients of the Konosuke Matsushita Memorial Panasonic Award.
Ei Miyairi, recipient of the MEXT Award (left), the award-winning work (center), and Tatsuhiko Murata, recipient of the First-Time Selection Award (right)
Works receiving the Konosuke Matsushita Memorial Panasonic Award for First-Time Selection
The 73rd Japan Traditional Kogei Exhibition will be held at 11 locations across Japan through March 7, 2027.
