Jigoemon Ohara

  • Lacquerware
  • 1979 -
Jigoemon Ohara

OHARA Jigoemon XVI (b. 1979)

The art of Jōhana Makie has been passed down from father to son for sixteen generations since 1575, and the name “Jigoemon Ohara” has been inherited since the Azuchi-Momoyama period up to this very day. I am not only a craftsman of fine artifacts including tea ceremony utensils and artwork honored by imperial inspection in Japan, but also actively engaged in exhibitions, and preservation of cultural heritage such as Hikiyama floats both domestically and overseas. I have given talks and presentations in Japan, the US, Hong Kong, as well as at TEDxHimi. I succeeded the name “OHARA Jigoemon XVI” in 2019.

Membership Full member, Japan Kogei Association
  • 1979 Born in Nanto City, Toyama Prefecture
  • 1997 Graduated from Toyama Prefectural Takaoka Kogei High School, Craft Department
  • 2000 Graduated from Wajima Urushi Art Technical Training Center, Makie Department
  • 2003 Selected for the 50th Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition for the first time (selected 14 times from this year onward)
  • 2011 Certified as Craftsperson for Building and Repairing Festival Floats by the Yama / Hoko /Yatai (Float Festivals) Preservation Association
  • 2015 The Best of Toyama: Kōgei Art and Design from Japan (Onishi Gallery, New York, USA)
    HAMON GALLERY (Ginza, Tokyo)
    Baccarat Hotel & Residences New York (New York, USA)
  • 2016 Spoke at the TED x Himi event in Himi
    Asia Week New York 2016 (Dalva Brothers, New York, USA)
    Kōgei: Contemporary Japanese Art as part of National Cherry Blossom Festival (Embassy of Japan in the United States of America, Washington D.C., USA)
    Speaker at the "Study Sapuri Live" held by Recruit Marketing Partners at the Shinagawa Prince Hotel, Tokyo
    September Asia Week New York 2016 (Onishi Gallery, New York, USA)
    Japanese Contemporary Art & Living (Onishi Gallery, New York, USA)
  • 2017 "Johana Makie - inheritance of 442 years of tradition" at Hong Kong Art School・PMQ (WADO PROJECT・Consulate-General of Japan in Hong Kong)
    Asia Society Global Education Series Jōhana Maki-e: the artistry of Jōhana Lacquering Evening Presentation by Ohara Yoshitomo, the 16th Successor of Jigoemon (Asia Society Hong Kong Center)
  • 2019 Succeeded to the name Jigoemon Ohara XVI
    IAF 2019 (Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre)
    “Inheritance - The Intangible Cultural Heritage of Japan” Exhibition (Hong Kong City Hall)
  • 2021 "Metamorphosis and Evolution" Exhibition (Ginza emmy art, Tokyo)

  • 2002Received the Incentive Award at the 41st Toyama Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
  • 2013Received the Kitanippon Shimbun Award at the Art Exhibition of Tonamino 2013, craft division
  • 2017Received the Japan Kōgei Association Toyama Branch Award at the 56th Toyama Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
7 artworks posted