12 Stone Garden

A showcase of masterpieces

A Japanese garden of
meaningful objects

In this evocative exhibition imagined and designed by Naoto Fukasawa, visitors will discover the masterpieces of 12 Japanese National Living Treasures. These master artisans, whose traditional skills are prized in Japan as integral to its cultural heritage, have been selected with renowned museum director Tokugo Uchida. The artworks on display, including kimonos, an urushi lacquered harp and a bamboo flower basket, are simply yet reverentially displayed in the magnificent Palladian Refectory on 12 blocks shaped as stones. Short films provide an insight into the working processes of the masters who handcrafted these sometimes unassuming, but always exceptional pieces.

Curated by

Naoto Fukasawa
Naoto Fukasawa has brought his unique design philosophy to leading brands around the world across many different design disciplines from precision electronic equipment to furniture, interior spaces and architecture. What links his work is a dedication to the beauty of form and the power of silence, a design philosophy that has garnered him international recognition for his ability to express the true essence of an object. In addition, he is the director of The Japan Folk Crafts Museum, a professor at the Tama Art University and has sat on several judging panels including the Loewe Craft Prize. In 2007 he was named Honorary Royal Designer for Industry by the UK’s Royal Society of Arts. He has won numerous awards for his work including the 2018 Isamu Noguchi Award.
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Tokugo Uchida
Director of the MOA Museum of Art and Hakone Museum of Art, Tokugo Uchida is one of Japan’s foremost cultural commentators. He completed his PhD in aesthetics at Keio University in 2007 and has since lectured widely in Japan and abroad. He served as a member of the Cultural Council, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology; committee member for UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage and Guest Professor at Kyushu University. He is involved in the selection for art-related awards, holds important roles in governmental organisations for traditional crafts as an art history specialist and has authored numerous publications.
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A showcase of masterpieces

Meet the masters

Curated by