Japanese Shoji Screen Exhibit in Shizuoka City Japan

[startreking2007]

Is there a name name for the types of shoji shown?

[Mr666656]

what a surprise!

[DoomDoll]

love the 4:54 one!!!

[mharpmaker]

Thank you for the video, that is such beautiful work, what a gift!

[kittygotfangs]

They are so very beautiful. I can only hope to fill my house with these one day

[Darklaw13]

That's so amazing...

[lilraylyford]

this is 1 of the most amazing things I have ever seen!!! It seems almost impossible to me they they actually exist! Only the Japanese could pull something like this off. I lived in Tokyo for about 6 months, and loved it! My hats off to all these amazing artists. OMG OMG OMG!

[Claycat4]

Wow! I'm so glad I found this video! I just added it to my favorites. The Shoji screens are amazing! I love art, and I especially love art that is utilitarian! Thanks!

I found this because of your Shoji videos on your train channel.

[SargonBighorn]

How is it that a modern country like Japan can afford to have 4 generations of families make sliding doors and eat, pay the rent, send the kids to school and have decent roads and health service? What is America doing wrong that we don't have such crafts people able to support themselves and keep traditions alive?

[BrishenAlston]

Hi, again. Love your videos. A couple of years ago I decided I wanted a Japanese style home but am still pretty ignorant of all styles of things. Until I watched this I'd only ever seen farm house shoji screens.

Thanks for making this video it was very enlightening.

-BrishenAlston

[softypapa]

@BrishenAlston I am so happy to hear that this video was helpful. Thank you for taking the time to let me know. ~Kurt :-)

[jurgenbono]

Thank you for your video I had no clue that Japanese screens could be so complex, I always thought they were just square like in the movies.

The one at 7:22 is unbelievable!!!!.

[shojisushi]

Thanks for this video. I make shoji in Denver.

However the shoji in this video is way beyond my skill. My jaw drops to the floor when I see the complex patterns. Thank you.

[Kriegerdaemon]

This is an example of really bad camera work. I felt like a pig sniffing on the ground as I saw your video.

Nevertheless a very interessting contribution!!!

[ElegantPaws01]

Absolutely exquisite. Until now, I have only ever seen the 'usual' manner of traditional shoji. Truly magnificent are these within the exhibition and I thank you for sharing your tour.

Namaste

[bloodymissb]

I am in love with the one at 6:45, the work is astoundingly intricate. Though that round rolling door is probably one of the most unique doors I've ever seen. Beautiful.

[allgoo19]

I was good at poking holes in those shoji when I was a kid. ^_^

Soon I found out that I get grounded if I do.

[softypapa]

Hello allgoo19, It seems that this was a popular childhood activity for many Japanese people. My wife tells me how she and her siblings would run through the house poking holes in all the screens on the day the family was to repaper the shoji (just before new year). Sounds like great fun (if you don't get in trouble). -Kurt :-)

[amydien09]

Very beautiful designs...and very detailed too!

I dont know which one I like among those you've shown...they're all nice =)

[softypapa]

Hello amydien09, I'm with you as I can't really pick a favorite (my mind kept changing as I was walking through the exhibits). I guess that I will just claim myself to be a fan of the shoji craft in general. -Kurt :-)

[Japanime1]

Very nice. It's nice to see some designs I've never seen before. I think my image of shoji screen doors have changed. lol.

It's great to hang out with you father-in-law with certain interests. -- Does the place you visited have other forms of "Art" or sorts other than shoji screens?

[softypapa]

Hello Japanime1, This show did also change my impression of Shoji art as there were some very interesting and inspired pieces. The Granship convention and exhibition center does indeed often have shows featuring many types of Japanese arts and crafts. I hope to visit the center more often and bring back more and different videos of featured presentations. -Kurt :-)

[DivineContrast]

Any diea how long it took to make one of the big ones with all this detile ?

I think they were all great, and i assume they look even better in a old Japanese house :)

[softypapa]

Hello DivineContrast, Great question! I did ask my father-in-law at one point how long it might take to make one of the small (very simple) sections we were looking at and he answered about 30 minutes. The time must be much greater for the detailed pieces and multipled many times over for the entire screen. I think that the answer in most cases is many sessions of part time work spread over a number of years. -Kurt :-)

[DivineContrast]

Hmm strange, they seam low priced then if they were made for years.And how do you make a living with such a profession ?

[softypapa]

Though some of these screens may have taken years to complete the work may have only been done on a part time basis, between jobs and whenever the craftsman had a little free time. I suspect that like my father-in-law most of the craftsmen who made these screens relied on their normal routine work to make a living and did these projects as their masterpiece creations. Just speculation though... -Kurt :-)

[shadowsteve]

cool, some of those screens are really nice; but i dont think i could justify spending all that money on something like that no matter how pretty it looks. anyway you can buy cheaper things that are equally as aesthetic :P but cool none the less :) nice vid!

[davevegas03]

Well witch one would you buy if money was no problem?

As for me that door was amazing and would be my first choice.

[softypapa]

Hi Dave, This question is easy for me to answer as my favorite is certainly the big old farmhouse door and frame. I know that it is not as artistic as many of the other pieces though there is something about these wonderful old style doors that strikes a bullseye for me. -Kurt :-)

[TiramisuHappy]

One of my earliest memories of growing up in Tokyo is poking little holes in shoji screen paper with my fingers and getting into BIG trouble with parents! Haha. Good times! I wonder how much of actual work was done by hand on these pieces at the exhibit. As some ladies were saying in the video, a lot of modern technology must've had a part in creating these amazingly intricate art work.

Your father-in-law reminds me of my own father in his speech pattern.

Take good care of him, will ya?

[softypapa]

Hello TiramisuHappy, I believe that the memories you recount are an important and delightful part of childhood for many Japanese people. I always enjoy spotting shoji with the cherry blossom-shaped patches over the holes, and I delight in thinking of the fun and mischief the kids might have been up to to cause the holes.

My father-in-law does indeed have a very peculiar way of speaking. I`ll confess that it is sometimes hard for me to follow what he says (though beer always helps). -Kurt :-)

[6663000]

It is great how you and your father-in-law get together like that, just the two of you.

It is nice to see :)

Also he must have been a great person to go to a show like that with. I'm sure his knowledge of the art form was very helpful in your understanding of what you were seeing.

[softypapa]

Hello 6663000, My wife`s dad is a very nice man and I do indeed feel fortunate to share an interest in his line of work. I always enjoy our outings together and it`s extra nice to have a chance to bring you along with us via YouTube. -Kurt :-)

[6663000]

Wow that is a really amazing art form. I didn't really know anything about this before watching the video. I think the one @ 6:30 is my favorite.

I don't think I could ever be the one to make those. Not only because I don't have anywhere NEAR enough skill to do it, but because I wouldn't be able to sell it once I was finished :)

I will be very sad next time I see someone smash through one of those in a kung-fu movie :P

[softypapa]

Hello 6663000, I agree with you that it must be difficult for the artist to part with such a wonderful creation. I too will never view a kung-fu movie fight in quite the same way. -Kurt :-)

[Luminasita]

I'm shocked at how intricate they can get, I wasn't aware it was such an art! Marvelously beautiful, do you have any examples of things your father-in-law used to make?

~Kat

[softypapa]

Hi Kat, I'm sorry that I do not have any examples of my father-in-law's work as he never kept or photographed anything. There are, however, many homes in our little valley which feature windows and doors made by Emily's grandfather, great-grandfather and even her great-great-grandfather. These windows do sometimes return to our shop new paper and its always fun to marvel at the craftsmanship of the men who worked so many years in our family business. -Kurt :-)

[FeileCase]

Kurt~WOW~ How amazing! Their work, so much of it it so detailed it's insane. Almost unbeleaveable. It's Amazing. Very ingenuative Japanese Artisans. Thanks you for sharing. I loved seeing them. I too liked the round door very much. Would be cool if you could see through the round one too. I had no idea the styles had become so modernized too like the curved one. Very NEAT! :)

[softypapa]

Hello FeileCase, I'm delighted that you enjoyed sharing this exhibit with us. The detail and styles are indeed amazing. My father-in-law commented that many pieces included elements which were designed and in some cases implemented using computer-assisted machines. It was fun listening to him and his old cronies talk about how quality shoji were produced by hand back in the good old days. -Kurt :-)

[hoji808]

The origami one looks great, also the ones at 5:55 and 7:30.

The one at 7:30 resembles autumn?

ANyways your father-in-law is a cool guy :D

I'd like to see a video of him working on a screendoor. I know he's retired but maybe he makes them at home as a hobby or something? ^^

Good vid once again.

5 stars.

[softypapa]

Hello hoji808, I'm afraid that with his failing health and particularly his bad eyesight my father-in-law has essentially given up the trade. He does take on an occasional job re-papering screens though sadly he has stopped building or repairing shoji. -Kurt :-)

[hoji808]

Oh that sucks :(

I bet he was a master at making them.

[softypapa]

Hello hoji808, My father-in-law first learned to make shoji using only hand tools and only later was taught to make them with machines. Despite that fact that he could once make almost any shoji joint using a handsaw and block plane I think that he most cherished skill is his ability to sharpen his tools to a razor edge. Some years back I asked him to teach me some of these skills and I seem to remember that we spend nearly all of our time sharpening and very little time cutting and joining.

[aspentreehugger]

very neat! i think the one at 6:30 is my favorite but they are all pretty

[softypapa]

Hello aspentreehugger, That one at 6:30 is indeed very special. Can you imagine the time it took to make this piece? My father-in-law tells me that many of these very details doors and screens are pet projects which the artist work on bit by bit whenever they have some free time. This must have taken many years! -Kurt :-)

[100mily]

Great video! (as always)

My favorite is the one at 7:30

[softypapa]

Hello 100mily, Yes, isn't that piece amazing. I was stunned when I got a close look and discovered the intricate lattice making up each section. And the sections go on and on and on! -Kurt :-)

[Peekingduck]

Outstanding craftsman-ship ! ! ! I'm sure I will watch and forward this clip again and again.

4:32 is my favorite too.

The simplicity I guess is what gets me and also knowing the wood will just get more and more beautiful with time

Thanks for uploading.

[softypapa]

Hello Peekingduck, I'm delighted to hear that you enjoyed the video. I too favor that big old farmhouse door and would love to live in an old house which featured such an entry. I almost didn't include that piece in the video as it was so simple and I was not sure that anyone would find it interesting. I'm delighted to discover that I was wrong. -Kurt :-)

[hapsap]

Wow I love Shoji's

Actually I made my own shoji wall for my room once.

Pretty sweet ^^

[softypapa]

Hello hapsap, Wow, that's great that you were able to make your own shoji. Did you have any trouble finding rice paper to use in covering the screen? I sometimes help my father-in-law and we always have a lot of fun making shoji though it is certainly harder that it looks (he makes it look easy). Thanks for sharing about your project! -Kurt :-)