On April 2, 2026, the Japan Philanthropic Association (Location: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Kazuhisa Kishimoto) announced the recipients of the 2nd 'Beautiful Japanese Craftsmanship Fund ~Training Support Grant~' as follows. The second call for applications received 85 applications (from 27 prefectures, 49 craft items), and after a rigorous selection process, 24 individuals (from 13 prefectures, 21 craft items) were chosen. The total amount of training support grants is 12 million yen, with the grant period from May 2026 to April 2027.

Training Support Grant Recipients

*Listed in order of prefecture and craft item. The names are published reflecting the wishes of the selected recipients.

Akane Watanabe (Miyagi Prefecture・Miyagi Traditional Kokeshi) Nina Nagasawa (Miyagi Prefecture・Sendai Tansu) Eima Aoki (Fukushima Prefecture・Obori Soma-yaki) Reika Ito (Fukushima Prefecture・Obori Soma-yaki) Kana Tokunaga (Tokyo・Edo Hyogu) Nono Ohira (Tokyo・Tokyo Te-gaki Yuzen) Yoshihiro Inagaki (Niigata Prefecture・Echigo Sanjo Uchi Hamono) Name withheld (Toyama Prefecture・Etchu Washi) Haruna Fukuyoshi (Ishikawa Prefecture・Kutani-yaki) Name withheld (Ishikawa Prefecture・Kutani-yaki) Tamako Nagashima (Ishikawa Prefecture・Wajima-nuri) Hatsumi Takeda (Ishikawa Prefecture・Yamanaka Urushiware) Natsuki Akita (Aichi Prefecture・Okazaki Stoneware) Hiroko Yamamoto (Kyoto Prefecture・Kyo-sensu) Name withheld (Kyoto Prefecture・Kyo-sensu) Kumi Goto (Kyoto Prefecture・Kyo-shikki) Karen Okajima (Kyoto Prefecture・Kyo-ningyo-gashira) Riko Furukawa (Osaka Prefecture・Naniwa Honzome) Akihiko Tanaka (Hyogo Prefecture・Toyooka Kiryuzaiku) Chikashi Fujiwara (Hyogo Prefecture・Banshu Miki Uchi Hamono) Lilan Middeldorp (Wakayama Prefecture・Kishu Tansu) Yosuke Yamamoto (Yamaguchi Prefecture・Akama Suzuri) Yukiko Yoshida (Fukuoka Prefecture・Kurume Kasuri) Name withheld (Fukuoka Prefecture・Koishiwara-yaki)

What is the "Beautiful Japanese Craftsmanship Fund ~Training Support Grant~"?

The "Beautiful Japanese Craftsmanship Fund" was established based on donors' wishes for the protection and inheritance of traditional crafts, which are "beautiful Japanese craftsmanship" backed by two thousand years of Japanese history and culture. The "Beautiful Japanese Craftsmanship Fund ~Training Support Grant~" is a grant for individuals undergoing training or apprenticeship in traditional craft producing regions throughout Japan. It aims to support those aspiring to become artisans in traditional craft producing regions, enabling them to concentrate on their learning and progress towards becoming master craftsmen without giving up their aspirations. A uniform amount of 500,000 yen is provided to individuals with less than 10 years of training experience who are committed to acquiring and inheriting traditional craft techniques.

・ Contact Us

Please send inquiries to the foundation's representative email address. Email address: info(at)np-foundation.or.jp

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Japan Philanthropic Association

Established in 2020, the Japan Philanthropic Association aims to provide funding for social contribution projects by soliciting donations, managing them as a fund, and conducting grants, scholarships, and commendation programs. We nurture each donor's 'aspirations' into 'meaningful donations,' aiming to create a richer society as an investment for the future. Foundation website: https://np-foundation.or.jp/

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  • Source: PR TIMES
  • Category: News