ORIENTAL FINE ARTS YANAGI

HISTORY

Yanagi, an antique art dealer on Yamato-oji Street in Gion, Kyoto, was founded in Kyoto in 1959 by Takashi Yanagi, and for more than half a century has been devoted to the world of Oriental antique art.

The founder, Takashi, was born in 1938 in Zeze, Shiga Prefecture. He trained his eye from boyhood under his father, who dealt in antiques, and, having obtained his licence before the war, entered the antiques trade.
Around 1960 he met Masako Shirasu, through whom he came to know Hideo Kobayashi, and he went on to form close friendships with men of letters and connoisseurs such as Yasunari Kawabata, Ken Domon and André Malraux.

In 1985 the gallery moved to its present location on Yamato-oji Street. Today it is run by the second generation, Koji Yanagi, who carries on the founder's eye and continues to keep the gallery in this same place.

We deal in Oriental antique art in general, centred on Japanese art, including modern and old paintings and calligraphy, folding screens, tea utensils, antique ceramics and Buddhist art. We are members of the Oto Antique Art Association (dealers east of the Kamo River) and the Gion Nawate Merchants' Association.

In the ground-floor room where visitors are received, there are always seasonal flowers before a folding screen.

The natural ash glaze on a Shigaraki jar, and its quiet presence: we warmly invite you to visit and see it for yourself.