The city of Kanazawa established the Kanazawa Arts and Crafts Competition in 1989, and following its declaration as a “World Craft City” in 1995, has regularly held the World Craft City Conference in Kanazawa and the Kogei World Competition in Kanazawa to preserve and promote the culture of craft—kogei—in the world.
The Kogei World Competition in Kanazawa aims to make known the vanguard of craft. It transmits what is new in the realm of craft from Kanazawa to the world, seeking works that make use of previously developed and refined craft techniques to produce appealing works based on outstanding concepts and ideas. It calls for works that reflect a keen grasp of the driving force of contemporary artistic expression from the perspective of, and toward the future of, craft. We continue our commitment to fostering younger artists through the Next Generation Award, for which applicants under the age of thirty-five are eligible, to support recipients as they take on bold new challenges. Works in such genres and media as ceramics, metalwork, textile, lacquer, wood, bamboo, glass, dolls, leather, cloisonné, and paper are welcomed. We eagerly await submissions filled with promise for a new era.
Organizers
Organizers: Executive Committee of the Triennale of Kogei in Kanazawa
Co-Organizers: Kanazawa City, Kanazawa Craft Council, and Kanazawa Craftwork Business Creation Agency
Exhibition
Works that pass the preliminary screening, including award-winning entries, will be displayed at the 6th Triennale of Kogei in Kanazawa held at the People’s Galleries of the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, from Saturday, November 8th to Wednesday, November 26th, 2025.
Exhibition:
2025 Kogei World Competition in Kanazawa
Exhibition Dates and Hours:
Saturday, November 8 to Wednesday, November 26, 2025
10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
People’s Galleries A and B are open throughout the exhibition period
Venue:
People’s Galleries A and B, 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa
Application Requirements
- Persons of any nationality and age are encouraged to submit works.
- Eligible works must have been produced in 2022 or later by an individual or group. They cannot have been previously exhibited, including in other open-call exhibitions.
Application Limit
- Entries are limited to one submission per applicant (individual or group).
Eligible Works
- Works should apply a contemporary perspective to craft techniques or materials in a way that is both unique and expressive.
- Works in such genres and media as ceramics, metalwork, textile, lacquer, wood, bamboo, glass, dolls, leather, cloisonné, paper, and other fields are welcomed, as are works that combine craft techniques and materials.
- Form and DimensionsForm: Both three-dimensional and flat works will be accepted.Dimensions: Combined height, width, and depth of no more than 350 centimeters, with a weight no greater than 50 kilograms.For flat works: These restrictions include the size and weight of the frame.Please refrain from putting glass or acrylic in the frame.
Application and Judging Schedule
- Application DeadlineWorks must arrive by 11:59 p.m. (JST) on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
- Preliminary ScreeningMiddle of May 2025Pictures of and materials for the works submitted will undergo a preliminary round of screening. Works continuing to the final round of judging are selected. The results of this round are reported only to applicants whose works have been chosen for the next round.
- Final JudgingSunday, July 27, 2025Works that pass the preliminary screening will be asked to bring or send the works to a designated location within a designated period. These works will then undergo a final round of evaluation and winners will be selected.
Awards and Supplementary Prizes
Grand Prize (1) 1,000,000 JPY
Second Prize (1) 500,000 JPY
Special Recognition Awards (3) 200,000 JPY
Next Generation Awards (2) 100,000 JPY
- The Next Generation Award is open to those who are under the age of thirty-five as of the end of July 2025, when the final judging will be conducted. (Date of birth must be on or after August 1, 1990. In the case of a group, all members must meet the age requirement.)
- Award Ceremony and Conference to be held on Saturday, November 8, 2025.
- Award recipients are asked to attend the Award Ceremony.
- Grand Prize and Second Prize recipients (or a representative of a group winning either) are asked to attend the Award Ceremony and Conference. To ensure that recipients can do so, funding for part of the expense of lodging and/or travel will be made available by the Executive Committee.
Application Procedure
I. Application Deadline
Works must arrive by 11:59 p.m. (JST) on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
II. Application Procedure and Details
We ask applicants to read the details below before submitting entries.
- Please register by filling in the application form available on the website with all necessary information. Requisites include profile information for the applicant(s) along with commentary and information on the submission.
- Please send a photograph (portrait from chest up) of the applicant(s).
- Please send multiple images of the work to be submitted: One photograph for catalogue publication should be taken from the front and give a sense of the work as a whole; one photograph should be taken from behind; one photograph each taken from the left and right sides; one close-up photograph; and any other photographs you wish to present. In addition, for works that are worn on the body, please provide a photograph showing the work being worn. For each photograph, please indicate from which angle it was taken. In addition to photographs of the submitted work, please provide photographs of up to three other representative works completed in recent years.
Specifications for the photographs: JPEG format and a maximum file size of 10 MB (350 dpi) for each image. - In addition to serving as reference during the preliminary screening, photographs of submitted works are published in the catalogue.
Applying Online
- Please create an account using the Registration Form.
- After logging into your account, please enter information about the applicant(s) and the submitted work. This information may be revised up to Wednesday, April 16, 2025.Create Your Account
Application by Mail
- Please download the application form from the Application Information page at the competition website and enter all required information. Should you be unable to download the form, please contact the secretariat. You will be provided with an application form and guidelines.
- Please save the photographs of the applicant(s), photographs of the work, and photographs of representative recent works on a CD. Please send the application form and CD to the below address leaving enough time for it to arrive by Wednesday, April 16, 2025.SecretariatKogei World Competition in Kanazawa4-48 Minato, Kanazawa CityIshikawa Prefecture, Japan 920-0211Application Form (PDF)Application Form (Excel)
III. Application Fee
- The application fee for persons residing in Japan is 7,000 JPY.
- The fee is waived for international applicants.
- When submitting your work, please pay the fee by Wednesday, April 16, 2025 into the bank account below by bank transfer.
Website link: https://kanazawa-kogeitriennale.com/2025/en/