Ippei
Nakamura
Born in Tokyo, Ippei Nakamura is a renowned sculptor and figurative artist at the helm of his studio, Ippei Works. A graduate of Tokyo Zokei University, Nakamura has diversified his talents across various domains, ranging from creating figurative art to crafting three-dimensional forms for commercial applications. His creations showcase a blend of technical prowess and rich imagination, distinguished by their striking beauty, attention to detail, and originality.
In recent years, he has created sculptures for Studio Ghibli's exhibitions, bringing the fantastic world of Ghibli into reality to captivate visitors.
1970 Born in Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo.
1997 Graduated from Tokyo Zokei University with a degree in sculpture.
2000 Instructed by ceramic artist Horaku Nakamura.
2013 Established the sculpture atelier Ippei Works.
Hōraku
Nakamura
A painter, potter, tea master, and designer, Hōraku Nakamura lived in the mountains of Izu, where he devoted himself to honing his crafts of painting and pottery in the company of wild birds and deer he came to befriend.
Hōraku Nakamura is the creator of the Mount Fuji Illustrated Scrolls series, which brings to life the myriad of myths and legends associated with Mount Fuji and its vicinity. After dedicating many Buddhist paintings to the Izu Mountain Shrine, a spiritual site of historical significance, he has left behind a legacy of artwork rich with cultural value.
1946 Born in Shimotsuma City, Yūki-gun, Ibaraki Prefecture.
1966 Began his career in advertising design, typography, and editorial design at a firm in Tokyo.
1974 Became an apprentice to a master potter in Kagoshima, where he trained for three years
before establishing a kiln in Izu, Shizuoka.
1982 Periodically organized exhibitions over a span of twenty years of works by prominent pottery
artists from the Izu Peninsula in Shizuoka, exhibiting his work in famous galleries and
department stores across Japan.
1989 Moved to Izu City to establish a second kiln. Began ink wash painting, painting porcelain
panel and pictures of Buddhist motifs. His illustrations have been used in books by writers
such as Hiroshi Kawasaki, Tōyō Matsumoto, and Keiko Nakamura.
2008 Inspired by a visit to Izusan Shrine, he illustrated The Secrets of the God of Izusan Shrine, a
picture book on the history of Mount Sōtō. He went on to complete four illustrated scrolls
about Mount Sōtō in 2011, followed by the four Mount Fuji Illustrated Scrolls in 2023.
2023 Passed away at the age of 76.