By Patricia Belyea
TOKYO JP Three days after a traffic-stopping snowstorm hit the most populated city in the world, the Tokyo Quilt Festival opened its doors. Here are oodles of photos from Opening Day so you can vicariously tour the show floor. NOTE: This is only a thimbleful of the quilts exhibited!
Most of the credits were listed in Japanese. I have included the artists’ names when they were available in English.
original design category—a sampling
original design category—the winners
Detail: First Place—Jim Hay
Detail: 2nd Place—Emiko Yakushiji
Detail: 3rd Place— Hiroko Ouchi
wa (the essence of Japan) category—a sampling
wa category—the winners
First Place—Yasuko Anai
Second Place—Momoe Kashihara
Third Place—Tamiko Mawatari 
traditional design category—the winners
First Place— Rieko Hasegawa
Second Place—Emiko Kobayashi
Third Place—Kyo Saito
invitational category—a sampling
Quilt Artist: Sachiko Yoshida
Quilt Artist: Mitsuyo Akita
Quilt Artist: Keiko Miyauchi
Quilt Artist: Toshie Shinohara
Quilt Artist: Etsuko Ishitobi
show winners
Friendship Award—Chikako Akashi
Hand Making Award—Toshiko Imai
Japan Quilt Grand Prix Second Place—Chiharu Katsuragawa
Japan Quilt Grand Prix First Place—Masako Sanada
To take a look at the SPECIAL EXHIBITS at 2018 Tokyo Quilt Festival +click here
To examine UP-CLOSE PHOTOS of the quilts at 2018 Tokyo Quilt Festival +click here
Let’s start with the concept of BIG. It can be interpreted in many ways. I have no need to defend the Festival but let’s take a look at attendance info.
On opening day of the Tokyo Quilt Festival, 50,000 visitors came through the doors. When I spoke and taught at Birmingham in 2014, the organizers were thrilled to count 8,000 quilters coming through the doors on the first day. I don’t have opening day stats for Houston but the overall day count for the Houston Festival is 85,000. The Tokyo Quilt Festival finishes with a total of 245,000 visitors. As I have not been to any of the European shows, I can not comment on Carrefour.
I want you to think back on the special exhibits at the Tokyo show. I have not seen anything that compares in Birmingham or Houston. Have a whole team of quilters create a cohesive and professional exhibit like Louise May Alcott’s Orchard House was impressive. And the Complete Works of Fumiko Nakayama with the entry installation was also stunning.
You mention that you were not able to get close to the quilts in Tokyo. I was there on opening day and was able to get close to any quilt I wanted. And that is the busiest day.
As for international, the show is open to anyone. That said, it is not easy to get through the paperwork, compete with such extraordinary talent, and ship your quilt. I saw a quilt from the Mideast last year and a few American quilts.
Funny you should ask about workshops. The Japanese style of quilt training is formal and intense. Students do not take workshops from any teacher but their own sensei (honored teacher). That’s quite the opposite of American quilters who take classes from anyone and everyone!
I was not disappointed this year although I have attended five times. I look forward to heading back next January. PB
I am a Hobby patchworker , and love combining my trips with quilt shows. I‘ve been to many different ones in Europe, since is it‘s closer to me ( i live in Berlin). Tokyo „international“ quilt show, was a „dream to be realized“ ; to visit „the world biggest quilt event“…
Ifinally made it this year…and was so dissapointed!!! I‘ve never been to the show in Houston, Texas, but i imagine it is bigger that that. I‘m a frequent guest at the Carrefour, european quilt festival in Ste Marie-aux-Mînes, and that is definetly bigger than that. There‘s another one in Birmingham in August that i think is also bigger than that…
I think you cannot call a festival where you don‘t find any information on the quilts , other than japanese “international”. The show is so full that you don‘t have a chance to get close to the quilts been shown. I was there on Monday, and was so dissapointed that i didn’t even bother to come back. As i said ‘m very thankfull to your blog that definitely helped me to see and understand a little more.
The japanese undoubtedly make a beautiful, accurate and detailed work. I’m a huge fan of their style, therefore this big wish to make it to this show…
I think they still have to change few things if they want it to call their show “international”. The other thing i found weird, is that they don’t have any workshops to offer…this is the chance you have to learn from the big masters…
Patricia, i’m sorry, but i had to share my disappointment, and at the same time thank you for not letting my impression be even worse.
Meg