Winners Announced for the DENTO Support Program 2025 — Connecting Tradition to the Future

August 17, 2025

DENTO (Ukyo-ku, Kyoto; Representative: Lugasi Abraham), a non-profit organization has announced the 2025 recipients for its DENTO Support Program which was launched in 2024 with the aim of supporting successors of traditional Japanese crafts.

During the application period from May 27 to June 30, 2025, we received a total of 21 applications from all over Japan. The following organizations and individuals passed the first-round screening and advanced to the second-round screening.

Finalists (in Japanese alphabetical order):

Following a rigorous second-round screening, the winners of each award category have been decided as follows.

Young Craftsman Support (Apprentice Training)
Program Winners [3 companies]

Kongō Gumi Co., Ltd.

Prize Winner’s Self-Introductory Statement 

Kongō Gumi, said to be the oldest company in the world, has been involved in the construction of temples and shrines for over 1,400 years, employing around 100 full-time miyadaiku (specialized temple/shrine carpenters).

The traditional architectural techniques of miyadaiku, registered as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, are highly esteemed worldwide. However, due to the long years of training and high degree of specialization required, the shortage of successors has become a serious issue.

To pass these skills on to the future, the company established the “Takumi Training School” in 2021 to train young craftsmen. The program targets students under 20 years old, with active master carpenters serving as instructors over a six-month course of practical and theoretical instruction. Upon graduation, students become apprentices under each master carpenter to further hone their craft through hands-on work.

This structured approach to teaching fundamentals such as joinery, marking, and tool handling has demonstrably improved comprehension and retention among trainees. Kongō Gumi remains committed to sharing this craft—which could be called the soul of Japanese architecture—with the world.

Comments from the Judging Committee
Kongō Gumi, widely recognized as the world’s oldest company, is a symbol of Japan’s sustainable enterprises. The shortage of successors for such a company poses a serious challenge for Japan. Passing down the essential techniques and wisdom needed to preserve temples, shrines, and Japanese culture itself is Japan’s responsibility to the world. Kongō Gumi has already anticipated the future of the company by launching the “Takumi Training School” in 2021, engaging in successor training based on a clear vision. DENTO hopes that this award will further support the company’s ongoing journey into the future.

Nakamura Rosoku Ltd.

Prize Winner’s Self-Introductory Statement 

Nakamura Rosoku began producing Japanese candles in Nishinotoin-Nijo, Kyoto. After establishing as a branch family in 1887 (Meiji 20), the company operated in Horikawa-Sanjo for three generations, and since April 1977, has been based in Fushimi, Kyoto, as the fourth generation—marking eleven generations of Japanese candle-making in Kyoto.

Japanese candles are made from a wick and wax. Those produced by our shop use plant-based wax and wicks made from Japanese paper wrapped around the pith of rush grass. While continuing to supply candles to temples and shrines, we are also shifting away from traditional raw material sourcing and sales methods, and expanding into household use. We also produce special sukiya candles for performances of kabuki, noh, kyogen, and traditional tea gatherings, as well as decorative painted candles used as floral substitutes, commemorative gifts, or in their traditional roles.

Comments from the Judging Committee

The culture of light represented by Japanese candles is a uniquely Japanese aesthetic, cultivated over centuries and shaping the nation’s sense of space and illumination—often evoked by Jun’ichiro Tanizaki’s In Praise of Shadows. Yet, with modernization since the Meiji era, candles have been replaced by more functional light sources, and their use has been in sharp decline—production itself now facing possible extinction.

In this context, Nakamura Rosoku is not only among the few remaining producers, but is also actively working toward reviving the craft. We have chosen to support the company’s apprentice training efforts so that the tradition of Japanese candles and their culture of light can continue to be passed down.

Nanjo Kobo Ltd.

Prize Winner’s Self-Introductory Statement 

Founded around 1800 in Kyoto, Nanjo Kobo has specialized in producing narimono—Buddhist and Shinto ritual instruments that produce sound—for over 200 years, passing down both skills and sensibility through the generations. All products use sahari, an alloy of copper and tin, and every process—from mold-making to casting to finishing—is done entirely by hand.

By using a proprietary alloy ratio and firing molds with wood fuel, the workshop maximizes the qualities of sahari, producing a one-of-a-kind tone. Today, it is the only workshop in Japan still making orin (temple bells) with this traditional method.

In 2019, the company launched its own brand “LinNe,” developing products for enjoying these tones in daily life, collaborating with artists, and holding workshops to bring traditional sound into the modern era. In 2023, they opened an experiential gallery “LinNe STUDIO” to further share the beauty of sound and culture.

Comments from the Judging Committee

Nanjo Kobo produces ritual instruments using its own traditional manufacturing methods, carrying forward sounds deeply rooted in Japanese culture. In addition to traditional religious uses, the company proposes new applications, has opened a factory shop, and hosts tours—pursuing business stability through diversification. Given that production requires multiple craftsmen working together, securing skilled successors is essential. The workshop is building an apprentice training system, and we wish to support its vision and sustainable initiatives for the future.

DENTO Awards: Craft Award (Products/Works)
Winners [2 recipients]

Makoto Susa

Prize Winner’s Self-Introductory Statement 

Based in Sanjo City, Niigata Prefecture, Susa is a metal artist with 32 years of experience as a tsuiki copperware craftsman. This work, themed on the Year of the Snake, features a handle shaped from hammered pure silver, eyes inlaid with 18k gold, a lid of blackened copper with openwork, a body of copper coated with tin, and brass legs. The entire piece is finished with a hammered snake-scale pattern, with careful attention to harmony of colors and materials. Recently, Susa has been pursuing innovative works while drawing on traditional techniques, striving to inspire others in the craft world.

Forged snake-eye hammered incense burner “Mikoku”
This work not only inherits the sophisticated techniques of traditional tsuiki copperware, but also expresses contemporary sensibility in a stylish form. The natural qualities and beauty of the materials stand out as a single cohesive object, showcasing the maturity and skill of the artist. It is a fitting recipient for the Craft Award, representing the modern form of traditional craft. We look forward to Susa’s continued challenges in new fields while preserving this heritage.

Comments from the Judging Committee

Forged snake-eye hammered incense burner “Mikoku”
This work not only inherits the sophisticated techniques of traditional tsuiki copperware, but also expresses contemporary sensibility in a stylish form. The natural qualities and beauty of the materials stand out as a single cohesive object, showcasing the maturity and skill of the artist. It is a fitting recipient for the Craft Award, representing the modern form of traditional craft. We look forward to Susa’s continued challenges in new fields while preserving this heritage.

MORI KOUGEI

Prize Winner’s Self-Introductory Statement 

Founded in 1953, MORI KOUGEI in Tokushima specializes in decorative plywood using ultra-thin natural wood veneer. In 2020, it began developing original products that blend traditional craftsmanship with modern design. The award-winning Ai-Urushi PLATE features a deep indigo hue created by combining Tokushima indigo with Japanese lacquer. The brand explores the future of craft rooted in nature and region. 

Comments from the Judging Committee

“Ai-Urushi PLATE”
MORI KOUGEI has gone beyond pursuing conventional veneer techniques, combining them with a unique indigo lacquer finish to create an unprecedented and original work. Such efforts to evolve traditional techniques and create new value are precisely what modern traditional crafts need, and deserve high praise. Particularly, combining techniques from other traditional crafts hints at new possibilities for Japanese craftsmanship. This work was selected for its high level of technical mastery and fresh, unprecedented texture.

DENTO Awards: Creative Award (New Product Ideas)

No recipient was selected this year.

DENTO sincerely hopes that the presentation of these awards will help contribute, even in a small way, to the preservation and development of Japan’s traditional crafts.

We plan to hold the same support program again next year. Please feel free to contact us with any inquiries or expressions of interest.

Judges for the 2nd DENTO Support Program 2025:

  • Avi Lugasi
  • Mineaki Saito
  • Kotaro Nishibori

NPO DENTO 

Location: Quest Oike 2F, 15-1 Yamanouchi Miyawaki-cho, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto 615-0092, Japan
Established: November 2021 
https://dento-japan.co.jp 

Email: info@dento-japan.co.jp 
Tel: 080-4134-2606 
FAX: 050-3730-9607