A mere combination of six dots, Braille is used to express numbers, letters, and sounds, along with Japanese phonetics. Braille letters do not follow the logic of those who can see words expressed by lines; rather, they are suitable for those who read and write by touch. The power of Braille lies in its intense creativity that gives birth to letters from scant material and supple conceptions that are not ensnared by common sense. From one dot in your heart a majestic universe is about to unfold!

Download the flyer［PDF：1.2MB］

　Learn More About Braille and the Exhibits “An Invitation to the Culture of Touch: Experience and Enjoy Braille”

• Date: August 22, September 12, October 10, November 14 (All Saturdays)
• Location: National Museum of Ethnology, Exhibition Area
• How to Participate: You may join at any time.
• Held By: Minpaku Museum Partners and the National Association of Information Service for Visually Impaired Persons

“Decoboco(凸凹) Workshop: Making a Tsugite Pendant to Join You with Someone Special”

 

Tsugite is the traditional technique of joining pieces of wood together without using nails or glue, so that the joined pieces look like a single piece of wood. In this workshop, we will use clay made from natural wood and try our hands at making tsugite pendants in the shapes of deco (凸) and boco (凹). You can also include a simple message in Braille on your pendant.
What kind of a “connection” will you make, and with whom?

• Date: August 30 (Sunday)
• Time: 1:30 p.m.–4:00 p.m. (Doors open at 1:00 p.m.)
• Location: National Museum of Ethnology, Seminar Room No. 3
• Intended For: First graders and older (Younger children may participate if accompanied by a parent.)
• Seats Available: 20 (Advance registration on a first-come, first-served basis)
  WE HAVE STOPPED ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS SINCE THE WORKSHOP
  HAS BEEN FILLED TO CAPACITY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR APPLICATIONS!
• Cost: 500 Yen
• Materials: Clay and zuko
• Registration Starts: July 30 (Thursday)
• Registration: Refer to How to Register for a Workshop.
• Instructor: M.Y. YOKOYAMA
• Profile: The team of M. YOKOYAMA (Professor at Bunka Women’s University) and Y. YOKOYAMA. Engaged in tsugite art projects and held exhibitions in Bienalle Internationale Design (France), O.C.C. Fine Arts Gallery (U.S.), Gallery le bain, Ginza Komatsu Art Space (Japan).

In addition, on the fourth Saturday between September and November, Minpaku Museum Partners will hold exhibit explanations during the afternoon.

Minpaku Weekend Salon “The Braille Universe”: Why ‘Ten-Ten-Ten’ instead of ‘Ten- Ten’?

• Date: September 6 (Sunday)
• Location: National Museum of Ethnology, Exhibition Area
• How to Participate: You may join at any time.
• Held By: HIROSE Kojiro (Associate Professor, National Museum of Ethnology)

Sekisōga Workshop: Making Pictures Using Stone

 

Sekisōga, also known as “stone pictures” is a method of creating pictures seen nowhere else in the world. In this workshop, you will experience creating your own sekisōga in the shape of a dog or a cat. First, you will make a dog- or a cat-shaped figure, and then rub a paint mixture made of stone, pigment, and cement onto it. Next, you will take it home and polish it with water-resistant paper five days later. Then, your sekisōga piece will be finished.

• Date: October 3 (Saturday)
• Time: 1:30 p.m.–4:00 p.m. (Doors open at 1:00 p.m.)
• Location: National Museum of Ethnography, Seminar Room No. 3
• Intended For: First graders and older (Younger children may participate if accompanied by a parent.)
• Seats Available: 20 (Advance registration on a first-come, first-served basis)
• Cost: 500 Yen
• Please Bring: An apron or clothing that can get dirty
• Registration Starts: September 3 (Thursday)
• Registration: Refer to How to Register for a Workshop.
• Instructor: EDA Takahiro
• Profile: Born in Osaka in 1942. Began studying and producing sekisōga in 1978. After meeting a visually impaired person in 2007, he used his sekisōga skills and held the Sekisōga Touch Exhibition, where visitors could touch the exhibits. The exhibition has been held every year since.

Braille Art Workshop: Free Design Using Braille as a Motif

• Date: October 25 (Sunday)
• Time: 1:30 p.m.–4:00 p.m. (Doors open at 1:00 p.m.)
• Location: National Museum of Ethnology, Seminar Room No. 5
• Intended For: First graders and older (Younger children may participate if accompanied by a parent.)
• Seats Available: 20 (Advance registration on a first-come, first-served basis)
• Cost: 500 Yen
• Registration Starts: September 25 (Friday)
• Registration: Refer to How to Register for a Workshop.
• Instructor: TODO Satoshi

Bird Carving Workshop: Carving Birds from Wood

• Date: October 31 (Saturday)
• Location: National Museum of Ethnology, Seminar Room No. 3
• Time: 1:30 p.m.– 4:00 p.m (Doors open at 1:00 p.m.)
• Intended For: Third graders and older (Younger children may participate if accompanied by a parent.)
• Seats Available: 20 (Advance registration on a first-come, first-served basis)
• Cost: 500 Yen
• Materials: Wood, penknife
• Please Bring: An apron or clothing that can get dirty
• Registration Starts: September 30 (Wednesday)
• Registration: Refer to How to Register for a Workshop.
• Instructor: UCHIYAMA Haruo