Kenichi Mori Receives His First Special Selection Award at the 119th Nitten Exhibition

A long-held aspiration fulfilled. Kenichi Mori's wood marquetry work, "Mebae (Sprouting)," has received the Special Selection Award in the Crafts section of the 119th Nitten Exhibition.

We are pleased to announce that "Mebae (Sprouting)," a work by Kenichi Mori, President of MORI KOUGEI, has received the Special Selection Award in Section 4 (Crafts) of the 119th Nitten Exhibition.

Receiving this award has been a long-standing goal for Kenichi Mori. Over many years, he has continued to submit his works to Nitten, exploring his own artistic expression while deepening his relationship with wood as a material.

This year, his years of dedication have culminated in his first Special Selection Award.

Wood Marquetry Recognized as Fine Craft Art

Nitten is one of Japan's most prestigious comprehensive art exhibitions, bringing together works across a wide range of artistic disciplines.

Its Crafts section features works in ceramics, textiles, lacquerware, metalwork, woodwork, and other disciplines, representing a remarkable diversity of materials and techniques.

The award-winning work, "Mebae (Sprouting)," was created primarily using wood marquetry, a technique that combines the natural grain patterns and colors of different wood species through carefully arranged thin sheets of natural wood veneer. The composition also incorporates raden, a traditional Japanese decorative technique using mother-of-pearl inlay.

By bringing together countless small pieces while preserving the natural colors and patterns of wood, the work depicts moonlight nurturing the emergence of new life.

For Kenichi Mori and MORI KOUGEI, having a work of wood veneer marquetry recognized with the Special Selection Award among such a diverse range of craft disciplines marks a particularly meaningful achievement.

Award-Winning Work: "Mebae (Sprouting)"

The Nitten jury offered the following assessment of the work:

The work portrays, through meticulous craftsmanship, the emergence of a pair of young leaves nurtured by moonlight. Making full use of the varied expressions of wood grain and its shifting tones, and incorporating mother-of-pearl inlay, it demonstrates an extraordinary amount of painstaking work. It also conveys a cosmic vision encompassing the movement of the stars and the rhythms of life.

The jury recognized not only the technical mastery involved in using the natural grain and tonal variations of wood, together with the intricate application of mother-of-pearl inlay, but also the work's broader artistic vision of life and the cosmos.

Exploring the Expressive Possibilities of Wood

Founded in 1953, MORI KOUGEI has specialized in the art and craftsmanship of applying natural wood veneer to various surfaces.

Even within the same wood species, no two grain patterns are ever exactly alike.

The natural colors of wood, the flow of its grain, and the subtle changes in its appearance under different lighting conditions all contribute to its unique character. By carefully observing and combining these individual qualities, new forms of expression emerge that can only be achieved with natural wood.

For decades, Kenichi Mori has worked closely with these qualities of wood veneer, continuing to create fine craft artworks through wood marquetry alongside his daily work at MORI KOUGEI.

This first Special Selection Award represents an important milestone in his long artistic journey and offers renewed recognition of the expressive potential of wood veneer as a material.

MORI KOUGEI will continue to honor the natural beauty of wood while exploring new possibilities in craftsmanship and artistic expression.

119th Nitten Exhibition — Event Information

• Dates: October 30 (Fri) – November 22 (Sun), 2026

• Venue: The National Art Center, Tokyo (Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo)

• Section: Section 4 — Crafts

• Award: Special Selection Award (Tokusen)

• Artwork: "Mebae (Sprouting)"

• Artist: Kenichi Mori

Official Nitten Website
https://nitten.or.jp/

Special Selection Award Recipients and Jury Comments
https://nitten.or.jp/winning_candidate