"I would like to appeal attraction of my ceramics to people in foreign countries through Chanoyu, Japanese tea ceremony, which is one of composite of Japanese culture."

The above was Akihiro Nikaido’s concept of "Wabi and Now" held in May, 2015 in New York. He collaborated with two tea masters; Kyoko Denda and Souheki Mori, a calligrapher; Satoshi Nemoto, and Japanese confectionery chef; Motohiro Inaba.

In May, 2016, we held "Wabi and Now -wa, ring-" to make teahouse of several locations in New York City, collaborating with a tea master; Souheki Mori, a calligrapher; Satoshi Nemoto, a flower artist; Mario Hirama, a Japanese confectionery chef; Shiho Sakamoto, sake brewer; Yasunomu Tomita, and Japanese cuisine chef; Fujiko Aoki.

And, now in May, 2019, we will hold "Wabi and Now -san, the end-"
During this event, Akihiro Nikaido’s latest ceramics will be exhibited at Cavin Morris Gallery in New York. At the opening reception, Satoshi Nemoto, calligrapher, Mario Hirama, flower artist, and Souheki Mori, a tea master, will perform special collaboration. At Setsugekka, a teahouse in Manhattan, Nemoto will hold a calligraphy exhibition. Hirama will hold a flower workshop as well. Mori will hold a tea ceremony with artworks by Nikaido, Nemoto, and Hirama. Furthermore, we will hold a special Chaji, a formal tea gathering, at Kosaka, collaborating with Yoshinori Kousaka, an executive chef of Kosaka and Fujiko Aoki, a Japanese cuisine and confectionery chef.

New York is created by people from all over the world.
We would like to conclude "Wabi and Now" by doing our very best for this unusual place, New York.

Chanoyu, Japanese tea ceremony, was established in Muromachi period, mid 14th to 16th century. Tea masters appreciate four seasons, entrust their thoughts to tea, calligraphy, flower arrangements, ceramics, sake, and so on. Guests enjoy them using the five senses, and communicate their thoughts to the host spending the time and sharing the spaces. The things existing alone combined together in the space of the teahouse.

In Meiji period, from 1868 to 1912, Japan was overwhelmed by foreign cultures. The word "Art" was introduced in this period. Japanese fused these changes by their own way of thinking and flexibility. However, the number of chances to re-evaluate the value of their own culture became fewer. Especially, after the WWII, the Japanese was attracted by Western culture and followed them too much. As a result, the Japanese started to dismiss their own culture and sense of values for a long time. Its influence continues now.

As a ceramic artist, Nikaido has exhibited his works at "Wabi and Now" in New York as well as many other countries since 2015, and he realized that many people outside of Japan sympathize the beauty existing in Japanese culture, context, and values through his own experiences.

The beauty and sense of values that the Japanese have created are not the things of the past. They still exist "Now".

As if the flowers were scattered and borne fruit, we wish the beauty and sense of values would be change the shapes depending on the occasion, go beyond countries and people of all races, grow and expand more and more.

We would like to hold and conclude "Wabi and Now - san, the end -" in this coming May, 2019 in New York.