Junko Narita (b.1946) creates fantastical dolls that look like the protagonists of stories from Chinese and Japanese mythology descending from the sky. These gorgeous and elegant works made by hand are comprised of antique fabrics such as crepe, satin, Ming brocade, brocade and embroidery that were once worn by princesses 300 years ago, and are adorned with jewelry made of gold and silver, coral, jade and crystal.
Narita was born in Kyoto and learned Japanese dance from an early age. After getting married, she lived in the UK for several years; these experiences shaped her approach to the traditional artform. Enveloped in mysterious, beautiful costumes, each seems like a visitor from an unknown land. Her works often center around the yearly zodiac, such as a boy riding a white dragon or the rabbit hopping over the moon.
Selected Biography
1982 Graduated from the Japan Creative Doll Academy
1984 Exhibited at the Gunen Art Association Exhibition and won the Gunen Award (Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum)
2003 Winner of the Kateigaho Grand Prize Exhibition
2006 Solo exhibition "Junko Narita Doll Exhibition" (Ginza Ippodo, Tokyo)
2007 Received the NHK Publishing Association Award at the "Hokyoji Temple Doll Exhibition" (Doll Temple Hokyoji Temple, Kyoto)
2009 Solo exhibition "Junko Narita Doll Exhibition: Tales of the Sky" (Ginza Ippodo, Tokyo)
Featured in the quarterly Ginka magazine "The World of Junko Narita Dolls"
2010 Special Exhibition: Junko Narita Doll Exhibition "Nene Mugen" (Kodaiji Temple, Kyoto)
2012 SOFA CHICAGO (Ippodo New York, USA)
2013 Selected as the Minister's Special Prize Winner for the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications' Online Election Video Contest
Featured in Waraku Mook's Japanese Crafts Magazine Art Museum, "The 2nd Kanazawa International Craft Triennale: Regional Crafts," 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa (Ishikawa)
2014 "'Taiwan-Japan Contemporary Craft & Design in Flux'" National Taiwan Crafts Research Institute (Taiwan)
2017 Selected for the 3rd Kanazawa World Triennale International Craft Competition
2018 Solo Exhibition "Junko Narita Doll Exhibition" (Kenninji Temple, Kyoto)
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Fine Arts Paris 2026
19 - 23 Sep 2026PARIS, FRANCE— Ippodo Gallery debuts at Fine Arts Paris at Booth N25 in the historic Grand Palais from September 19–23, 2026. Quiet Metamorphosis: A Resurgence of Kogei highlights a timely revival of Japanese fine-art-craft. Drawing upon time-honored traditions, these most contemporary works evoke a visceral and meditative presence: this is a profound creative metamorphosis happening quietly in our time. In the nineteenth century, revolutionary Japonisme transfixed the landscape of French culture and Western art through flat perspective, vivid naturalism, and asymmetric composition. Japan’s contemporary masters honor artistic heritage whilst approaching their materials with a radically modern sensibility. Their creations bring ancient craft into the era of contemporary art. Under the majestic dome of the Grand Palais—the historic site of the World’s Fairs which ignited global passion for Japanese aesthetics—Quiet Metamorphosis: A Resurgence of Kogei awakens an essential philosophy of beauty.Read more -
TEFAF Maastricht 2026
14 - 19 Mar 2026FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Authentic Colors of Japan MAASTRICHT, NETHERLANDS – Ippodo Gallery is pleased to announce its debut participation in TEFAF Maastricht 2026, presenting a landmark exhibition titled Authentic Colors of Japan at Booth 476. From March 14 to March 19, the exhibition will feature masterful objects by 20 of Japan’s most distinguished contemporary artists. Their creations evoke vivid pigments sourced from nature and explore the primal power of color through the nation’s rarest traditional materials. This showcase of authentic Japanese colors offers visitors an encounter with a spectrum of mediums: the deep reds of vermillion lacquer, the luminescence of Gofun white from oyster shells, the brilliance of gold and silver leaf, and the depth of indigo blue. The exhibition highlights how ancient techniques are being radically recontextualized for global contemporary audiences: cutting edge mother-of-pearl inlays are naturally luminescent like digital screens; revolutionary silk Obi belts woven with opal incorporate the thousand-year history of Japanese weaving with new understanding of minerals; and masterworks in bamboo, Nihonga painting, and clay are grounded in the earthy, tactile aesthetics of the Japanese landscape. "To witness these artworks is to see the 'colors' of Japan not as mere pigments, but as living history," says Shoko Aono, the director of Ippodo Gallery. "In presenting pieces by these 20 esteemed artists in Maastricht, we are showcasing a mastery that is at once ancient and avant-garde." Exhibiting artists: Shin Fujihira, Shihoko Fukumoto, Kondaya Genbey, Yuki Hayama, Hideaki Honma, Terumasa Ikeda, Manji Inoue, Hajime and Yasuo Ishikura, Hiromi Itabashi, Yukiya Izumita, KAKU, Sho Kishino, Hirotomi Maeda, Masaaki Miyasako, Jihei Murase, Daisuke Nakano, Junko Narita, Reiji Omori, Hiraku Sudo, Shion Tabata, and Sōyō and Shōdo Yamagishi.Read more
