These adorable and slightly mysterious creatures with thorny teeth, many eyes and legs, which look as if they came out of the pages of a picture book, are works by Yumeno from ArtDaifuku. The somewhat absent-minded expressions on their faces are so cute that you can't help but smile when you look at them. We first came across Yumeno’s work at cafe anori in Yamagata City and immediately fell in love, so we decided to interview Yumeno.
Hariko (papier-mâché) is a technique of forming papier-mâché by stretching layers of Japanese paper (washi) over a mold made of bamboo, wood, or clay, and then removing the mold.
When you hear the word “hariko,” you may think of a traditional handicraft, but Yumeno's work is pure art. She calls her work “ArtDaifuku” with the hope that people will enjoy her work freely and casually and that happiness will reach beyond the boundaries of traditional hariko. (Daifuku means big happiness.)
It is difficult to create complex shapes using only hariko techniques, so for the thin legs and spiky teeth, she attaches thin pieces of twisted Japanese paper or uses bamboo. Sometimes she makes use of completely different materials, such as fur.
Yarn is wrapped around the ears.
It was an incredible surprise to learn that she is completely self-taught! Originally, she worked for a beauty manufacturer that had nothing to do with handicrafts, but she moved to Yamagata about 10 years ago when her husband was transferred to another city.
At that time, she produced kokeshi accessories for Naomi Umeki, a kokeshi doll craftsperson. She became an artist when she made a box to hold these accessories using hariko techniques. The owner of a shop in Tokyo liked the boxes and said, “The shape is unique and interesting, so why don't you have a mini solo exhibition?” Soon after, she decided to hold a small exhibition and created more than 100 pieces, all with different patterns. She has since continued her work, gaining more and more fans.
She gets inspired for her work when she talks with people and feels happy, or when she reads and an image comes into her mind. Ideas come to her in rapid succession, and perhaps because she intuitively manifests these ideas quickly in her work, the number of works she produces often grows to a huge number.
Small creations made with pipe cleaners. 1,000 of them!
She does not only make hariko. She paints, creates prints, makes dolls out of pipe cleaners, and even when she is in the middle of making hariko, she starts working on another project as soon as she feels like it. “I'm not very good at getting my work done on time,” she says. “But I make what I want to make when I’m in the mood for it, so it's very healthy,” she smiles.
Yumeno painting eyes on a “rabbit fukusuke.” It’s very detailed work.
“I want people of any age to challenge themselves and not give up if they want to do something, so I hope my work will be a catalyst for them,” says Yumeno. For this reason, she dares to design things that are not too polished. It is also important that the designs are enjoyable for everyone, from children to the elderly. For this reason, she does not use sexual or intense expressions. “The eccentric colors and appearance may surprise you, but if you look closely, you will see that they are gentle and cute. I want people to think, 'Hey, maybe it's cute!’ even when they look at it 10 years later.”
She says that since she has so many different types of works, it is difficult to create standard items, but the more you look at each piece, the more you grow attached to it. It is a once-in-a-lifetime encounter, and you are sure to enjoy finding your favorite.
A collaboration with a lacquer shop in Yamagata. Lacquer is applied to hariko.
Although she sometimes holds solo exhibitions in Tokyo, Yumeno's works are displayed and sold mainly at cafes in Yamagata Prefecture.
“Yamagata is a relaxing and comfortable place to live and work,” she says. “I like Yamagata because it is a prefecture that creates a good sense of distance between people.”
Her makes works with motifs typical of Yamagata, such as cherries and the shape of the Chinese character for mountain, out of gratitude to the people around her. The good thing is that they are easy to sell as souvenirs or gifts even if they are displayed without any explanation. “I am able to continue to do this work thanks to everyone who displays my work and supports me,” she says.
There is also a series of her work using Yamagata's Gassan washi (type of Japanese paper). She purchases colored washi and makes the most of the qualities of the washi itself without applying color on top. The colors are different from her usual work, but she says, “The texture of the washi is gentle, and I didn't want to tamper with the wonderful work of the craftsmen.”
Wall hanging made of Gassan washi. The color is the same as the color of the paper purchased, without adding any color.
She hopes to try her hand at making picture books in the future. She would like to share her own pictures and stories on YouTube and podcasts, as if she were reading them to children instead of mothers and fathers busy with work and household chores. We’re very excited just hearing about her ideas. We very much look forward to seeing what kind of world she creates.
Her illustrations. One with balls of yarn!
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ArtDaifuku Yumeno
Born in Tochigi Prefecture in 1979. After working in the beauty industry in Tokyo, she moved to Yamagata Prefecture when she got married.
She worked in accessory production in collaboration with Naomi Umeki, a kokeshi doll craftsperson, and created on kokeshi doll cases for sale as part of the project, which led to her becoming a full-fledged hariko artist in 2017.
She incorporates a variety of techniques, including hariko, painting, printmaking, and ceramics, to create three-dimensional works that look as if they have come out of the world of picture books and paintings. She pursues her own unique aesthetic, combining warmth and uniqueness.
Major solo exhibitions to date include “Konichi Hariko ArtDaifuku Solo Exhibition” at Shinjuku Ophthalmology Gallery in December 2023, “Konichi Hariko ArtDaifuku Solo Exhibition” at THE LOCAL TUAD ART GALLERY in October 2024, and another solo exhibition scheduled for December 2025 at Shinjuku Ophthalmology Gallery.
Instagram: @artdaifuku
Website: https://www.artdaifuku.com/