Miyata Masayuki

Miyata Masayuki was a renowned Japanese artist from Tokyo, best known for his exceptional mastery of kiri-e, the traditional Japanese art of paper cutting.
Largely self-taught and without formal artistic training, he began his career in 1954 as a book designer for Charles E. Tuttle Co., working under the pseudonym Masakazu Kuwata until 1965. During this period, he also helped establish Kodansha International, contributing to the development of English-language publications on Japanese culture.
In 1963, Miyata`s remarkable paper-cutting skills attracted the attention of the celebrated novelist Jun`ichirō Tanizaki, who invited him to illustrate several of his literary works. This collaboration established Miyata as one of Japan`s foremost kiri-e artists and led to the illustration of modern editions of literary classics such as The Tale of Genji and The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter.
His international reputation reached new heights in 1995, when, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the United Nations, he became the first Japanese artist officially recognised by the organisation. His celebrated work Red Fuji was selected for the United Nations Art Collection and distributed in special limited editions across 184 countries, further establishing his worldwide acclaim.
Although kiri-e remained his signature medium throughout his career, Miyata also worked with traditional Japanese woodblock printing and silkscreen techniques. His artistic themes frequently depicted women from different periods of Japanese history, scenes inspired by classical literature, and the timeless beauty of Mount Fuji, blending traditional aesthetics with a refined contemporary sensibility.
Through his masterful fusion of traditional Japanese aesthetics and innovative paper-cutting techniques, Miyata established himself as one of the most influential kiri-e artists of the twentieth century, earning international recognition while preserving and revitalising one of Japan`s most distinctive artistic traditions.