Creative Residency Saga – Japan

Washi and woodcraft are longstanding and interdependent elements of Japanese material culture. Although each has its own techniques, histories, and regional variations, they have developed in close relation—washi supporting structural, decorative, and architectural uses of wood, and woodworking traditions shaping the tools, forms, and frames in which washi is used. This relationship is particularly visible in Saga Prefecture, where both practices have evolved through locally specific ecological conditions, materials, and forms of knowledge transmission.

Across Saga there is a wide range of craftspeople working with wood, bamboo, plant fibers, lacquer, paper, food materials, ceramic clays, and regional timbers. Within this broad ecosystem, Nao Tesuki Washi and the Morodomi wood-furniture region stand out for the depth of their traditions and the continuity of their production methods.

Nao Tesuki Washi

Nao Tesuki Washi has practiced hand-papermaking in the mountains of Saga for four centuries. The workshop cultivates, harvests, processes, and transforms kaji (梶)—a mulberry species historically used in Kyushu—into sheets of washi.

Unlike many regions that shifted to Kozo or Gampi during modernization, Nao has maintained the same plant material and the same multi-stage handwork techniques for approximately 400 years. This continuity has produced a distinctive paper with strong fibres, high durability, and material characteristics that reflect a long cycle of accumulated knowledge.

The method is notable not only for its preservation of historical practice, but for the way repetition over generations has refined both technique and the paper’s unique qualities.

Morodomi Woodcraft and Furniture Making

The Morodomi region developed as a woodworking and furniture-making area in the mid-20th century, growing from smaller carpentry workshops into a cluster of specialised producers. Over more than 60 years, Morodomi craftspeople have combined postwar Japanese furniture traditions with regionally specific woodworking skills, including solid-wood processing, joinery, finishing, and small-batch furniture production.

While industrialisation reshaped many furniture regions in Japan, Morodomi retained a workshop structure in which hand-skills and machine-based precision coexist. This has resulted in an industry that works across scales—from individual components and custom pieces to full furniture systems—while maintaining close knowledge of local woods, assembly methods, and functional design.

Today, Morodomi represents one of Saga’s most active wood-production areas, forming a bridge between traditional craft techniques and contemporary design.

Throughout the residency:

• English-speaking coordination staff support communication with craftspeople
• Coordination staff and the directorial team meet residents regularly to monitor progress and discuss additional possibilities or requirements
• The residency team assists in arranging technical access and scheduling work periods with craftspeople
• Residents are expected to communicate openly and regularly about the status of their work and any needs that arise
• Artist will have the opportunity to present their work

Creative Residency Saga (CRS) is structured primarily as a research-driven residency, though it remains possible to develop work or prototypes in collaboration with craftspeople when relevant to the residents’ practice.

During the residency period, the designer and artist will be based in Saga City, living in shared accommodation located in close proximity to the participating craftspeople. Residents are provided with individual bedrooms and shared living facilities, including a common living room, kitchen, and bathroom. A studio or workspace will be provided for the residents to use during the residency period. Local transport options are available for day-to-day mobility.

In addition to the residence workspace, each participant is assigned an individual working space within the partner company in Saga City (LEGNATEC for woodcraft or Nao Tesuki Washi for washi). These workspaces allow residents to work directly within the environment of the craftspeople, where technical specialists are available for guidance relating to woodworking, washi production, and other relevant processes.

The CRS programme is based on the expectation that residents will spend a significant part of their time in the studios and workshops of the craftspeople—observing, learning, discussing possibilities, and carrying out parts of their practice on-site. The provided workspace complements this by offering an additional place for development, reflection, and prototyping, while the main exchange and material engagement take place within the craft ateliers themselves.

The CRS residency consists of a three-month working period divided into three distinct phases. Together, these phases support learning, research, development, and exchange between residents and the participating craftspeople in Saga.

Phase 1 — Orientation, Hands-On Experience, and Research (Weeks 1–4)

Residents begin the programme by working directly with craftspeople at Nao Tesuki Washi (washi) and/or Morodomi (woodcraft).

This phase focuses on: hands-on learning, observing production processes, understanding materials and techniques, identifying possible directions for research or development. Residents gain insight into how local methods, tools, and working rhythms shape the craft.

Phase 2 — Project Development and Continued Exchange (Weeks 4–8)

Residents further develop their research and project direction. This phase combines independent work with scheduled sessions in the craft ateliers.

During this period: access to craftspeople is arranged and planned as needed; technical guidance is provided in line with the residents’ research direction; prototypes, tests, and material studies can be carried out; the residents and coordination staff review progress and discuss possible next steps. This phase emphasises experimentation, reflection, and negotiation with materials and techniques.

Phase 3 — Production, Consolidation, and Presentation Preparation (Weeks 8–12)

In the final phase, residents refine their research or move into a production stage, depending on the trajectory of their work.

Activities may include: producing prototypes or finished pieces (if relevant); finalising research documentation; preparing material for public presentation; working intensively with craftspeople when needed. The aim of this phase is to consolidate the residents’ findings and prepare for public sharing.