Yuko Ikeda × AMART at KYO AMAHARE
"A Small Sea - Nagi -"
At this time of year, the colors of the sky stretching over the shore whisper the arrival of spring.
On the second floor of KYO AMAHARE, we are pleased to host "A Small Sea - Nagi -", an exhibition by ceramic artist Yuko Ikeda.
This is the sequel to her "A Small Sea" exhibition held in 2024.
For this exhibition, objects and wall art that evoke the calm, primitive scenery of a tranquil sea will grace the various spaces of KYO AMAHARE.
On the opening day, we will hold a special tea ceremony, "Nagi", with Ms. Ikeda.
We sincerely look forward to welcoming you to both the exhibition and the tea ceremony.
◇ Dates
[ KYO AMAHARE ] Friday, March 13 – Tuesday, March 24, 2026
※Closed on Wednesdays
Online Exhibition https://shop.amahare.jp/
Friday, March 27, 6:00 PM (JST) – Sunday, March 29, 2026 (JST)
※The special page will be available from 6:00 PM (JST) on Friday, March 27.
◇ Artist Presence
Friday, March 13
◇ Location
KYO AMAHARE 2nd Floor @kyo_amahare
127 Aburaya-cho, Yanaginobanba-higashi-iru, Takoyakushi-dori, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto 604-8063
TEL: 075-256-3280
E-mail: kyo@amahare.jp
Hours: 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM
◇ Reservations: No reservations are required for the exhibition. Please feel free to visit us at your convenience.
Yuko Ikeda × Sabo Kyo
Tea Ceremony "Nagi"
In conjunction with Yuko Ikeda's exhibition starting on Friday, March 13, Sabo Kyo will host a special tea ceremony titled "Nagi".
We will welcome you with a space and tea utensils featuring Ms. Ikeda's works.
Ms. Ikeda will also join us for this special occasion.
Please enjoy this one-day-only spatial design and special menu.
Tea Ceremony "Nagi"@sabo.kyo_amahare
Ame (Rain) : Ami Sakaguchi (Kyo)
Cha (Tea) : Yorozu
Ka (Confectionery) : Kombuya Magobei
Kan (Supervision) : Suguru Tokubuchi (Yorozu)
Au (Encounter) : Yuko Ikeda
Date: Friday, March 13
Time: 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Location: Sabo 居雨/KYO
Fee: 7,700 JPY (Tax included)
※A 10% service charge will be added separately.
Reservations: Accepted via TableCheck
Please make a reservation from the "Book a Table" link on the top screen of our Instagram @sabo.kyo_amahare or through the Sabo Kyo website.https://www.tablecheck.com/ja/sabo-kyo/reserve/message
Payment: Online payment (credit card) is required at the time of booking.
※Cancellations made within 24 hours of the reserved time will incur a 100% cancellation fee.
Photo / Eri Masuda @massu_90
Styling / Megu Okazaki
Text / Kenichi Kaneko @amahare_kaneko
A Small Sea
I feel that the words "A Small Sea" truly encompass everything about Yuko Ikeda.
A few months before the exhibition, I visited Ms. Ikeda's studio in Osaka.
I was greeted by the same warm atmosphere of her home and her gentle smile, unchanged since my very first visit.
If anything had changed, it was perhaps that her son, who was a high school student back then, had become a university student and moved out.
When I asked her, "What should we do for the exhibition theme?"
"It has to be 'A Small Sea,' I suppose. It's my eternal theme."
Joking together, I said, "Well then, shall we call it 'A Small Sea, Continued'?" (laughs)
Amidst such lighthearted exchanges, we began to sketch out the contours of the exhibition together.
Nagi
I have known Ms. Ikeda for about five years now.
During that time, we have worked together on numerous exhibitions and hotel projects.
In recent years, having set up a studio in Tokushima, her passion for the sea seemed to overflow, and many of her works evoked the rugged, wild scenery of the ocean.
However, the pieces she is presenting this time convey a rather generous and quiet sea.
Because this gentle presence felt like the "Nagi" (lull or calm) of a spring sea,
we decided on "A Small Sea - Nagi -" as the theme for this exhibition.
Peaceful Days
At her exhibition held at KYO two years ago, Ms. Ikeda took on a new challenge, translating her own drawings into folding screens and hanging scrolls,
newly challenging herself.
For this exhibition, panel-style wall art, along with three-dimensional objects, will color the space.
From the texture of the foil, which looks beautifully faded by time, one can sense the peaceful expression of the sea,
it is as if these pieces project the serene landscapes spreading within her own heart.
Hearing the Ripples
Pressing shells into clay to capture their presence in a piece.
While this technique is a hallmark of Ms. Ikeda's work, this is perhaps the first time she has created objects shaped entirely
like shells themselves.
These are beautiful, organic works that soothe the soul simply by gazing at them.
If you put one to your ear, I wonder if you might hear the sound of ripples.
That Wave, This Wave
Five years ago, I saw Ms. Ikeda's work for the first time.
The piece I selected for a hotel lounge featured a "wave" motif.
This time, the moment I saw her new "wave" works in her studio, the memory of that day suddenly came rushing back.
The previous waves gave the impression of slightly flatter, simpler "objects."
While those were beautiful in their own right, the new waves have a much more three-dimensional form.
When you peer into them, it feels as though you can catch a glimpse of human life beyond.
They possess a narrative, feeling almost as if true life breathes within them.
That wave back then, and this wave now.
Please look forward to this exhibition, where you can feel the gentle, peaceful evolution of Yuko Ikeda's heart.