In April 2026, Arts in Health were met with a warm welcome to Japan House by their Visitor Experience team for a guided tour of “Hyakkō: 100+ Makers from Japan”. The exhibition was a thoughtful curation, featuring around 2,000 hand-crafted works of active artists in Japan. Together, the works of glass, ceramics, wood and more displayed an interesting blend of play, irregularity and sophistication.  

The dimly lit room, and quiet music together created a calm and reflective environment immediately. Upon entering, the group was carefully guided through a wall which displayed different Japanese concepts related to creativity and craftsmanship. Then, the group were given a chance to look through a selection of books with a significant influence on “Hyakkō”. The bookshelf also featured smaller handcrafts made of different materials. The maker’s marks gave a glimpse of the delicacy and personality put into each work.  

Afterwards, there was time to individually reflect and admire the range of pieces whilst a short film, capturing the process of some featured artists, played. The visit finished with time for the group to settle in the library, create some of their own artwork; origami cranes and sumo wrestlers. We want to thank Japan House for hosting us for an insightful guided tour and space to create.  

If you are interested in hearing more about the work of Arts in Health, please do not hesitate to contact our team. You can email us on cnwlartsinhealth@nhs.net or visit our website.