Art critic and philosopher. Met MUSHANOKOJI Saneatsu and SHIGA Naoya while studying at Gakushuin High School and participated in publishing the first issue of the magazine Shirakaba. Graduated from the Tokyo Imperial University Department of Literature psychology course. Fascinated by the beauty of Korean ceramics, he also found beauty in craftworks made by unknown artist. He created the word “mingei” in 1925, which means folk crafts, and launched a mingei movement. He held exhibitions, investigated and collected craftworks in many places, and wrote prolifically. He started publishing the magazine Kogei in 1931. When the Japan Folk Crafts Museum was opened at Komaba in Tokyo in 1936, he became the first director of the museum. Recognized as a Person of Cultural Merit in 1957. His wife was NAKAJIMA Kaneko, a singer.