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Kite Personalities - Nobuhiko Yoshizumi |
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An Appreciation by Scott Skinner I was introduced to Nobuhiko Yoshizumi with the simple explanation, "He makes very large kites and very small kites." Wanting to see his work, I excitedly asked to see one of his large kites and was told that he had none. The aggressive collector inside me continued to press, and I asked to see some of his miniature kites. With that, Yoshizumi produced his treasure chest of kite gems. In a box not much larger than a cigar box, he showed me a number of fine kuku-dako (small rectangular kites) with a variety of traditional kite images-many drawn with markers but with a wonderful translucence, unlike many painted kites. All showed that he was a fine craftsman of bamboo as well as an accomplished artist. It was not until later that I discovered that Yoshizumi was heavily involved in making kites for the Goethe Institute's Kunstdrachen (Art Kites) exhibition, which features internationally known artists having their work transformed into kites by Japanese traditional kite makers. The Kyoto Kite Association and Mr. Yoshizumi collaborated on a number of these magnificent kites, and they were the kites my friend had alluded to upon my first meeting Yoshizumi. He showed his kite making expertise by contributing to Edo, Tsugaru, Hachijojima, Kaku, Sagamihara, and free-form kites-all structurally different and unique to specific regions of Japan. Yoshizumi's love is the miniature kite. He is an active member of the International Friends of Small Kites, A Dutch organization, and contributes his plans and ideas graphically, as is common in the kite world-language is not a barrier to the understanding of kites. During our first meeting, he quietly showed me a tombi-dako no more than six inches across. The tombi is a graceful, eagle-shaped kite that is difficult to make even in its full size. In miniature, its radical curves and many connections and the fine details of the bamboo frame are a testament to his skill. It is not unusual for this kite to be presented in its own wooden case with its own reel and line. This essay first appeared in Kites: Paper Wings Over Japan, a Drachen Foundation publication (1997).
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