Mingei is a special word coined in the 1920's by Soetsu Yanagi, a scholar and a collector of Japanese folk art, describing the work of the unknown craftsman. Mingei means utilitarian objects with an artistic appeal. Fine art, Yanagi said, is made by the few for the few. Folk craft is made by the many for the many. At the same time, in Japan, no hard line is drawn between artists and craftsmen. The Japanese artist is first a craftsman, and the greatest Japanese artists have never hesitated to decorate humble craft objects.

Mingei objects go well with contemporary homes. Because they are made of natural material, they add warmth, with a touch of the exotic, to the environment. For imaginative uses of both Japanese Mingei and antiques in the home, I recommend the following books:

Peggy Landers Rao and Jean Mahoney. Japanese Accents In Western Interiors, 1991, Shufunotomo Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan. This is a very practical and down-to-earth book showing how some people have used Mingei and antiques in their homes.

Michael Freeman, Sian Evans and Mimi Lipton. In the Oriental Style: A Source Book of Decoration and Design, Thames and Hudson Ltd., London, 1990. A more scholarly book that cover the use of objects from all over Asia.