Otomaru Kodo (音丸耕堂)
1898 - 1997
He was born in Takamatsu and began studying choshitsu or carved-lacquer in 1915.
In 1932, he first exhibited at the Imperial Art Exhibitions with the 13th Teiten,
afterwards continuing to exhibit regularly at the Teiten, the Shin-Bunten and,
after the Pacific War, at the Nitten. In 1955,
he was designated Juyo Mukei Bunkazai or Important Intangible Cultural Asset
(commonly referred to as Ningen Kokuho or Living National Treasure)
for the choshitsu technique. He was honored with numerous one man shows:
in 1970 at the Tokyo Mitsukoshi Department Store,
in 1977 at the Marugame Municipal Museum and in 1980 at the Japan Calligraphy Museum.
His work is in the collections of many museums in Japan,
including the Tokyo National Museum of Modern Art.