Known for redefining the relationship between craft and daily living, Matsumoto-based artisan Ryuji Mitani has paved the way for a new outlook on contemporary woodwork. Revered both in Japan and abroad, he continues to influence the field through his leadership and writings surrounding the Seikatsu Kogei movement—a post-Mingei philosophy of lifestyle crafts. His pursuit of dissolving boundaries between art, design, and use has inspired an entire generation of artisans to see everyday life itself as the foundation of craft.