PROFILEAbout Kouran KIKUCHI
Career
| 2012 | Became an apprentice at Koun Seki Buddhist Studio Studied wood carving and Buddhist sculpture under Buddhist sculptor Koun Seki Studied Buddhist painting under Buddhist sculptor Kourin Saito |
| 2013 | Held a public demonstration of Buddhist painting at Zojo-ji Temple, head temple of the Jodo Buddhist school |
| 2015 | Held a solo exhibition at Sapporo’s Lilac Gallery |
| 2016 | Was given the title of Kouran from her master |
| 2017 | Held her second solo exhibition at Sapporo’s Lilac Gallery |
| 2017 | Delivered Buddhist painting Karikara Ryuo to Daizen-ji Temple (Chitose City, Hokkaido) |
| 2017 | Delivered Buddhist paintings Keisho-in Gozonzo and Ryoken Shoninzo to Daisho Gokoku-ji Temple (Takasaki City) |
| 2018 | Delivered Buddhist painting Kenko Shoninzo to Daisho Gokoku-ji Temple (Takasaki City) Dedicated a ceiling painting of a dragon in the Amida-do Hall of the same temple. |
| 2019 | Appeared on BS Fuji’s art program Break-zenya -Next Generation Artists- |
| 2019 | Held a solo exhibition at Nagano Tokyu Department Store |
| 2021 | Delivered the Buddhist painting Dakini Shinten to Daizen-ji Temple (Chitose City, Hokkaido) |
| 2022 | Delivered four carved decorative panels to be used on Nitta Town’s floats at the Nagano Gion Festival (Nagano City) |
| 2022 | Delivered 18 ceiling sculptures (Ryu Juhachi Tai) to be used for Higashi-Sekkido ward’s floats at the Grand Festival of Sawara (Katori City, Chiba Prefecture) |
Master
Buddhist sculptor SEKI KOUN Teacher
| 1973 | Born in Maebashi City, Gunma Prefecture His father, Isamu, was a Tokyo Karaki Buddhist Altar craftsman. |
| 1993 | Graduated from Tokyo University of Agriculture’s Second High School |
| 1994 | Became an apprentice of the Nitten Exhibition featured artist and Buddhist sculptor Kourin Saito |
| 1997 | Appointed as teacher at the Hokuriku Buddhist Sculpture School by Kourin Saito |
| 2000 | Upon completion of his apprenticeship, was given the title of Koun by Kourin Saito and became an independent artist |
| 2001 | Established the Koun Seki Buddhist Studio in Toyama |
| 2006 | Established the executive committee for the Do it!! wood carving exhibition and assumed the position of chairman Has since organized many exhibitions and social contribution activities by Buddhist sculptors and wood carvers |
| 2007 | Established the Koun Seki Buddhist Studio in Tokyo |
| 2007 | Established the Koun Seki Buddhist Studio’s Gumma workshop |
| 2007 | Established the Koshinkai Buddhist Sculpture and Wood Carving School and assumed the position of director |
| 2010 | Established the Koun Seki Institute of Buddhist Sculpture and Wood Sculpture and assumed the position of director |
| 2010 | Published his first book (Buddha Statues Made with Chisels) |
| 2011 | Delivered several Buddha statues on request from the Toei Company, Ltd., for the filming of the movie Someday Instructed actor Rentaro Mikuni on how to portray a sculptor in the same movie |
| 2011 | Published his second book (Enjoying Buddha Statues with Chisels) |
| 2012 | Published his third book (Carving Buddha sculptures as desired) |
| 2013 | Established the Japan Wood Sculpture Association and assumed the position of chairman |
| 2013 | Delivered the eleven-faced Kannon Bodhisattva statue to Tenmyo-ji Temple in Maebashi City, Gunma Prefecture |
| 2013 | Published his fourth book (Enjoying Making Buddha Statues with Chisels-Part 2) |
| 2015 | Instructed actor Kaoru Kobayashi on how to portray a sculptor in the movie Natsumi’s Firefly on request from a film production company |
| 2015 | Published his fifth book (Three Popular Types of Buddha Sculptures) |
| 2015 | Organized the first Japanese Wood Sculpture Exhibition at the Ueno Royal Museum in Ueno, Taito Ward, Tokyo |
| 2015 | Exhibited a statue of the Bodhisattva Kannon at the Milan International Exposition (Milan Expo) in Italy |
| 2016 | Organized the second Japanese Wood Sculpture Exhibition at the Ueno Royal Museum in Ueno, Taito Ward, Tokyo |
| 2016 | Organized the first Koun Seki Buddhist Studio Exhibition at Gallery Musashi in Ginza, Chuo Ward, Tokyo |
Currently holding classes in ten locations in the five prefectures of Tokyo, Gunma, Toyama, Ishikawa, and Niigata
Buddhist sculptor SAITO KORIN Teacher
| 1937 | Born in Nojiri, Fukuno Town (currently Nanto City), Toyama Prefecture |
| 1953 | Became an apprentice of the Nitten Exhibition featured artist Yutaka Takebe |
| 1965～ | His works were accepted and exhibited at the Nitten Exhibition, the Kenten Exhibition, the Niccho Exhibition, and other exhibitions |
| 1974 | Received instruction in Buddhist sculpture and Buddhist painting from Hourin and Sourin Matsuhisa, Kyoto-based sculptors of large Buddhist statues |
| 1976 | Appointed by both teachers as president and teacher of Buddhist sculpture classes at the Hokuriku branch of the Institute of Religious Arts |
| 1976 | Established the Kourin Saito Buddhist Sculpture Studio |
| 1976 | Established the Toyama School of Buddhist Sculpture and Buddhist Painting |
| 1980 | Received the title of Kourin Buddhist sculptor from Masters Hourin and Sourin |
| 1982 | Established the Kanazawa School of Buddhist Sculpture and Buddhist Painting |
| 1983 | Established the Inami School of Buddhist Sculpture and Buddhist Painting |
| 1984 | Delivered a statue of the Bodhisattva Kannon to Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone |
| 1987 | Established the Fukui School of Buddhist Sculpture and Buddhist Painting |
| 1990 | Delivered a three-meter tall statue of Nio to Kotoku-in Temple (Old Okehazama battlefield) |
| 1994 | Established the Kourin Saito Buddhist Sculpture Studio in front of Zuisen-ji Temple in Inami, Nanto City |
| 1996 | Held the Kourin Saito Solo Exhibition |
| 1997 | Organized exhibitions of the Hokuriku branch of the Institute of Religious Arts and the Kourin Saito Buddhist Sculpture Studio’s Buddhist Sculpture classes |
| 2016 | Passed away on September 18 at the age of 80 |
