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Miwako Watanabe exhibit. Image courtesy of Teresa Duryea Wong
 

The massive conglomeration of traffic, bright lights and high rises known as Tokyo seemingly swallows up all the towns and cities in its path. There is no end to one place or the other. Yokohama is one of those places that seem to morph right into the edges of Tokyo.

Yokohama is a port city, part industrial and part picturesque. It is also home to Japan’s first major quilt festival – the International Quilt Week. The event first began in 1992 (under a different name) and then became International Quilt Week Yokohama in 1995, and then folded rather suddenly in 2015. There has been a void in this hallowed space ever since.

Now, a new group has organized a whole new show, and quilters turned out in droves to see it all. Quilt Time Festival was held for the first time at the Pacifico Yokohama Exhibition Hall from May 30 to June 1, 2018. Approximately 10,000 quilters showed up on the first day, and another 14,000 or so over the next two days.

If you’re looking for an excuse to go to Japan, this is surely a good one! Mark your calendars now for next year’s show: May 30, 31 and June 1, 2019.

Quilt Time Festival is much smaller than the Tokyo International Great Quilt Festival, also known as the Tokyo Dome show. The venue and smaller crowds might be attractive for some visitors, not to mention the nice weather in May versus January.

Many of Japan’s well known quilt masters held exhibitions. Yoko Saito (Show 1505) has a large display that was constantly filled with quilters seeking a closer look at her stunning, folkloric quilts.

International art quilters Sheila Frampton Cooper (Show 1306) and Danny Amazonas were both invited to give talks and show their work. Both Sheila and Danny, whose styles are very different, were refreshing choices and based on their popularity at the show, they most certainly inspired many quilters.

 
Yoshie Mizukoshi created this stunning quilt (on the left) which was one of the four winners in the Quilt Time Festival juried competition. Author Teresa Duryea Wong is pictured here with master quilt artist Yoshiko Katagiri next to one of her newest quilts at the Quilt Time Festival in Yokohama. Yoshiko is a master at using antique silk for her appliqué, all of which is created using the needle-turn technique and hand quilted. Her original designs are always beautifully rendered themes of Japanese culture.

Kathy Nakajima had a bright, and beautiful display of her floral and applique quilts. And her mega-sized shopping booth that featured her fabric and books and more, was packed ten rows deep with shoppers.

In addition to all the quilts on view, Quilt Time Festival offered several different workshops and lectures, a juried competition, and an excellent collection of shopping booths.

One of the best treats at a Japanese quilt festival is the opportunity to shop for antique fabric, such as these silk and cotton kimonos. Many quilters will cut them apart and use them for quilts. This booth is packed with shoppers, perhaps the 1,000 Yen price (roughly $10.00 USD) was a big attraction.

It’s exciting to see a new venture fill up a void in the quilt world. And Quilt Time Festival is not only filling a void, they are bringing a fresh, modern perspective to Japan’s quilt community. Hope to see you in Yokohama next year!

Teresa Duryea Wong is the author of two books on Japanese quilts and textiles and a frequent contributor to TheQuiltShow.com. She travels to Japan often to research and write and travels the U.S. to lecture. She is currently working on a new book on American cotton and quilts. Visit her website-teresaduryeawong.com; or her blog- thirdfloorquilts.com