Introduction
Reliure is one of craft bookbinding genres in which all the processes are made by hand from sewing to case decoration and box-making, which has continued since the European Middle Ages.
Domestically in Japan late in the 20th century, the number of people has gradually increased who are interested in this field through the opening courses of hand bound books, solo and group exhibitions, and the publication of related books. On the other hand, Japan has been drawing increasing attention from overseas, as the methods that adopt the traditional Japanese techniques have been widely recognized in the In Europe and the United States, or Japanese bookbinding artists play an active role in the overseas exhibition.
In this current situation, The Tokyo Bookbinding Club has been established in 1999 to set up an interactive place for all the people who are interested in reliure and create a window in which a variety of information about bookbinding is able to be exchanged domestically and internationally.
“The Tokyo Bookbinding Club Exhibition” held based on the themes such as the materials or history of bookbinding, is a valuable place for domestic and international bookbinding artists to present their works from the traditional and modern bookbinding. The Tokyo Bookbinding Club also focuses on the lecture and tour which introduce the attractiveness of bookbinding as well as the research of the history for the craft bookbinding techniques.
The book is “the vessel of knowledge”, making a book is the joy for the hands, and gazing at a book is the joy for the eyes. The Tokyo Bookbinding Club wants to be a place to create the culture of “the Beauty of Books” with you all.
Activity & Membership
-holding, hosting and managing exhibitions of books.
-holding workshops and lectures to introduce various techniques and culture to enjoy bookbinding.
-mediating the exchange among domestic and international fellows and groups who are interested in the hand bound book (Reliure d’art)
-holding regular meetings
-General annual meeting and irregular meetings are planned.)
-publishing unbound manuscripts mainly on the hand bound book ( Reliure d’art ).
-transmitting up-to-date information on the Internet.
-researching and editing a glossary of bookbinding.
Annual fee: 4,000 yen per year
Period: June 1 to May 31
We also welcome donations. Transmission donations together with the membership fee would be sincerely appreciated.
History of Activities
Events, workshops, exhibitions and lectures organized by Tokyo Bookbinding Club are listed as below;
26th term:
– June 2024: Publication of “Glossary of Bookbinding – Revised New Edition”
25th term:
– July 2023: The Tokyo Bookbinding Club 25th Anniversary “Reliure in Hibiya – Books of The Sea”
– February 2024: The Tokyo Bookbinding Club 25th Anniversary “Reliure in Hibiya – Ornaments”
– March 2024: Lecture in Hibiya College “One Copy of Uchida Kakichi Bunko” Lecturer Koichi Yukishima
– March 2024 “Marché of Bookbinding Tools 2024”
– May 2024: Exhibition “Books are Beautiful – The Beauty and Technique in Book Design” participated in “Hayama Art & Music Festival”
24th term:
– October 2022: Online Exhibition “ # Let’s make a Book – Cooking”
23rd term:
– February 2022: Publication “Glossary of Bookbinding – Binding Style”
– April 2022: Online Exhibition “ # Let’s make a Book – Binding Style”
22nd term:
– 31 October 2020: Online Exhibition “Creative Miniature Book” Lecturer Shiori Tanaka
– August 2020: Online Exhibition “ # Let’s make a Book – Travel” / October 2020 # Let’s make a Book – Nature” / January 2021 # Let’s make a Book – History” / March 2021 # Let’s make a Book – Spring”
– 4 May 2021: Online Visit to Atelier “Midori Kunikata Cockram Jade Bookbinding Studio/LONDON”
21st term:
– July 2019 to 2020: Research Conference “Workshop: Byzantine Binding 1” / “Visit to Daitokyu Kinen Bunko – Exhibition and Gallery Talk” / “Workshop: Byzantine Binding 2” / “Workshop: Byzantine Binding 3”
– 8 December 2019: “Marché of Bookbinding Tools” [Meguro Chusho Kigyou Center ]
20th term:
– July 2018 – 2019: Research Conference “Exchange Meeting with Frieda Haetel” / “Tour: Shinohara Shiko – Factory Tour and Workshop” // ““The Structure Study of Modern Bookbinding-3”
– 5 September 2018: Workshop “3 kinds of Sample making of Medieval Wooden Cover Binding” Lecturer Koji Okamoto [Nihonbashi Kokaido]
– 21 November 2018: Lecture: “The Book Collection of the Editor-in-chief” Lecturer Junko Tsuda [Kyobashi Community Center ]
– 16 to 18 February / 16 to 17 March 2019: Research Conference “Marbling” Lecturer Noriyasu Onda [Onda Seihonjo ]
– 12 to 14 April 2019: Exhibition “The Tokyo Bookbinding Club 20th Anniversary: History of Reliure” [Hibiya Library & Museum ]
19th term:
– July 2017 to 2018: Research Conference “Workshop: Greek Style of Sewn Endband” / “Visit to a factory of Dynic Corporation” / “Workshop: Islamic Binding” / “Visit to National Diet Library”
– September 12 to 24: Exhibition “MUSUBU Book Art: Tokyo – California – Urawa” jointly held with Urawa Art Museum and CA Musubu, Gallery A Lecture “A Variety of Book Arts in San Francisco Bay area” Lecturer Jody Alexander, “Demonstration of MUSUBU Bookbinding Workshop” Lecturer Keiko Fujii, Naoko Nakazawa, Rie Kondo, 52 copies of books were exhibited with the cooperation of 23 persons from Tokyo BookBinding Club, 20 persons from CA Musubu, and collections from Urawa Art Museum
– April 7 to May 19 2018: Exhibition “MUSUBU Book Art: Tokyo – California American Bookbinders Museum (San Francisco, U.S.A.) 21 copies of books were exhibited by 20 persons of Tokyo Bookbinding Club
18th term:
– July 2016 to February 2017: Research Conference ”Visit to Meisei University Library” / “Workshop: Sewn Endband” / “The World of Bookbinding of Manuscript and Koran in the 17th/18th century”
– 8 November 2016: Visit “18th Library Fair and Forum” [Pacifico Yokohama]
– 8 to 12 February 2017: Exhibition “8th The Tokyo Book Club International Bookbinding – I am a Cat”, Lecture by Michio Sakai, [Meguro Museum of Art, Tokyo]
– 14 to 19 February 2017: Exhibition “8th The Tokyo Book Club International Bookbinding – I am a Cat”, Workshop by Eiko Nakao, [Kyoto International Community House], Both in Meguro and Kyoto, 67 copies of Reliure and books were exhibited, of which several copies used the text of “I am a Cat”.
17th term:
– July 2015 to April 2016: Research Conference “Orientation” / “The Structure Study of Modern Bookbinding-1” / “Visit to Toyo Bunko” / “Workshop: Italian Stationery Binding” / “The Structure Study of Modern Bookbinding-2” / “Workshop: Leather”
– 5 October to 19 November 2015: Exhibition “The Gene of Aldus” [Waseda University Library]
– 8 to 22 October 2015: “Workshop: Handbound Bookbinding” Lecturer Keiko Fujii/Rie Kondo
– 29 April to 12 June 2016: Exhibition ”The Art of Books – The Invitation to Reliure” [The Museum of Modern Art, Wakayama ]
– 29 May 2016: “Workshop: Bookbinding” Lecturer Keiko Fujii [The Museum of Modern Art, Wakayama ]
16th term:
– July 2014 to April 2015: Research Conference “Orientation” / “Visit to Leather Manufacturing Plant” / “Workshop – Sewn Sample-Making” / “Workshop- Lacing-in Sample-making”
– 4 September 2014: Lecture “The Process of Leather Making and The Properties of Each Leather” Lecturer Daiki Takarayama [Kyobashi Community Center ]
– 25 September 2014: Lecture “Activities of Designer Bookbinders 1952- 2014” Lecturer Mark Cockram [Kyobashi Community Center ]
– 16 February 2015: Lecture of the History of Books “The Style and Topology of Western Books in the early Meiji Period” Lecturer Yuichi Kido ［Otsuma Women’s University］
– 30 March 2015: Lecture of the History of Books “The Items and Materials to investigate Books” Lecturer Wataru Mori ［Kyobashi Community Center］
– 8 April 2015: Lecture “The Bookart and Bookbinding in the Current America” Lecturer Jody Alexander［Hibiya Library & Museum］
15h term:
– July 2013 to April 2014: Study Session “Orientation”/ ”Bookbinding Survey of Uchida Kakichi Library – I” / Workshop “Carolingian Binding” / Workshop “Sample-making of Endpaper” / ”Bookbingin Survey of Uchida Kakichi Library – II Japanese & Chinese books”
– September 30 2013: Lecture “The Discovery of Books and Printing Techniques in the Eastern and Western Book History” Lecturer Wataru Mori [Kyobashi Community Center ]
– November 22 2013 to January 19 2014: Exhibition “100 Years of Book Design – Book Design of Modern Japanese Literature”, 90 copies of Modern Japanese Literature of Meiji University Library, and 22 copies of modern Reliure were exhibited. [Meiji University Library ]
– 7 December 2013: Lecture “Book Design in Modern Japan – The History and Attractiveness” Lecturer Shin’ichiro Iwakiri [Meiji University Library ]
– February 24, 2014: Lecture “The Discovery of Paper and its Meaning in the Book History” Lecturer Wataru Mori, [Kyobashi Community Center ]
– April 1 to May 9 2014: Exhibition “100 Years of Book Design – Book Design of Modern Japanese Literature”, 80 copies of Modern Japanese Literature of Meiji University Library, and 22 copies of modern Reliure were exhibited. [Meiji University Izumi Library ]
– 12 May 2014: Lecture “Zushoryo Books (The Bureau of Drawings and Books) – Involved in Book Conservation”, Lecturer Wataru Mori, [Kyobashi Community Center ]
14th term:
– 10 to 16 July 2012: Exhibition “The Tokyo Bookbinding Club 7th Exhibition – Talk about Books” Unbound books with “Talk about Books” and 125 copies of original books with free themes were exhibited. At the same time, reported on “Okaeri Project” [Meguro Museum of Art, Tokyo]
– September 2012 to May 2013: Study Session – Visit “Yokohama Archives of History”/ Workshop “Bradel Binding”/ Workshop “Library Style Binding”/ Visit “Factory of Album Bindery”
13th term:
– 25 October 2011: Lecture “Bookbinding and Bookart: Activities of Studio 5” Lecturer: Mark Cockram [Akasaka Kumin Center, Tokyo ]
– 27 October to 3 November 2011: Event “ Bookshelf of Reliure” jointly held by The Tokyo Bookbinding Club and The Union of Kanda Second Hand Bookstores [Tokyo Kosho Kaikan ]
– 31 October 2011: Lecture “The Book Design in France: Meeting with People” Lecturer: Toshio Ohie (Bookbinder) [Tokyo Kosho Kaikan ]
– July 2011 – May 2012: Research Conference “Sample-making, Looking back the History of Bookbinding”, Lecturer: Koji Okamoto (Bookbinder, Paper conservator), “Nag Hammadi Codex” lecturer: Naoko Murakami, “Sample-making of St Cuthbert Gospel” Lectuer: Youichi Koumoto, Lecture “Techniques of Account Bookbinding” Lecturer: Yuzuru Onda, Tour “Visit to a factory of Account Bookbinding” arranged by Nihon Keirichobo Co. Ltd., Workshop “Sample-making of Account Bookbinding” Lecturer: Yuzuru Onda
– 3 to 25 March 2012: “Okaeri Project” in Morioka, in which about 250 bookbinders from 14 countries around the world make and give albums containing restored photographs of the disaster-stricken area.
– 25 March 2012: Workshop “Okaeri Album Making” Lecturer: Koji Okamoto (Bookbinder, Paper conservator), Keiko Fuji (Artist) [Iwate Prefectural Museum ]
– 5 to 8 April 2012: “Okaeri Project” in Ofunato
– 7 April 2012: Workshop “Okaeri Album Making” Lecturer: Satoko Kinno, Yo Yamasaki
– 8 April 2012: The Presentation Ceremony, 483 copies of album were given to Ofunato city [Ofunato city Bunka Kaikan ]
12th term:
– 24 June 2010: Tour “Tokyo Leather Fair”
– 2 October 2010: Tour “Type Casting” ［Tsukiji Katsuji Co., Ltd］
– 20 December 2010: Report on Current Bookbinding 2010 “International Conference on Historians of Paper in Angoulême + Introduction to Materials Shops in Paris” Koji Okamoto / “Paper and several Libraries in Fabriano” Rie Kondo / “Project of Paring Knives in Kyoto” Keiko Fujii ［Nihonbashi Kokaido］
– 6 February 2011: Workshop “Making of Vellum” Lecturer Kenji Yagi
-19 May 2011: Study Session “Seminar in France and Canada” Lecturer Naoko Murakami
［Akasaka Kumin Center］
11th term:
– 25 October 2009 “To cook starch glue. Japanese Painting vs Tokyo Bookbinding Club’ – What is Shofunori? – demonstration and discussion”, Toyo Institute of Art
– 3-9 May 2010 Exhibition “The Tokyo Bookbinding Club 6th International Bookbinding Exhibition, Leather binding, today” First TBC’s exhibition held in Kansai, focused on leather binding. 75 leather bound books of 45 members were exhibited in the Sister City
Corner/Exhibition Room, Kyoto International community House
Lectures 4 May 2010 “Talk about leather bound books” given by Toshio Ohie 5 May 2010 “About adhesive, from starch glue to synthetic glue” given by Eiji Suzuki held in a seminar room on the 3rd floor, Kyoto International community House
– 10 May 2010 Tour “Leather factories in Himeji” Visit to leather factories for tanning, chrome tanning and white tanning. Sanyo Leather Co.Ltd., Shin Toshi Curriery
10th terms:
– 6 March – 25 April 2009 Exhibition “Book, beauty of it’s structure – traditional Japanese binding and bookbinding in contemporary Japan”, an exhibition of a library’s rare books and of imaginative bookbinding whose theme was binding structure. Co-held with Meiji University’s library at Central Library’s gallery, Meiji University.
– 29 April – 6 May 2009 Exhibition “The Tokyo Bookbinding Club 5th Exhibition – Japanese Paper and the Art of Books” Co-exhibition?”Binding books using Washi” which exhibited books made of only hand-made Japanese paper. 108 works of 47 members and of 8 groups of Washi producers were exhibited, in Kumin Gallery, Meguro Museum of Art, Tokyo
– 4 May 2009 Gathering to commemorate the 10th anniversary Activity record of the Tokyo Bookbinding Club, ‘ Visit to the exhibition on Florent Rousseau and the museum Plantin-Moretus’ by Keiko Fujii, ‘Visit to Anna Amalia Library” by Koji Okamoto center for small and medium-sized enterprise’s conference room
9th term:
– 18 June 2007 The Tokyo Bookbinding Club Reporting session 2007. Reports on several issues such as “On original backing press”?”London correspondence”?”Exhibition ‘Reliure de Washi’ in Riom” “Forms of and binding of Japanese classic books “, some topics reported with screen image, Nihonbashi Kumin Centre
8th term:
– 6-17 June 2006 Exhibition “Double Bush Binding” Book that features stories written by Paul Wenz designed from over 100 bookbinders from 9 countries. [Waseda Gallery + Exhibition Room:Waseda university Center for Scholarly Information , Tokyo]
– 16,17 September 2006, 19 September – 14 October 2006 Les 3R: Riom, Reliures, Recontres ‘Reliure de Washi:Paiper japonais’ ,a reconstruction of the 2004 exhibition. Works of 29 members were exhibited.Works were projected in the library for citizens after a 2-day event on Japan which includes lectures and workshops. Bibliotheques de Riom Communaute, Riom, France.
– 6 – 11 March 2007 The Tokyo Bookbinding Club’s 4th Exhibition “Country of Books, Shape of Books/Reliure a la japonaise: la tradition et la creation” Special exhibition on the forms and binding of Japanese classic books, and a corner for free production. 196 works of 61 members were exhibited.
– 10 March 2007 Lecture”Forms and binding of Japanese classic books” given by Setsuo Kushige.
– 10,11 March 2007 Demonstration on Japanese book binding Kumin Gallery, Meguro Museum of Art, Tokyo
7th terms:
– 31 May – 5 June 2005 Exhibition “The Tokyo Bookbinding Club 3rd Exhibition” Exhibition focused on unbound books (“Sleeping books”) and 173 books created by 75 members (“Dressing books”). [Citizen Gallery / Meguro museum of Art , Tokyo]
– 16 January 2006 The Tokyo Bookbinding Club Reporting session 2005 Presentations from 5 members on international competitions and forums [Nihonbashi Social Education Center, Tokyo]
6th terms:
– 21 July 2004 “Tokyo Metropolitan Leather Technology Center tour” To watch the video of leather making process, to visit the leather making facility and laboratory, and to see the exhibition room. [Tokyo Metropolitan Leather Technology Center, Tokyo]
– 1 November 2004 Lecture “Structural Bookbinding” Lecture given by France-based bookbinder Sun Evrard who has been working on fundamental structures. Lecturer : Sun Evrard [Nihonbashi Social Education Center, Tokyo]
– 16 February 2005 “National Diet Library tour : incunabula collection and Conservation department” To see incunabula and incunabula leaves owned by the library as well as tour of Conservation department. [National Diet Library, Tokyo]
5th terms:
– 2 July 2003 “Tokusyu Paper Co., Ltd. and PAM tour” Visit to their paper factory and their exhibition site, PAM. [Tokusyu Paper Co., Ltd., Mishima, Shizuoka]
– 20 March 2003 Lecture “Title for Leather Binding” Lecture on the basic of titling for leather binding. Lecturer : Toshio Oie [Nihonbashi Social Education Center, Tokyo]
– May – 4 July 2004 Exhibition “Bookbinding with Washi paper” Books made with handmade washi paper provided from members of the society of handmade paper. [Exhibition Gallery, Paper Museum, Tokyo]
4th terms:
– 6 – 11 August 2002 “The Exhibition for Book Lover and Bookbinder” [Citizen Exhibition Room / Machida City Museum of Graphic Arts, Tokyo ]
– 11 August 2002 Lecturer : Makoto Kitani (Art Historian) [Machida Citizen Forum, Tokyo]
– 8 – 13. April 2003 Exhibition. “The Tokyo Bookbinding Club Exhibition” Exhibition for Tokyo Bookbinding Club Members. [Citizen Gallery / Meguro museum of Art , Tokyo]
3rd terms:
– 31.July – 5 August 2001 Exhibition “500 years of the Pocket Edition Book” An exhibition celebrating the 500th year of the Pocket Edition Book concieved by Aldus Manutius. Featuring 22 works by 21 T.B.C. members. [Citizen Exhibition Room / Machida City Museum of Graphic Arts, Tokyo]
– 31 July, 4 ,5 August 2001 Work shops ” Hard rebinding the soft cover pocket edition book” ( 4 workshops ) Lecturer : Yo Yamazaki (Bookartist) “Making cloth covers for the pocket edition book” (2 workshops) Lecturer : Eiko Nakao ( Book Designer / Marble Papaer Designer) [Citizen Exhibition Room / Machida City Museum of Graphic Arts, Tokyo]
– 4 August 2001 Lecturer : Makoto Kitani (Art Historian) [Machida Citizen Forum, Tokyo]- 21 September 2001 “Bookbinding Studio Study Tour” Study tour for The Miyata Bindery . [The Miyata Bindery, Tokyo]
– 27 October 2001 “Book Conservation in The Bodleian Library, Oxford, England” Joint project with the T.B.C. and “The Soicety for the Study of Classics ” Study tour at Koyasan University . Lecturer : Robert G. Minte [The 3rd Meeting room / Koyasan University, Wakayama]- 27 November – 14 December 2001 “500 years of the Pocket Edition Book” Part of the Touring Exhibition the exhibition in Tokyo on July 2001. With additional work from T.B.C.members. Lecturer : Makoto Kitani (Art Historian) Work shops ” Hard rebinding the soft cover pocket edition book” Lecturer : Keiko Fujii (Artist) [Tezukayamagakuin University Library, Osaka]
2nd term:
– 26. June – 1. July 2000 “Fine Books”- Exhibition organized by Tokyo Bookbinding Club Exhibition of Fine Bound Books and Fine Printed books for binding. Featuring 35 works by 22 members of the T.B.C . [Kitazawa Gallery, Jinbo-cho, Tokyo]
– 24. July 2000 Illustrated lecture. “Bookbinding 2000” Report on the Conference and Exhibition “Bookbinding 2000” Rochester, New York, U S A. Recent bindings by Fellows and Licentiates of Designer Bookbinders, UK. Lecturer : Mark Cockram ( Bookbinder, Bookartist, UK. ) [Kyobashi Plaza Municipal hall, Tokyo]
– 25. July 2000 Lecture with samples “Leather Bindings at the Begining of the Showa Period(1926-1963)” The event for “Publisher’s Leather Bookbindings in Japan ” at Machida City Museum of Graphic Arts. Lecturer : Makoto Kitani (Art Historian) [Machida Citizen Forum, Tokyo]
– 12 – 17. December 2000 Exhibition. “The Tokyo Bookbinding Club Exhibition” Exhibition for Tokyo Bookbinding Club Members. 107 works,by 53 members. [Citizen Gallery / Setagaya Museum, Tokyo]
-7. April 2001 “Variations in Eastern Book Design (Bookbinding)” Form , function and materials. Lecturer: Toshitake Yoshino (Traditional Oriental Book Conservator) [Meeting room / OZU Japanese paper shop & Museum, Tokyo]
1st term:
-1. Oct.1999 “L’ exposition des reliures d’ Art Japonaises comtemporaines.” Half day exhibition featuring work by 29 members of the T.B.C. AIB JAPAN 99 ( International conference ) [“Saiun” / Hotel New Otani, Tokyo ]
– 4. Oct. 1999 Illustrated lecture. “The Crossed-Structure Binding and Techniques of Decorative Paper Making” Lecturer : Carmencho Arregui ( Bookbinder) [Kyobashi Municipal Hall, Tokyo]
– 29. Nov. 1999 Video lecture. “Traditional Craft Bookbinding – Kent, England” (NHK* Video) Lecturer : Koji Okamoto ( Bookbinder, Paper conservator ) [Kyobashi Plaza Municipal, Tokyo] * NHK = Nippon Hoso Kyokai (The Japan Broadcasting Corporation)
– 27.March 2000 Lecture “Bookbinding for Books and Books for Bookbinding” Lecturer : Toshio Ohie( Bookbinder ) [Ginza Municipal Hall, Tokyo]