NEWS

“The Unknown Master of Restoration Episode 2” wins Gold Award at Germany’s World Media Festival 2024!

“The Unknown Master of Restoration episode 2 (to be broadcast in 2023),” produced and directed by Toshimoto Uchida on NHK, won the Gold Award in the EDUCATION: General Education category at the World Media Festivals 2024.

World Media Festivals
Held in Hamburg, Germany since 2000, it is Europe’s largest media competition, honoring outstanding content in TV, film, corporate advertising, etc. In 2024, 844 works were submitted from 32 countries.

[Program Contents]

『”The Unknown Master of Restoration episode 2』

NHK BS Premium 59-minute program First broadcast date: June 3, 2023

There is a man who goes by the nickname “God Hand.” He is a pottery restorer, Mayuyama Koji. He is a behind-the-scenes worker who has restored damaged treasure-class ceramics entrusted to him by art professionals from all over the country, so that no matter how hard one looks, no damage can be seen. He has worked on over 5,000 pieces of work. This time, a leading figure in the antique art world brings in a porcelain “colored votive plaque” fired in Imari, Saga, in the early Edo period. It is worth 100 million yen. He will be using his secret techniques that have been passed down through three generations of father and son. In addition, a Living National Treasure of ceramics will bring in a masterpiece of a painted plate that fascinated shoguns and feudal lords in the Edo period.

“Art Dash: Masahiro Motoki in Gold and Black” won the Encouragement Award at the 39th ATP Award TV Grand Prix!

The program “Art Dash: Masahiro Motoki in Gold and Black,” directed by Tatsuya Sano, won the Encouragement Award at the 39th ATP Award TV Grand Prix!

ATP Official Website

What is the ATP Award TV Grand Prix? This award is held once a year, and judges are creators of television programs and other video content to select outstanding works from the unique perspective of the creators. In order to enhance the social function of production companies, which are important players in Japan’s video content industry, and to respond to the passion and spirit of each production staff working there, the ATP Award was established in 1984 as the only award in Japan in which producers and directors of production companies, who are the creators, serve as judges and select excellent works. Works are solicited in three core genres: documentary, information/variety, and drama, and the Grand Prix, the highest award, will be decided.

The program that won the award this time, “Art Sprint: Masahiro Motoki in Gold and Black,” will premiere on NHK BS Premium on October 1, 2022. This is the first in a series in which Masahiro Motoki encounters top-class art pieces, including national treasures, and approaches the source of Japanese beauty.

『Art Dash: Masahiro Motoki in Gold and Black,』

NHK BS Premium 59-minute program First broadcast date: Oct 1, 2022

Actor Masahiro Motoki, who has a unique sense of aesthetics, sprints around the country with his own legs and sensibilities. He sees and touches top-class artworks such as national treasures directly, not through glass, and unearths the source of Japanese beauty. The first installment is the bold and detailed world of beauty, the Rinpa school. He comes face to face with Ogata Korin’s “Red and White Plum Blossoms Screen” (national treasure), struggles with gold leaf canvases, learns from Tawaraya Sotatsu and challenges himself to apply ink, and has many conversations with cutting-edge contemporary artists. Masahiro Motoki sprints through art covered in gold and black!

The winner of the 60th Galaxy Awards has been announced! “Will your voice be heard? Secret footage of the 1969 Shinjuku West Exit Underground Plaza” is the winner!

The program “Will their voices be heard? Treasured footage shows the Shinjuku West Exit Underground Plaza in 1969” directed by Tatsuya Sano won an award in the TV category at the 60th Galaxy Awards!

Galaxy Awards Official Website

What is the Galaxy Award? The Galaxy Awards were established in 1963 by the Japan Broadcasting Critics Association to honor excellent programs, individuals, and organizations in the hope of improving the quality of Japanese broadcasting culture. The judging committee is selected from the members of the Japan Broadcasting Critics Association. While many award systems outsource the decision on the awards to third parties, the Galaxy Awards have been consistently judged by members of the Japan Broadcasting Critics Association, maintaining the independence of the awards. Currently, the Galaxy Awards have four categories: television, radio, commercials, and press activities, and the judging period is set from April 1st to March 31st of the following year, and the annual awards are selected.

The program that won the award this time, “Will their voices be heard? Treasured footage shows the Shinjuku West Exit Underground Plaza in 1969” was first broadcast on NHK BS1 on November 26, 2022. Since then, it has been rebroadcast and has become a very popular program. This is a fascinating work that depicts the 1969 “Folk Guerrilla” movement, which put the voice of the people into song, from a modern-day perspective.

『Will their voices be heard? Treasured footage shows the Shinjuku West Exit Underground Plaza in 1969』

NHK BS1 50-minute program First broadcast date: Sat, Nov 26, 2022, 11:00 PM to 11:50 PM

“Folk Guerrilla” was a major movement in which young people opposed to the Vietnam War gathered in the underground plaza at the west exit of Shinjuku Station to sing anti-war songs. The footage obtained by the program captures the overwhelming enthusiasm of a crowd of 7,000 people, including singing and discussion. Based on this valuable footage, we interviewed people who were present at the scene at the time. How are the “voices” of young people being heard in the present day? This documentary intertwines the 1969 film with the people who appear in it in 2022.

[Starring] Haruko Oki, Shinobu Yoshioka, and others [Narration] Jiro Inoue

“The Unknown Master of Restoration” wins the Gold Award at New York Festivals 2023!

The program “The Unknown Master of Restoration” directed by Toshimoto Uchida won the Gold Award at the TV & FILM AWARDS at the New York Festivals 2023!

　NEW YORK FESTIVALS Official Website

What are the New York Festivals? The New York Festivals is the world’s largest international competition, co-sponsored by the United Nations. It has been held annually in the United States since it was founded in 1957. It is an international comprehensive competition that awards outstanding works in advertising, TV programs, movies, and radio programs, and is attracting attention from all walks of life.

The winning program this time, “The Unknown Master of Restoration”, was broadcast on NHK BS Premium, then on NHK WORLD, and was also streamed on NHK WORLD PRIME.

　NHK WORLD PRIME Official Website

 

『The Unknown Master of Restoration』

Mayuyama Koji is an art restorer who works with antique dealers and museums nationwide. His unique skills allow him to flawlessly restore broken works to their former conditions, earning him the nickname “God Hand.” The practice originated from his father in the postwar period, when many antiques would be repaired secretly through underground means. This documentary reveals the details of his techniques, as well as his mission not just to restore art, but to preserve it for generations to come.