Naruhiko Uchida is a leather artist based in Izumo, Shimane, Japan.Inspired by ancient Japanese mythological culture, including Izumo mythology and Iwami Kagura, he creates works using genuine leather as his primary medium.By embracing the organic textures and traces of life...
Read MoreNaruhiko Uchida is a leather artist based in Izumo, Shimane, Japan.
Inspired by ancient Japanese mythological culture, including Izumo mythology and Iwami Kagura, he creates works using genuine leather as his primary medium.
By embracing the organic textures and traces of life inherently carried within leather, Uchida reconstructs mythological beings and memories rooted in the landscape into contemporary forms of expression. His practice explores the boundary between traditional craftsmanship and contemporary art.
Originally working as a hotel bellman and chef, Uchida began his artistic journey with leather following a turning point in his life that led him to pursue creative expression.
He currently works from an atelier and gallery within a ryokan in Izumo
where traditional Japanese architecture and European antiques coexist. Immersed in this unique atmosphere, he continues to explore works rooted in Japanese culture, spirituality, and the memory of place.
In 2025, he received an award at Kawakon, a Japanese leather craft competition, for his work pìccolo.
His artistic activities and personal story have been featured by NHK WORLD-JAPAN, NHK, TSK, BSS, and the San-in Chuo Shimpo, among other media outlets in Japan and abroad.
