Mami Kiyoshi
 
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Sudō Ken.ichi in his workshop, the Sudō-ika-ya
(Sanjō, Niigata prefecture, 2018)

Sudō Ken.ichi is the 3rd generation to work at the Sudō-ika-ya workshop, after his grandfather and then father. Until now, he has done both his day job and the kite making, but from this year (2018), he will devote himself entirely to the making of kites. He has many ideas for making derivative products from Rokkaku kites which are the typical kites of Sanjō: souvenir cookies that come with a mini Rokkaku kite are sold in a Sanjō shop; at the far right of the photograph, there is a prototype lantern that is derived from the Rokkaku kite shape.

In his workshop, Ken.ichi has many tools that were used by his predecessors, such as brushes and inks in homemade boxes, or the charcoal box that serves to straighten the bamboo; speaking of which, this part of the kite making is the one he prefers, so in the portrait, he is featured rolling bamboo rods over the charcoal. The permanence of the kite models of the Sudō-ika-ya workshop is illustrated through the kite depicting the legendary character Shōki. The kite painting which is not mounted on bones and which is on the ground was painted by his grandfather, the kite which is on the wall on the top left was made by his father and the one which is placed against the lantern was made by Ken.ichi himself.

On his left, there is also a trumpet. He has played this instrument since childhood and is passionate about music.

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