Japanese Art

Japan – NUTS ART WORKS Exhibition: Works Speak Eloquently Than Lips!!!

NUTS ART WORKS exhibition graphic with a sign painter, tiger head and bold black-and-yellow lettering.

SAI is pleased to present ‘WORKS SPEAK ELOQUENTLY THAN LIPS!!!’ an exhibition by NUTS ART WORKS, a craftsman known for producing store signs and graphics for fashion brands such as SUPREME, taking place from Friday 11th February to Sunday 27th February 2022.

Naoto Hinai, the artisan behind NUTS ARTWORKS, has been fascinated with vintage American culture since childhood and has worked as a self-taught hand-painted sign maker since 1996. With every step of the production process created by hand, Hinai’ s level of craftsmanship has earned him the trust of Tokyo’ s Harajuku cultural scene, as well as brands and stores in various industries. Throughout his career, he has created shop signs and graphics for leading brands, including SUPREME, NEIGHBORHOOD, Ralph Lauren, and UNIQLO.

The Most Expensive Sword in the World – $100 Million Samurai Tachi

Close-up of a tachi hilt and guard with the graphic text “The most expensive sword in the world” and “$100,000,000”.

This Tachi sword belonged to one of the most famous warlords in Japanese history – the great Fukushima Masanori (1561–1624).

He is known as one of the Seven Spears of Shizugatake for his actions in the Battle of Shizugatake, where he had the honor of first blood.

Throughout his life, he fought in many campaigns, including the Battle of Ch’ungju during the Japanese Invasion of Korea in 1592.

The sword is currently in the Tamoikin Art Fund and is considered to be one of their most valuable assets. It has been appraised at over $105 million and was featured in the prestigious Forbes 400.