Profile

■ Name:   MIKIO TOKI

■ Pen name:   MUKAN


■ A member of:

I was born and bred in Tokyo, so I have been influenced and surrounded by the Tokyo style of kite since childhood. We have many different types of kites in Japan but I make the Edo-Kaku-Dako, which is the Tokyo style of kite. When I was young kite flying was a popular pastime for children in Japan. Now there are very few places to fly a kite in Tokyo! When I was child, I use to fly kites that were bought at a toy store. When I was about ten I made my first kite, it was rectangular kite using traditional Japanese paper (WASHI) and bamboo rods. I got the bamboo by splitting a bamboo broom handle. The kite would not fly, but looking back now, it was probably too heavy. When I was 25 I had the opportunity to meet the late Mr. Katsuhisa Ota, my kite master and founder of the Edo-kite Preservation Society, which I too am a member of. It was at that time, in 1975 that I began to seriously make the traditional Edo-kites.

The kites I am currently making are Edo-Kaku-Dako's, it is a rectangular kite with many long bridle lines and a hummer, it is made using WASHI (handmade Japanese paper) and bamboo. The pictures are drawn by using Sumi, a black ink, and dyes, to create a stained glass effect when the kite is flown in the sky. I have been fond of drawing since I was a child and I studied graphic design as a student. I like to draw and compose new kite pictures very much. So I will continue to draw and make the Edo-kaku-Dako in the future. I believe that drawing the pictures of the traditional Edo-kite, which are drawn from old storybooks, Kabuki, and Ukiyoe etc. is an assignment for me and my lifework.

 

■1950

  • I was born on September 17, 1950 at Nakano in Tokyo, Japan.

 

■1969

  • I entered Tokyo Designer School for studying a graphic design and an illustration.

 

■1973

  • I joined Japan Kite Association. 

 

  • I started making assembly Edo-Kite under the guidance of Mr. Katsuhisa Ota who is an expert at making Edo-Kite. I also started studying Japanese traditional Kite-pictures by myself.

 

■1975

  • My kite friends and I made Edogawa Kite Club. 

 

  • I start work at Minami-Shinozaki-Jidokan in Tokyo, which is an educational institution for after school children. I made the Kite Club for children at the institution, and guided them to be the kids champion of a Train-Kite in Japan, and made a new Japanese record.


■1980 

  • I joined Edo-Kite Preservation Society.

 

■1988

  • I attended Kelantan International Kite Festival in Malaysia as a guest kiteflier at the invitation of the festival. (MALAYSIA)


■1994

  • June: I attended Redondo Beach Kite Festival.(Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.)


■1995

  • August: I had kite-picture demonstrations and an exhibition of Edo-kites during three weeks at "Epcot World Festival Of Kites"in Walt Disney World, Florida, U.S.A., and show the people how to draw Japanese traditional kite pictures. (Orlando, Florida, U.S.A.)

 

  • September: I attended the A.K.A.(The American Kitefliers Association) convention. (Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S.A.)


■1996

  • February: I attended the Wellington Wind Festival as a guest kiteflier, and had a kite making workshop at there. (NEW ZEALAND)

 

  • April: I attended the Montreal Kite Festival as a guest kiteflier. (Montreal, CANADA)

 

  • July: I had my kite exhibition at Tikotin Museum of Japanese Art in Israel, three months. I had many workshops for kids and adults at the museum before the festival and flew kites with them at the kite festival held in a beach. (Haifa, ISRAEL)

 

  • September: I attended the A.K.A.(The American Kitefliers Association) convention.(Santa Monica, California, U.S.A.)


■1997

  • April: I attended the Little Acorns Kite Festival in Miami Beach as a guest kiteflier. (Miami, Florida, U.S.A.)

 

  • September: I attended the Festival of the Winds at Bondi Beach in Sydney as a guest kiteflier. (Sydney, AUSTRALIA)

 

  • September: I attended the Bristol Kite Festival a guest kiteflier. (Bristol, U.K.)

 

  • September: I attended the Dieppe International Kite Festival. (Dieppe, FRANCE)

 

  • October: I attended the 20th A.K.A.(The American Kitefliers Association) annual convention, and my three meters Edo-kite, "Nanso Satomi Hakkenden", got the first places at a traditional category. (Wildwood New Jersey, U.S.A.)


■1998

  • April: I attended the Little Acorns Kite Festival in Miami Beach as a guest kiteflier. (Miami, Florida, U.S.A.)

 

  • July: I attended Sunderland International Kite Festival as a guest kiteflier. (Sunderland, U.K.)

 

  • October: I had Yakko-kite-making demonstrations at The Smithsonian Museum. (Washington DC, U.S.A.)

 

■1999

  • April: I attended the Little Acorns Kite Festival in Miami Beach as a guest kiteflier. (Miami, Florida, U.S.A.)

 

  • August: I visited Sakhalin eight days and had kite making workshops for kids and flew kites with them. I taught Japanese Top-kites to total 250 children at schools and a orphanage. (Sakhalin, RUSSIA)

 

   

■2000

  • April: I attended Cervia International Kite Festival as a guest kiteflier. (Cervia, ITALY)

 

  • July: I attended Sunderland International Kite Festival as a guest kiteflier. (Sunderland, U.K.)

 

  • July: I attended Brighton Kite Festival as a guest kiteflier. (Brighton, U.K.)
  • August: I visited the Caribbean Islands, six countries, St Kitts, Antigua, Dominica, St Lucia, Barbados,Trinidad & Tobago, about one month, and had kite making workshops in each country. I taught Japanese kites to total about 700 children and flew the kites with them. (The Japan Foundation) (CARIBBEAN ISLANDS)

 

  • September: I attended The International Kite Festival in Dieppe. (Dieppe, FRANCE)


■2001

  • February: I attended Kites on Ice 2001 as a guest kiteflier, and had kite making workshops for kids and adults. (Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.A.)

 

  • July: I attended Sunderland International Kite Festival as a guest kiteflier. (Sunderland, U.K.)

 

  • October: I attended the A.K.A.(The American Kitefliers Association) national convention. I had my kites exhibition at the hotel we staid. (Billings, Montana, U.S.A.)

 

  • October: I attended Seal Beach Kite Festival in Los Angeles as a guest kiteflier. I visited some schools and had kite making workshops for kids before the festival. (Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.)


■2002

  • February: I attended Kites on Ice 2002 as a guest kiteflier, and had kite making workshops for kids and adults. (Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.A.)

 

  • April: I attended Cervia International Kite Festival as a guest kiteflier. (Cervia, ITALY)

 

  • July: I attended Sunderland International Kite Festival as a guest kiteflier. (Sunderland, U.K.)

 

  • July: I had kite-picture demonstrations at the Portland Art Museum. (Portland, Oregon, U.S.A)

 

  • September: I attended The International Kite Festival in Dieppe. (Dieppe, FRANCE)

 

  • September: I attended The Kite Festival in Marseilles. (Marseilles, FRANCE)

 

  • October: I attended Seal Beach Kite Festival in Los Angeles as a guest kiteflier. I visited some schools and had kite making workshops for kids before the festival. (Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.)


■2003

  • January: I attended the kite festivals at four places in India, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Agra, Goa, as a guest kiteflier. (INDIA)

 

  • March: I attended 20th annual Fort Worden Kitemakers Conference as a teacher, and taught the people how to make Japanese Yakko kites at the workshops. (Washington, U.S.A.)

 

  • July: I attended the Bedford International Kite Festival as a guest kiteflier. (Bedford, U.K.)

 

  • July: I attended Sunderland International Kite Festival as a guest kiteflier. (Sunderland, U.K.)

 

  • September: My kite friends and I had workshops of Japanese kites and 3D kites for the students at Stephens College, one week. (Columbia, Missouri, U.S.A.)

 

  • September: I attended Seal Beach Kite Festival in Los Angeles as a guest kiteflier. I visited some schools and had kite making workshops for kids before the festival. (Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.)


■2004

  • February: I attended Kites on Ice 2004 as a guest kiteflier, and had kite making workshops for kids and adults. (Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.A.)

 

  • April: I attended the Grinnell Kite Festival as a guest kiteflier. (Grinnell, Iowa, U.S.A.)

 

  • May: I attended the Swindon Kite Festival as a guest kiteflier. (Swindon, U.K.)

 

  • May: I attended the Cleethorpes Kite Festival a guest kiteflier. (Cleethorpes, U.K.)

 

  • July: I attended Sunderland International Kite Festival as a guest kiteflier. (Sunderland, U.K.)

 

  • August: I attended The Tokyo Style in Stockholm as a guest. I had demonstrations of kite picture drawing and the seminar of the Japanese kites. (Stockholm, Sweden)

 

  • September: I attended Seal Beach Kite Festival in Los Angeles as a guest kiteflier. I visited some schools and had kite making workshops for kids after the festival. (Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.)

 

  • September: I had a Japanese kite making workshop for adults at the paper shop, HIROMI PAPER, in Santa Monica. (Santa Monica, California, U.S.A.)

 

  • October: I visited a primary school, and had Japanese kite making workshops for students. (Seattle, Washington, U.S.A.)

 

  • October: I attended the A.K.A.(The American Kitefliers Association) national convention Seaside Oregon. (Oregon, Washington, U.S.A.)


■2005

  • March: I attended "Doha Cultural Festival 2005/ Visual Art Gathering" in Qatar as a guest. I had my kite exhibition ( about 80 kites) at the festival. I had the Japanese kite making workshops for children and teachers at the festival in Doha. I had kite flying demonstrations at there. (Doha, QATAR / the Middle East)

 

  • April: I attended Cervia International Kite Festival as a guest kiteflier. (Cervia, ITALY)

 

  • June: I attended the Bedford International Kite Festival as a guest kiteflier. (Bedford, U.K.)

 

  • July: I attended Sunderland International Kite Festival as a guest kiteflier. (Sunderland, U.K.)

 

  • August: I attended "Washington State International Kite Festival" in Long Beach, WA, and had a kite making workshop at a tent. (participants: about 200 people). (Long Beach, Washington, U.S.A.)

 

  • September: I attended "Seal Beach Kite Festival" in Los Angeles as a guest kiteflier. I visited some schools and had kite making workshops for kids after the festival. (Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.)


■2006

  • May: I attended "Daimon Kite Festival", and had a kite making workshop at a primary school in Imizu city.(Toyam prefecture, Japan)

 

  • June: I attended "the Kite Festival in Saint-Honore 2006"as a guest kiteflier. (Saint-honore, Quebec, Canada.)

 

  • September: I had a kite making workshop for kids at "Pacific Asia Museum" (Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.)

 

  • September: I attended "Seal Beach Kite Festival" in Los Angeles as a guest kiteflier. I visited some schools and had kite making workshops for kids after the festival. (Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.)


■2007

  • February: Kite builder, Mr. Greg Kono who is the third-generation Japanese-American visited my Kite Studio 5 days, and learned about Edo-kite from me. He finally could make an assembly Edo-kaku-Dako (Japanese rectangular kite) 1.2 meters height.

 

  • September: I attended "Seal Beach Kite Festival" in Los Angeles as a guest kiteflier. I visited some schools and had kite making workshops for kids after the festival. (Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.)


■2008

  • February: I had a kite making workshops for kids at "The Beachport Festival", and had kite flying demonstrations at there. (Beachport, Australia)

 

  • March: I attended "10th Thailand International Kite Festival" as a guest kiteflier. (Cha-Am, Thailand)

 

  • April: I attended "Philippine-Japan KITE Making & Flying INVITATIONS" with 6 members of our Edo-kite Preservation Society, and had the exhibition of many Edo-kaku-dakos and the history of Japanese kites with the Philippine kites and their history which are peppered by "Philippine Kite Association" at the shopping mall in Manila, Philippine. We had Japanese kite making workshops for kids and adults at the mall. We had kite flying demonstrations at the kite festival. (Manila, Philippine)

 

  • May: I attended "Redcliffe Kitefest"as a guest kiteflier. (Redcliffe, Queensland, Australia)

 

  • August: I had my 2nd kite exhibition "The Kite Craze / The kites of Mikio Toki" at "Tikotin Museum of Japanese Art" in Israel, from August to November, and had workshops for kids and adults at the museum. I had kite flying demonstrations and "Candy Drops for kids" at the kite festival held in Haifa Student Beach. (Haifa, ISRAEL)

 

  • October: I attended "Seal Beach Kite Festival" in Los Angeles as a guest kiteflier. I visited some schools and had kite making workshops for kids (about 600 students) after the festival. (Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.)


■2009

  • February: I attended "NIHONGO FIESTA" with 3 members of our "Edo-kite Preservation Society", and had the exhibition of many Edo-kaku-dakos and the history of Japanese kites with the Philippine kites at the shopping mall in Manila, Philippine. We had Japanese kite making workshops for kids and adults at the mall, and had kite flying demonstrations at the kite festival. (Manila, Philippine)

 

  • March: I attended "Adelaide International Kite Festival" in Australia, WA, and had a kite making workshop for kids and high school students at a there. (Adelaide, Australia.)

 

  • May: I attended "Redcliffe Kitefest"as a guest kiteflier, and had a kite making workshop at the festival. (Redcliffe, Queensland, Australia)

 

  • June: I attended "The First San Vito International Kite Festival"as a guest kiteflier. (San Vito Lo Capo, Trapani, Sicily, Italy)

 

  • August: I attended "Income Kite Festival Singapore" as a guest kiteflier. (Singapore)

 

  • October: I attended "Seal Beach Kite Festival" in Los Angeles as a guest kiteflier. I visited some schools and had kite making workshops for kids (about 900 students) after the festival. (Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.)


■2010

  • May: I attended "Redcliffe Kitefest"as a guest kiteflier. I visited a Japanese Class at the school in Redcliffe and had a kite making workshop with 32 students. (Redcliffe, Queensland, Australia)

 

  • September: I attended "Income Kite Festival Singapore" as a guest kiteflier. I had ORIGAM-kite making workshops at the festival. (Singapore)

 

  • October: I attended "Seal Beach Kite Festival" in Los Angeles as a guest kiteflier. I visited some schools and had kite making workshops for kids (about 700 students) after the festival. (Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.)

 

  • October: We had the festival with kite flying at the campsite where very close from the Mt. Fuji. I had Ori-zome (Shibori) kite making workshops at there.(Asagirikogen Shizuoka, Japan)


■2011

  • August: I had my 3rd kite exhibition "The Kite Craze / The kites of Mikio Toki" at "Tikotin Museum of Japanese Art" in Israel, from August to November, and had workshops for kids and adults at the museum. I had kite flying demonstrations at the kite festival held in Haifa Student Beach. (Haifa, ISRAEL)

 

  • October: I attended "Seal Beach Kite Festival" in Los Angeles as a guest kiteflier. I visited some schools and had kite making workshops for kids (about 1000 students) before and after the festival. (Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.)

 

  • November: Published my kite making book, "Marugoto Tako Tako Kite"for children with Ikadasha.


■2012

  • April: I attended "Uiseong International Kite Festival 2012" as a guest kiteflier.(Uiseong, South Korea)

 

  • August: I attended "WSIKF (the Washngton State International Kite Festival in Long Beach" as a guest kiteflie.(Washington State, U.S.A.)

 

  • October: I attended "Seal Beach Kite Festival" in Los Angeles as a guest kiteflier. I visited 12 schools and had kite making workshops for kids (more than 1000 students) before and after the festival. (Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.)


■2013

  • May: I attended "Redcliffe Kitefest"as a guest kiteflier. (Redcliffe, Queensland, Australia)

 

  • July: I had a workshop and demonstrations at the Museum of International Folk Art on Museum Hill in Santa Fe. The museum had the exhibition of Japanese traditional Kites, "Tako 凧 Kichi KITE CRAZY IN JAPAN" (Santa Fe, New Mexico, U.S.A.)

 

  • July: The first selling my kites at "International Folk Art Market: Santa Fe" (Santa Fe, New Mexico, U.S.A.)

 

  • October: I attended "13th ANNUAL JAPAN AMERICA KITE FESTIVAL" at Seal Beach in Los Angeles as a guest kiteflier. I visited 14 elementary schools and had kite making workshops for kids (more than 1200 students) before and after the festival. (Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.)

 

  • October: We had "Ori-zome Kaku-dako Kite workshop for adults" at the Japan Foundation in Los Angeles. "Ori-zome" is one of Japanese traditional arts, and one of "Shibori". Folded Washi paper, dip in the color (dye) and press it, then made very interesting and colorful patterns. After dry the paper, we made Kaku-dako kite from it.(Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.)


■2014

  • March: I had workshops and demonstrations at the Museum of International Folk Art on Museum Hill in Santa Fe. The museum had the exhibition of Japanese traditional Kites, "Tako 凧 Kichi KITE CRAZY IN JAPAN" (Santa Fe, New Mexico, U.S.A.)

 

  • July: The second attendance of the market for selling my kites at the "International Folk Art Market: Santa Fe" (Santa Fe, New Mexico, U.S.A.)

 

  • August: I attended the "Kite festival in Denver"as a guest kiteflier, and had kite making workshops at the festival. (Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.)

 

  • September: I attended the "Redcliffe Kitefest"as a guest kiteflier. (Redcliffe, Queensland, Australia) 

 

  • October: I attended "14th ANNUAL JAPAN AMERICA KITE FESTIVAL" at Seal Beach in Los Angeles as a guest kiteflier. I visited 15 elementary schools and had kite making workshops for kids (about 1500 students) before and after the festival. (Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.)


■2015

  • July: The third attendance of the market for selling my kites at the "International Folk Art Market: Santa Fe" (Santa Fe, New Mexico, U.S.A.)

 

  • August: I attended the "Kite festival in Denver"as a guest kiteflier, and had kite making workshops at the festival. (Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.)

 

  • October: I attended "15th ANNUAL JAPAN AMERICA KITE FESTIVAL" at Seal Beach in Los Angeles as a guest kiteflier. I visited 15 elementary schools and had kite making workshops for kids (about 1300 students) before and after the festival. (Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.)


■2016

  • February: I attended "OTAKI BEACH KITE FESTIVAL" at Otaki Beach, Wellingtong as a guest kiteflier. I visited a College, a High School and other, and had kite making workshops (about 90 people) before the festival. We made "ORIZOME KAKU DAKO" using WASHI paper and bamboo sticks. (Otaki Beach, Wellingtong, New Zealand)

 

  • July: The forth attendance of the market for selling my kites at the "International Folk Art Market: Santa Fe" (Santa Fe, New Mexico, U.S.A.)

 

  • October: I attended the "Kite festival in Denver"as a guest kiteflier. I visited elementry schools in Denver, and had kite making workshops at the schools.(Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.)

 

  • October: I attended "16th ANNUAL JAPAN AMERICA KITE FESTIVAL" at Santa Monica Beach in Los Angeles as a guest kiteflier. I visited 16 elementary schools and had kite making workshops for kids (about 1400 students) after the festival.(Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.)


 ■2017

  • June: I attended the"Int. Kite Fliers Meeting Fano 2017"as one of the guest kitefliers from Japan. I had a Yakko-kite making workshop with Eurepeah kite makers at the library in Fano. (Fano, Denmark)

 

  • September: October: I attended the "Kite festival in Denver"as a guest kiteflier. I visited elementry schools in Denver, and had kite making workshops with about 900 students at the schools. (Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.)

 

  • October: I attended "HITACHI School Visiting workshops" in Los Angeles. I visited 16 elementary schools and had kite making workshops for kids (about 1500 students). (Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.)


■2018

  • October: I attended the "Kite festival in Denver"as a guest kiteflier. I visited elementry schools in Denver, and had kite making workshops with about 900 students at the schools. (Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.)

 

  • October: I attended "HITACHI School Visiting workshops" in Los Angeles. I visited 16 elementary schools and had kite making workshops for kids (about 1500 students). (Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.)

 

  • October: I produced "Edo Kaku-dako pictures of Skateboard" 3 types (Kintaro, Fujigoe Ryu, Oeyama) in collaboration with the limited company Seigado (traditional Crafts "Yamanaka Lacquer Ware" Kaga City, Ishikawa Prefecture).


■2019

  •  January: “Rocket Kite” workshops at outdoor event “Wood Stove Fes 2019”. About 120 people participated. (Hachioji City, Tokyo)

 

  • February: Instructed the “Diamond Kite” made with Japanese paper and bamboo sticks in Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture. (Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture)

 

  • March: “Rocket Kite” workshops at Shinjuku Central Park Outdoor Event. About 100 people participated. (Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo)

 

  • June: Teaching “Orizome Kaku-dako Kite” at the Morigami Museum in Florida. (Florida, Delray Beach, USA)

 

  • July: Held self-made Kites exhibition at the Sydney Japan Foundation Gallery. (Exhibited until October 12)
    Teaching Japanese Kite at kite making workshops. (Sydney Australia)

 

  • September: Instructed “Kaku-dako” and “Orizome Kaku-deko Kite” in the high school in Wyoming. Approximately 200 students participated. Sponsored by Japan-America Society of Colorado . (Wyoming, USA)

 

  • September: Invited to the 6th Denver Kite Festival as a guest kite flyer. Before the Kite Festival, a kite making class was held and a total of 1,200 people were instructed to make kites. (Denver, Colorado, USA)

 

  • October: Visited 17 local elementary schools at the “HITACHI School Visit Workshop” hosted by the Japan-America Society of Southern California, and instructed about 1,500 children to make Japanese kites. (California, Los Angeles, USA)

 

■2020

  • All events, workshops, etc. around the world have been canceled due to the epidemic of COVID-19 infection, and all my schedules have been cancelled.

 ■2021

  • August: The workshop for making diamond kites using Japanese WASHI paper and bamboo was held online by connecting Hungary and Japan with Zoom. There were about 60 participants. (The Japan Foundation: Budapest, Hungary)

 

 

My kites have preserved at the following museums.

 

  • The Kite Museum of Japan Kite Association in Tokyo.
  • Shio-to-Tobacco Museum in Tokyo.
  • Uchinada Kite Museum in Ishikawa prefecture.
  • Yokaichi Odako Kaikan Museum in Shiga prefecture.
  • The Smithsonian Museum in Washington DC, U.S.A.

 

My kites are also on display as one of the New Year's decorations in Japan every year at shopping centers, at hotels, at an entrance of large companies and in public gardens.