Wada Waichisai III (1899 - 1975)

Wada Waichisai III was the grandson of Wada Waichisai I (1851 - 1901), one of the key figures in bamboo art of the Kansai region. He was apprenticed to his father, Wada Waichisai II (1877 - 1933) and succeeded to the Waichisai name on the latter’s death in 1933. He started his career as an independent artist in Tokyo and an early solo show at the Mitsukoshi Gallery was visited by members of the imperial family. By 1928, Wada Waichisai III returned to Kobe; in 1935, a flower basket was commissioned from him by the city of Kobe for presentation to the Showa emperor. During World War II, the Japanese government issued restrictions on the production and sale of ‘luxury’ goods and Wada Waichisai III was one of the few artists allowed to continue working. However, he lost both his home and his son during the bombing of Kobe and relocated to Sumoto City on Awaji Island. He continued his work on the island after the war and served as a judge for the Sumoto City Art Exhibition.