Hanga Kobo Kawalabo! is located about 15 minutes on foot from Machida station, next to Serigaya Park.
In the expansive spaces in its basement, first, and second floors are over 10 printing presses, UV exposure boxes, giclee printers, dry racks, and light tables. The walls are lined with various tools used for printmaking. This is a studio that caters for a wide range of printmaking methods.
Masahiro Kawara is the founder of Kawalabo! For over 15 years, he had made his own artwork while working for a printmaking studio in Yokohama. Then in 2009, he opened this studio. He says, “One of the reasons that art school graduates stop making art is the lack of space to create work in.”

The studio launched the Kawalabo! Research Student program in 2012. It allows participants to use its spaces and equipment any time for 18 months, for 9,000 yen a month. Every year, the studio accepts two to four research students, and offers them guidance on techniques and processes, critique sessions, as well as a chance to show their body of work in a gallery.
Sou Imaizumi is part of the sixth group of research students here, and comes to Kawalabo five or six days a week while holding down a part-time night job.
“Even as my graduation drew close, I felt there was more I wanted to learn, but grad school was not financially feasible for me, so I decided to apply for the research student program here.”
The Research Student program gives participants the chance to see experienced artists at work up close, and gain solid knowledge and techniques under professional printing technicians. It can be considered a new path for artists to hone their skills at a place other than school.

Original text: Emi Sato
Photo: Shu Nakagawa