Zenkyu Niwa was born in Aichi prefecture, in the town of Minamichita. After working for a graphics company in Tokyo, he set up a sewing factory. In 1991, he moved back to his hometown and established his atelier, which marked the beginning of his creative endeavors. Born of the plentiful natural surroundings of Minamichita, his works such as stone birds, driftwood sculptures, and sand paintings have a feeling of simplicity and mysterious warmth. At the local elementary schools and retirement homes, he volunteers to teach painting, calligraphy, and clay works.
In 2008, Zenkyu and his wife, Hisako, were invited to be a part of Japan House’s 10th Anniversary celebration. While here in Illinois, Zenyku offered both public and private workshops, as well as an exhibition of his work.
At that time, Japan House was gifted one of his jizo, and it has become a cherished treasure for them. Most recently, the jizo was featured during the November Month of Gratitude social media campaign.
