At the Rihga Royal Hotel in the city of Osaka, there is a bar designed by British potter Bernard Leach, who is known for having played a key role in the mingei (folk craft) movement in the late 1920s and '30s.
Leach (1887-1979) became connected to the world of pottery while he was in Japan, and became acquainted with many artists in the movement led by philosopher Muneyoshi Yanagi that stressed the beauty of everyday handicrafts such as pottery, lacquerware and woodwork.
Reflecting the concept of the movement, the walls of the one-of-a-kind bar are made of rocks, bricks and cane, creating a quiet cottage-like atmosphere in the middle of the noisy city, and the bar features craftworks of well known artists such as potter Kanjiro Kawai and woodblock printmaker Shiko Munakata.