Bijutsu Techō

Bijutsu Techō (美術手帖), often abbreviated as BT, is a Japanese art magazine founded in 1948. It is one of the country's most influential publications dedicated to modern and contemporary art, covering domestic and international trends, exhibition reviews, artist interviews, and critical essays. The magazine has played a central role in postwar Japanese art criticism, hosting debates such as the 1964 'Anti-Art' controversy between critic Miyakawa Atsushi and Tōno Yoshiaki. It is published quarterly in A5 format. Since 2019, the magazine has been edited and published by Culture Convenience Club Co., Ltd. (CCC), while the publishing house Bijutsu Shuppansha handles distribution. The brand also operates a prominent website, bijutsutecho.com, which provides daily news, exhibition listings, and membership services. The editorial team, led by Editorial Director Teiya Iwabuchi and Editor in Chief Yusuke Hashizume, maintains a policy of fairness, independence, and integrity. The magazine has a long tradition of sponsoring the 'Art Criticism Competition' (芸術評論募集), which has launched many critics' careers. Today, Bijutsu Techō serves both art enthusiasts and professionals, offering high-quality information and community engagement.

Bijutsu Techō was first published in 1948, in the aftermath of World War II, when Japan's art world was rebuilding and seeking new directions. It quickly established itself as a vital platform for art criticism and information. In its early decades, the magazine was published by Bijutsu Shuppansha and became known for its special features on modern and contemporary art, as well as its coverage of international trends. A landmark moment occurred in 1964 when the magazine hosted the 'Anti-Art' debate (反芸術論争) between critics Miyakawa Atsushi and Tōno Yoshiaki, a controversy that became one of the defining intellectual exchanges of 1960s Japanese art criticism. The magazine also sponsored the 'Art Criticism Competition' (芸術評論募集) starting in 1954, which helped launch the careers of many prominent critics, including Tōno Yoshiaki, Nakahara Yusuke, and others. Over the decades, the magazine evolved under a series of editors-in-chief, including Ai Kō Kenji, Miyazawa Takeyoshi, Fukuzumi Haruo, Kawai Shōzō, Tanaka Tameyoshi, Kimura Yōichi, Ōhashi Norio, Itō Norio, Shiina Setsu, Makabe Kaori, Kusumi Kiyoshi, Oshigane Junji, Iwabuchi Teiya, and Hashizume Yusuke. In 2019, the editorial and publishing operations were transferred to Culture Convenience Club Co., Ltd. (CCC), a major Japanese retail and cultural conglomerate known for operating Tsutaya. Under CCC, the brand expanded its digital presence with the website bijutsutecho.com, which now serves as a daily source of art news, exhibition listings, and criticism. The print magazine continues as a quarterly publication, maintaining its A5 format and its focus on in-depth features and critical essays. The editorial team, led by Editorial Director Teiya Iwabuchi and Editor in Chief Yusuke Hashizume, upholds a policy of fairness, independence, and integrity, aiming to connect art enthusiasts and professionals alike.

• 2019

  Editorial and publishing operations transferred to Culture Convenience Club Co., Ltd.

• 2019

  16th Art Criticism Competition held, commemorating the magazine's 70th anniversary.

• 1964

  'Anti-Art' debate between Miyakawa Atsushi and Tōno Yoshiaki published in the magazine.

• 1954

  First 'Art Criticism Competition' (芸術評論募集) held.

• 1948

  First issue of Bijutsu Techō published.

Japan's leading art media brand, bridging art enthusiasts and professionals with fair, independent, and in-depth coverage of contemporary art.

• Bijutsu Techō magazine (quarterly, A5)

• bijutsutecho.com website

• Membership services with exclusive content and events

1. 1美術手帖 official websitebijutsutecho.com
2. 2美術手帖についてbijutsutecho.com
3. 3運営会社bijutsutecho.com
4. 4美術手帖 - Wikipediaja.wikipedia.org
5. 5Bijutsu Shuppansha. BT/Bijutsu Techō Henshūbu - Wikidatawikidata.org