Hiroshi Urata

After studying at the Himeji Institute of Technology (Department of Materials Science and Engineering), I began my career as a writer in 2000 and have been working as a freelance journalist since 2004.

Since 2009, I have maintained a regular column and written feature articles for Niwa (Garden), Japan's leading magazine dedicated to garden design. Niwa is a quarterly print magazine published in Japanese, and I have contributed to every issue since then; the current issue (No. 265, October 2026) carries five bylined pieces of mine, each credited on the publisher's page for that issue. My work ranges from a series on traditional edged tools to in-depth features on legendary gardeners such as Sadao Yasumoro and Toemon Sano. My coverage spans a wide spectrum of subjects, from cultural heritage sites like the National Treasure teahouse "Joan" to the gardens and organizers behind "GREEN×EXPO 2027."

To date, I have interviewed over 50 blacksmiths and built deep, trusting relationships with more than 200 experts in Japanese gardens and traditional craftsmanship across the country. My greatest strength lies in my ability to establish strong bonds of trust with artisans who are often reluctant to appear in the media. Rather than simply asking prepared questions, I immerse myself in the "living" environments of their work—whether in the forge, the garden, or at a thatched-roof construction site—and engage in repeated dialogue to draw out their authentic voices.

Guided by the belief that "Today's craft is tomorrow's tradition," I continue to conduct fieldwork aimed at passing these stories on to the future.