Myoju: An Artist Residency on the Shore of Lake Biwa

A shining pearl on Lake Biwa

In Shiga, on the edge of Japan's largest lake, a jewelry studio that works with freshwater pearls from Lake Biwa has opened its doors to artists. The studio is called Myoju, 明珠, which means "shining pearl." The name carries the idea behind the residency: that each person holds an inner radiance worth drawing out.

A merchant town near Kyoto

Myoju sits in Omihachiman, a historic merchant town about 35 minutes from Kyoto and home to the Biwako Biennale. It's a setting where, in the residency's own words, "Western contemporary perspectives meet an Eastern historic landscape." Artists come to live, research, and make work shaped by the nature and long history of the lake.

A gallery café at the center

Alongside the residency runs a small gallery café, a quiet meeting point between visiting artists and the people who live in the town. The exchange goes both ways. Local and international perspectives meet over the course of a stay, and the work that comes out of it is shaped by those relationships rather than made in isolation.

Staying at Myoju

For artists, Myoju offers a private room, studio space, a kitchen, laundry, and exhibition space to show what gets made on site. The disciplines it welcomes are wide, from painting and ceramics to textiles, jewelry, film, and writing.

The first open call is for September, with applications open until July 5. You can find Myoju on Artaway.