Utsusemi means the empty shells of cicadas. The empty shells are clothed in a fragile, nebulous beauty that transcends the substance that should have been in them. In this work, I focused on materials that, through processing and techniques, have a beauty beyond their original form.
 　We used black-dyed bamboo in it. Colouring bamboo is tough. Only the skills of artisans in Kyoto who have inherited traditional techniques can dye the bamboo. The Japanese paper used is the Izumo Mingei paper from Shimane Prefecture. Papermaking in Izumo once declined due to the agitation of machine-made paper, which they can mass-produce. However, in an attempt to regain the pre-modern washi, technical improvements were made, resulting in washi of better quality than initially produced. Even Soetsu Yanagi was fascinated by that. The metal frame has been mirror-finished to give it a finish that does not give the impression of a metal substance. We coated the mortar surface with Shibutan, an ancient Japanese cosmetic paint.
 　Native Japanese techniques are becoming increasingly rare due to succession problems and the distribution of cheap, inferior products. We want to reconsider the honesty of handwork once more before the earth becomes empty.