Photo/Illutration Tsuneo Ono, the first ice sculptor honored as a “Contemporary Master Craftsman,” creates a pair of wings about 150 centimeters tall in about 50 minutes during a live demonstration at Yoyogi Park in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward on Nov. 2. (Keiko Nannichi)

For half a century, Tsuneo Ono has immersed himself in his passion of creating art fated to disappear.

These same fleeting sculptures earned him a lasting legacy on Nov. 7 when the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare honored the 76-year-old with the Award for Outstandingly Skilled Workers.

Better known as the “Contemporary Master Craftsman” honor, Ono is the first ice sculptor ever to receive the prestigious title.

Established in 1967, the award program celebrates exceptional artisans to elevate their social status, raise technical standards and inspire both active craftspeople and the next generation.

Ono, who first discovered ice carving about 50 years ago while working as a chef specializing in Western cuisine, was among 142 artisans recognized this year for their extraordinary skill.

“I was surprised, since this category had never been included before,” he said. “It’s a great encouragement for everyone involved in this craft across the country.”

FROM STUDENT TO INSTRUCTOR

Ono's journey with the medium began in the 1970s after decorative banquet sculptures caught his eye. The ephemeral beauty of ice with its crystalline glimmer under ballroom chandeliers stirred something deep within him.

He initially learned by observing senior colleagues, but soon, wanting to “study in earnest,” he enrolled in a specialized training course.

Then came a turning point. An unexpected invitation from his mentor who was establishing a school devoted entirely to ice sculpture prompted Ono to make the bold decision to hang up his chef’s apron and take up a new calling: teaching the art of ice.

It would not be a complete withdrawal from the culinary world, but rather a leap toward a different flavor of craftsmanship.

Over the decades that followed, more than 3,000 chefs from across Japan would study under him to learn how to transform hulking blocks into masterpieces.

From graceful swans to intricate architectural designs, all destined to melt, yet still carved with the precision and reverence of something meant to endure.

While teaching, Ono also accepted commissions from hotels to create centerpiece sculptures for banquet halls, held live-carving demonstrations at public events and crafted pieces for numerous drink commercials; all brought the transient beauty of ice to a wider audience.

For Ono, the allure of his craft lies in two moments of wonder: the first gasp of amazement from onlookers and the quiet, ethereal beauty of a sculpture completed in the evening taking on a glow in the light of the morning sun.

FORM AND MASS

A single block can weigh upward of 135 kilograms while standing 1 meter tall, 55 centimeters wide and 27 cm thick.

Above all, Ono has always placed safety first when taking chainsaws, handsaws, drills and chisels to shape and assemble towering ice blocks to match what sits in his mind's eye.

“The truth is, I tend to make them a bit thicker,” he admits with a chuckle, “but I think I have the skill, perhaps more than the younger generation, to make them look light.”

Though none of his sculptures has ever collapsed, he confesses that he remains “worried until the very end of every event.”

Demand for ice sculptures peaked around 1990 during Japan’s economic bubble and has steadily declined since. The COVID-19 pandemic dealt another heavy blow and orders have only recently started to rebound.

Most who study the craft are Western-style chefs learning it as part of their culinary artistry, and there are competitions where they can test their skills and creativity.

Even now, Ono continues to teach at a once-monthly study workshop.

“I want to pass these techniques on to the next generation,” he said. “If I can help them, even just with a word or two of advice, I’ll keep sharing what I know for as long as I can.”

Related News