The program "Platinum Family: A Glimpse into the Lives of Celebrity Families" (TV Asahi, Tuesdays at 7 PM) introduces the lifestyles of "celebrity families." On April 7th, a family in which three generations have been designated as "Living National Treasures" will be featured.
The Komiya family, who reside in Shin-Koiwa, Katsushika Ward, Tokyo, have been passing down the techniques of a certain traditional craft that has been loved by samurai and townspeople since the Edo period. Three generations of the family have been designated as Living National Treasures: the great-grandfather, Kosuke (certified in 1955), the previous generation's father, Yasutaka (certified in 1978), and the current generation, Yasumasa (certified in 2018).
At his home, he kept many precious photographs of members of the imperial family and world-famous star Audrey Hepburn visiting to observe his work. "Tradition only truly connects to the next generation when one thing is connected," says Yasumasa, expressing his passionate commitment to passing on traditional culture from generation to generation.
The program also delves into the inner workings of the "Living National Treasure" system. It introduces the mechanism of subsidies provided by the government for the purpose of improving skills and training successors. Because the national budget is fixed, the number of Living National Treasures is limited to only 116. The program reveals that no matter how outstanding one's skills are, "no one will be newly certified unless a vacancy opens up."
On this day, a family from Aichi Prefecture that has been running a family business for over 400 years since the Edo period, and a world-renowned designer family that has been creating a certain item for members of the Imperial family for three generations will also appear.
