Away from the congested urban life of Japan and surrounded by mountains in the small town of Onishi (ogre stone) in Gunma prefecture, artists can work free from outside distractions. Shiro Oni Studio was founded with the belief that while artists produce much of their work individually, the development of ideas going into that work benefits from a strong social network.
Nearly 300 artists have participated in the Shiro Oni Studio artist in residency program. Groups of 9 artists spend 6 weeks in the town of Onishi (population 5000). Full-time artists, grad students, and university professors come to focus on their work in an intimate environment, work with other artists, and to build relationships with the people of Onishi.
Each residency period is 6 weeks. We have four residency groups:
Group 1: Spring (Anagama): April 1st to May 13th
Group 2 : Early Summer: June 3rd to July 15th
Group 3: Late Summer: August 11 to September 22
Group 4: Fall (Anagama): October 13 to November 24
Our Spring and Fall Anagama Residency groups are reserved for artists working solely with clay*
We will begin interviews for 2026 applicants in August.
Residency Eligibility
Residency Experience Summary
Application Information
Nearly 300 artists have participated in the Shiro Oni Studio artist in residency program. Groups of 9 artists spend 6 weeks in the town of Onishi (population 5000). Full-time artists, grad students, and university professors come to focus on their work in an intimate environment, work with other artists, and to build relationships with the people of Onishi.
Residency Requirements:
Age 25 and older
Speak English or Japanese
Ride a bicycle
Attend meetings
Participate in residency exhibition
Donate a piece of art to the residency (chosen by artist)
In 2026 there is a participation fee of $2,750 USD* (*paid as 400,000 Japanese Yen)
Shiro Oni Studio Covers: a private bedroom and all building utilities, 24/7 access to a private studio space and our woodshop and ceramic facilities, residency arrival and departure transportation, translation support, bicycles, and flyer printing expenses.
Artists Cover: Travel expenses, food costs, and workshop fees.
Artwork materials: artists are responsible for their own materials. There is a storage room of free artist materials left from previous artists. The storage room has things like paper, fabric, ink, tape and paint. It’s also possible to source natural materials like bamboo from the surrounding mountains, or wood from lumber mills’ off-cuts.