Realising that Yi Dynasty wares had been made by "nameless craftsmen", Yanagi felt that there had to be a similar sort of "art form" in Japan. On returning home, therefore, he became interested in his own country's rich cultural heritage and started collecting "vanishing" craft items.
Realizing that Yi Dynasty wares had been crafted by anonymous artisans, Yanagi felt there must be a comparable form of "art" in Japan. Upon returning home, he became intrigued by his own country's rich cultural heritage and began collecting items that were disappearing from traditional crafts.