However, the clear distinction between arts and crafts seen in the West did not exist in Japan, so Japanese art, as a whole, was deemed too decorative and technical, and it was ranked a bit lower than European art.
しかし、日本には西洋のような「美術」と「工芸」の厳然たる区別は無く、日本の美術品は総じて装飾的・工芸的とみなされヨーロッパ美術よりも一段低いところに置かれた。