American artist's studio connects foreigners to traditional crafts in small town Japan July 2, 2021 (Mainichi Japan) Kjell Hahn sits in front of his artwork in Onishi in the city of Fujioka, Gunma Prefecture, on May 19, 2021. (Mainichi/Naomichi Senoo) MAEBASHI -- An American man has created an art studio in a Japanese community northwest of Tokyo to connect people around the world through their encounters with traditional Japanese crafts. "Shiro Oni Studio," which has adopted an artist-in-residence (AIR) program, allows artists from both Japan and abroad to stay for a certain period to produce works. It has been operated by American Kjell Hahn in Onishi, a mountainous area with a population of about 4,900, in the city of Fujioka, Gunma Prefecture, and has been engaged in international exchange through art.