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Originally from the Janagusuku neighborhood of [[Ogimi|Ôgimi]] village in northern [[Okinawa Island|Okinawa]], Maeda attended the [[University of the Ryukyus]], and in his fourth year was introduced by painter [[Adaniya Masayoshi]] to a part-time job at the lacquerware company [[Benbo|Benbô]], the leading producer of contemporary lacquerware designs in Okinawa at the time.<ref name=feenukaji9>"Shurijô Seiden ha sekai saidaikyû no urushi no ki. Shurijô no shûfuku, fukugen ga dekiru shokunin o sodatete moraitai"「首里城正殿は世界最大級の漆の器。首里城の修復、復元ができる職人を育ててもらいたい。」、''Fee nu kaji'' 南ぬ風 9 (2008/10-12), 3.; Kinjô Satoko 金城聡子, et al, "Maeda Kôin shi o itamu" 「前田孝允氏を悼む」, ''Shurijô kenkyû'' 首里城研究 23 (March 2021), 96.</ref> He graduated university in 1959 and immediately afterward was given a full-time job as a designer for the company.<ref name=kinjo96>Kinjô, 96.</ref> He began showing his own work at exhibitions five years later. In 1968, he quit that job and opened his own "Maeda Lacquerware Atelier."

Originally from the Janagusuku neighborhood of [[Ogimi|Ôgimi]] village in northern [[Okinawa Island|Okinawa]], Maeda attended the [[University of the Ryukyus]], and in his fourth year was introduced by painter [[Adaniya Masayoshi]] to a part-time job at the lacquerware company [[Benbo|Benbô]], the leading producer of contemporary lacquerware designs in Okinawa at the time.<ref name=feenukaji9>"Shurijô Seiden ha sekai saidaikyû no urushi no ki. Shurijô no shûfuku, fukugen ga dekiru shokunin o sodatete moraitai"「首里城正殿は世界最大級の漆の器。首里城の修復、復元ができる職人を育ててもらいたい。」、''Fee nu kaji'' 南ぬ風 9 (2008/10-12), 3.; Kinjô Satoko 金城聡子, et al, "Maeda Kôin shi o itamu" 「前田孝允氏を悼む」, ''Shurijô kenkyû'' 首里城研究 23 (March 2021), 96.</ref> He graduated university in 1959 and immediately afterward was given a full-time job as a designer for the company.<ref name=kinjo96>Kinjô, 96.</ref> He began showing his own work at exhibitions five years later. In 1968, he quit that job and opened his own "Maeda Lacquerware Atelier."

Maeda played a key role in the 1990 establishment of the [[Urasoe City Museum of Art]], working with Urasoe City mayor Higa Noboru to convince a number of other government officials to support a plan for the city to purchase some 180 lacquerware objects displayed in a ''Ryûkyû shikki no bi'' ("The Beauty of Ryukyu Lacquerware") exhibit in 1983, to serve as the core of the collection for this new museum. When invited to serve as assistant director of the new museum, however, Maeda declined.<ref>Asato Susumu 安里進, et al, "Maeda Kôin shi o itamu" 「前田孝允氏を悼む」, ''Shurijô kenkyû'' 首里城研究 23 (March 2021), 95.</ref>

Maeda played a key role in the 1990 establishment of the [[Urasoe City Museum of Art]], serving as head of the ''Urasoe shi kôgei bijutsukan kensetsu shingikai'' (Committee for the Establishment of Urasoe City Crafts Art Museum) and working with Urasoe City mayor Higa Noboru to convince a number of other government officials to support a plan for the city to purchase some 180 lacquerware objects displayed in a ''Ryûkyû shikki no bi'' ("The Beauty of Ryukyu Lacquerware") exhibit in 1983, to serve as the core of the collection for this new museum. When invited to serve as assistant director of the new museum, however, Maeda declined.<ref>Asato Susumu 安里進, et al, "Maeda Kôin shi o itamu" 「前田孝允氏を悼む」, ''Shurijô kenkyû'' 首里城研究 23 (March 2021), 95.</ref>

In conjunction with the restoration of Shuri castle c. 1989-1992, Maeda created a red-lacquered, gilded, and painted royal throne with [[mother-of-pearl]] inlay, based on portraits of King [[Sho Shin|Shô Shin]] and other documentary sources, a project which took about two years. He also produced many of the plaques which now hang over the castle's gates, as well as reproductions of those bestowed upon the kings of Ryûkyû by Qing emperors.

In conjunction with the restoration of Shuri castle c. 1989-1992, Maeda created a red-lacquered, gilded, and painted royal throne with [[mother-of-pearl]] inlay, based on portraits of King [[Sho Shin|Shô Shin]] and other documentary sources, a project which took about two years. He also produced many of the plaques which now hang over the castle's gates, as well as reproductions of those bestowed upon the kings of Ryûkyû by Qing emperors.

He lived in the Kinjô-chô neighborhood of [[Shuri]] during the last decades of his life, and taught as a lecturer at the [[Okinawa Prefectural University of the Arts]] and [[Tokyo University of the Arts]]. In 2005, he was named director of the Urasoe City Museum of Art.<ref name=feenukaji9/>

He lived in the Kinjô-chô neighborhood of [[Shuri]] during the last decades of his life, and taught as a lecturer at the [[Okinawa Prefectural University of the Arts]] and [[Tokyo University of the Arts]]. In 2005, he was named director of the Urasoe City Museum of Art, and continued to serve in that position until 2010.<ref name=feenukaji9/><ref>Kinjô, 97.</ref>

Maeda Kôin was ill and in hospital on 31 Oct 2019 when an accidental fire destroyed the Main Hall and several other buildings at Shuri castle, along with the replica thrones, plaques, and other objects created by Kôin and others. He reportedly expressed eagerness to contribute to recreating these objects again, but passed away several months later on 14 Jan 2020. His student Maeda Kunio succeeded him as head of the studio.<ref name=kinjo96/>

Maeda Kôin was ill and in hospital on 31 Oct 2019 when an accidental fire destroyed the Main Hall and several other buildings at Shuri castle, along with the replica thrones, plaques, and other objects created by Kôin and others. He reportedly expressed eagerness to contribute to recreating these objects again, but passed away several months later on 14 Jan 2020. His student Maeda Kunio succeeded him as head of the studio.<ref name=kinjo96/>