Edo Karakami can find it’s roots in China, this is known as Mon Karakami and it was famous for being patterned paper which was truly beautiful. The kanji for Karakami has the meaning of Chinese paper and when this became imported into Japan local paper artisans began to copy it and create their own version. […]
Category: Craft
We will introduce you about various Japanese crafts with how to use it, how worth using it or introduce crafts events, artists and craftmanships.
Japanese Crafts – Edo Sashimono, Tokyo
A famous aspect that you can find in Buddhist temples, and furniture related to Buddhism, is the almost magical ability to make something with no nails. For example, Kiyomizu-dera (清水寺) in Kyoto is a temple that was constructed in 1633 and still stands today, without a single nail used in its construction. Just as […]
Kyoto Traditional Industry Foundation – Kyoto Museum of Traditional Crafts
Kyoto can be said to be one of the best centres of Japanese traditions, crafts and Japanese history. Located in the centre of Japan it was the Imperial capital for a thousand years. Today it is home to thousands of religious places including temples and shrines, as well as historical monuments, and the Kyoto Museum […]
Interview with Yukino Omura – Contemporary Artist
Please introduce yourself. My name is Yukino Omura. I’m a contemporary artist, my goal is to lead a new art trend in the world. I start to get media attention after I won Tokyo Midtown Award in 2012. I’ve been making urban night view paintings by stationary seals since 2010. I want to show the […]
Traditional Crafts Exhibition WAZA 2015: Take Home the Heart of Japan
Taken from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s website (経済産業省). Traditional Crafts Exhibition WAZA 2015 to be Held–Take Home the Heart of Japan– From February 19 to 24, 2015, the Association for the Promotion of Traditional Craft Industries (DENSAN) will hold the Traditional Crafts Exhibition WAZA 2015, focusing on the theme, “Take Home the […]
Location of Traditional Japanese Crafts in Japan – Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has published an amazing map showing the location of traditional crafts around Japan. It is really amazing, and absolutely essential viewing for any craft enthusiast. If you click on the below image you can zoom in on any part of the map. As you can see there are […]
The Japan Initiative and the Challenge of the Tsuru: Embracing Both the Past and the Future – Part Four
This is the final part in our series on the Japan Initiative and the challege of the Tsuru. You can see part one here, part two here and part three here. The Japan Initiative and the Tsuru In order to suggest and push forward any new economic policies the Japan Initiative would need to be […]
Traditional Japanese Crafts will be Showcased to Gain Publicity at the World’s Largest International Trade Fair – Germany
Taken from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s website (経済産業省). http://www.meti.go.jp/english/press/2015/0126_01.html From February 13 to 17, 2015, Ambiente 2015, the world’s largest international trade fair for consumer goods, will be held in Frankfurt, Germany. Taking this opportunity, traditional Japanese crafts from across Japan will be exhibited as government-designated traditional crafts. Through this event, Japan […]
Masterpieces of Artisanal Japan: Wazuka tea and Ogatsu inkstones – Daiwa Foundation
On the 11th of February 2015 at the Daiwa Foundation in London visitors had the opportunity to hear from three speakers about Japanese culture and crafts, more specifically tea and ink-stones (硯箱). Timothy d’Offay’s Postcard Teas specialises in tea, and he has superb knowledge of numerous small tea farms in Japan. Wazuka tea dates back […]
President Kennedy’s Hina Dolls? U.S. Ambassador Traces Japanese Woman Who Sent Them
Recently reported in the Japan Times. In 1962 President John F. Kennedy was given a set of Hina Dolls, now over 50 years later U.S. Ambassador Caroline Kennedy has traced the woman who sent them. The below story is as reported by Japan Times: Kennedy appealed for help in finding the sender of the dolls, […]
The Japan Initiative and the Challenge of the Tsuru: Embracing Both the Past and the Future – Part Three
In this third part of our four part series on the Japan Initiative and the Tsuru we look at economic policies. You can read part one here, and part two here. Economic Policies Besides the creation of the Japan Initiative there are a number of policies which can be enacted, unfortunately it will be difficult […]
Interview with Akiko Hirai – UK based Craftswoman
By Mike Sullivan Please introduce yourself and your background. I make pottery in the UK, in London. I hold workshops in studios where artists work together, which isn’t that rare here. http://www.akikohiraiceramics.com/ AKIKO HIRAI from Dan Fontanelli on Vimeo. Please tell us about your work. I make ceramics for exhibitions and galleries in the UK […]
The Japan Initiative and the Challenge of the Tsuru: Embracing Both the Past and the Future – Part Two
In this four part series we discuss our idea for a revival of Japan using an organisation called the Japan Initiative along with the Tsuru as a mascot. You can see part one here. Japan has never reconciled the idea that Japanese products are made for Japanese people and other products are made for non-Japanese […]
The Japan Initiative and the Challenge of the Tsuru: Embracing Both the Past and the Future – Part One
This year we will also start publishing opinion pieces on Japan. In this first four part series we propose creating the Japan Initiative with the mascot of the Tsuru. Japan has a population of 126 million, its economy is the 3rd biggest in the world with a GDP of 468 trillion yen and yet in […]