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. […]
Tag: Tokyo
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 […]
Interview with Keiko Masumoto – Ceramic Designer
By Weini Liao Please introduce yourself My name is Keiko Masumoto. I was born in Tatsuno, Hyogo, in 1982. I graduated from the faculty and master of fine arts, Kyoto City University of Arts. I worked in Kyoto for about 10 years, after Kyoto, I worked as a guest artist at the University of the […]
Interview with Tamaki Matsuda – Amazing Lacquer Artisan in Tokyo
Interview by Saneyuki Owada. Please tell us about the beginning of your life. When I was born I my heart wasn’t beating and I wasn’t breathing – it wasn’t exactly an ideal start! My parents were both working as teachers, so I ended up being in childcare soon after I was born. How did you […]
Interview with Anna Kozaki – Superb Japanese Sweetmaker in Tokyo
By Mike Sullivan Please introduce yourself and your background. I was born in Mie prefecture and went to Canada for high school. Then, I attended the Tsuji Institute of Patisserie in Osaka and worked at a cake shop in Mie. After which, I went to Beijing (China) to study Mandarin, before moving to Macau where […]
Interview with Thomas Lim – Actor, Producer and Director based in Tokyo
By Mike Sullivan In the past you have travelled through many countries, studied at Rose Bruford College in London and at the Beijing Sports University, and now live in Japan – how did you end up settling in Tokyo? That’s right. I’m from Singapore and had studied theatre in London, and Chinese Kung Fu in […]
A Visual Guide to Japan – Tokyo Sky Tree
Text and photos by Mike Sullivan Tokyo Skytree (東京スカイツリー Tōkyō Sukaitsurī) is the tallest building in Japan and is a broadcasting, restaurant, and observation tower. It reached its full height of 634.0 metres (2,080 ft) in March 2011. The tower opened to the public on 22 May 2012. The tower is part of a commercial […]
Edo Kiriko Kobayashi – Traditional Japanese Glass Craft
By Saneyuki Owada Yoshiro Kobayashi: The third generation owner of Kobayashi Glass Yoshiro Kobayashi was born in Koutou-ku, Tokyo. After graduating from Meiji University, He took up the study of glassware under the direction of his father, Hideo, who was awarded with a medal and the title “Contemporary Master Craftsman.” Yoshiro Kobayashi followed in his […]
SIWA | ONAO “Change People’s Perspective on Paper”
By Saneyuki Owada The company which SIWA is a subsidiary of, Onao, is a big producer of shoji screen papers, once selling 40% of the country’s share. Their sale expanded greatly when they started selling theirshoji screen papers at the hardware store DOIT since its launch in Tokyo in 1972. The success, however, did not […]
Interview with Midori Komachi – Talented Violinist
Interview and photos by Mike Sullivan Please introduce yourself and your background. Where are you originally from in Japan? I am a classical violinist based in London. I have been performing mainly as a soloist and chamber musician in Europe and Japan, and I recently released my first solo album. I also enjoy giving educational […]
Interview with Kohei Yoshida – Metal Smith educated at Tokyo University of the Arts
By Mike Sullivan Please introduce yourself and your background. Can you also tell us about your studies at the Tokyo University of Art? My name is Kohei Yoshida and when I studied at the Tokyo University of the Arts I was focused on metal. Actually this university was the first Art University in Japan and […]
A Visual Guide to Japan – Nezu Shrine Tokyo
Text and photos by Mike Sullivan Nezu Shrine in Tokyo is said to have been built over 1,900 years ago in Sendagi and has Susanoo no Mikoto as the chief deity. Amazingly, during the Edo Period (1600-1867), the shogun commanded that the shrine be relocated from Sendagi to Tokyo. View Larger Map
三度笠 Sandogasa Hat – A Traditional Japanese Accessory
By Mike Sullivan Often in period dramas, movies or even anime you will notice the hats that people wear when travelling, for many people they are seen as cool and are quite often associated with samurai. In fact normally the hat they will wear is called a Sandogasa (三度笠)which is a wide hat but which […]
Interview with Yuriri Naka – Konnichiwa Brick Lane Actress
By Mike Sullivan Please introduce yourself and your background. Where in Japan is your family originally from? I was born and grew up in Tokyo. After graduating from high school in Tokyo, I moved to the UK to study drama and pursue my career as an actress. Last year you starred in the feature movie […]