Edo kiriko is the most famous glass craftwork in Japan. It was originally only produced in the city of Edo which was Tokyo's name during the Edo period (1603-1868). "Kiriko" means "cut glass"so its name is literally…

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Koshu lacquered deer leather (called Koshu inden in Japanese) is a unique style of leather craft that was developed in the city of Kofu, Yamanashi prefecture. Today, a wide range of buckskin bags, wallets and pouches made with urushi…

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Kyo folding fans are called Kyo sensu in Japanese, sensu meaning "folding fan". They are mainly produced in Kyoto. From old times they have been valued as high quality art works because of their beautiful designs with gold …

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Marugame Uchiwa are a type of fan made in the area around Marugame City, Kagawa Prefecture. It is believed that, in the early Edo period, the first Marugame Uchiwa were made as souvenirs for pilgrims to the Konpira shrine. The original design incl…

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Boshu Uchiwa is a type of fan made in the areas around Tateyama City and Minamiboso City in Chiba Prefecture. This is one of Japan’s three most famous uchiwa fans, along with Marugame Uchiwa (Marugame City, Kagawa Prefecture) and Kyo Uchiwa (Kyoto…

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Gifu Chochin is a lantern produced in Gifu City, Gifu Prefecture. The lantern has a history of longer than three hundred years and the high level of the technique used to make it was valued so highly that the lantern was designated as one of the t…

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Yamaga Toro are lanterns made of washi (traditional Japanese paper) produced in the area centering on Yamaga City, Kumamoto Prefecture. In the Yamaga Lantern Festival, a special summer attraction, we find them in the form of gold miniature garden …

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Kyo uchiwa are a type of Japanese traditional fans made in the Kyoto prefecture. There are three main types of traditional fans: Chinese-inspired, southern-inspired and Korean-inspired fans. Kyo uchiwa belong to the third category. The English wo…

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Tendo Shogi Koma are Japanese chess pieces made in the cities of Tendo, Yamagata and Murayama in Yamagata Prefecture. In Tendo, production is thought to have begun in the Edo period, and today makes up almost all of the national output. It feature…

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Edo Glassware is crafted in the Edogawa, Sumida, and Koto Wards of modern-day Tokyo. Nowadays, Edo Glassware is also produced in some areas of Chiba Prefecture, but this craftwork has been recognized as a local industry of Tokyo. Edo Glassware is …

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Edo Karakami are decorative paper products produced in the Bunkyo and Taito Wards of Tokyo, in Matsudo City, Chiba Prefecture, and in Tokigawa Town, Hiki County, Saitama Prefecture. Designated as a traditional craft by the Japanese government in M…

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Yame Chochin is a lantern produced in the region surrounding Yame City, Fukuoka Prefecture. The characteristics of Yame Chochin are the Takebone (bamboo frame) of the Ichijo Rasenshiki method and the Hibukuro (fire box) with beautifully painted f…

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The Owari Shippo cloisonné produced in Ama City, Aichi Prefecture are decorated with vibrant colorful designs often depicting natural scenery or the beauty of nature. The term shippo refers to the seven jewels of Buddhism, as it was thought the cl…

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Fukuyama-goto are koto, a flat Japanese 13 stringed instrument with a sound box, produced in Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture. Today, Fukuyama produces about 70% of Japanese koto, which is quite fitting as the city coastal view was the inspirat…

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Kyo Hyogu are made in Kyoto prefecture. Hyogu or hyoso is a traditional technique to strengthen and preserve calligraphy works, paintings and the like with an attractive paper or cloth edging coupled with additional decorations to enhance the over…

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Kebari are fly-fishing flies, and Banshu Kebari are flies produced in Nishiwaki City, Hyogo Prefecture, the former Banshu region. They are characterized by their exquisitely fine workmanship; bird feathers wound with silk thread around a small 1 c…

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Woodblock prints became popular in Japan during the Edo period (1603-1868) when the techniques were developed and refined, which contributed to spreading beautiful printed art forms such as ukiyoe (a genre of Japanese art). Woodblock prints…

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Koshu Tebori Insho refers to hand-engraved personal signature stamps produced in the Yamanashi Prefecture cities of Kofu and Fujiyoshida. Bringing together all of Yamanashi’s engravers, dealers, and material producers, this local industry is unlik…

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Edo Bekko refers to fashion accessories and ornaments made from Hawksbill turtle (Taimai) shell, which are produced in Bunkyo Ward, Taito Ward and Sumida Ward, Tokyo. History of this artifact harks back to the early Edo Era. Edo Bekko is character…

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Nagasaki tortoise shell crafts are mostly produced in the city of Nagasaki or Isahaya in the Nagasaki prefecture. The shells used come from a type of sea turtle living around the Equator called Hawksbill turtle. During the Edo period (1603-1868), …

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