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 "cut glass fro…

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Koshu Inden is a unique style of leather craft developed in Kofu City, Yamanashi Prefecture and a wide range of buckskin bags, wallets and pouches with urushi (lacquer) patterns are available today. The technique was popular among samu…

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Sensu means a folding fan, and Kyo Sensu are fans produced centering on Kyoto; from olden times they have been much valued as high-quality art works, especially for the inclusion of gold or silver leaf or maki-e in their beautiful design…

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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 d…

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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 Uch…

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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 on…

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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 miniatu…

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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 …

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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. …

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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 Gla…

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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 gover…

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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…

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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 thou…

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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 th…

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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 enhanc…

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