Kiso lacquerware (called Kiso shikki in Japanese) is produced in Kiso district, now the city of Shiojiri, Nagano prefecture. The area where this craft is produced is a plateau approximately 900 meters above sea level. The climate has cool summers…

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Matsumoto kagu is a type of Japanese traditional furniture made in the city of Matsumoto in Nagano prefecture and has been produced for over three hundred years, since the Edo period (1603-1868). The Second World War led production of this craft t…

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Boshu uchiwa is a type of fan made in the areas around the cities of Tateyama and Minamiboso in Chiba prefecture. This is one of Japan’s big three uchiwa types, with the other two being Marugame (Kagawa prefecture) and Kyo uchiwa (Kyoto prefecture…

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Tendo Japanese chess pieces (called Tendo shogi koma in Japanese) are made in the cities of Tendo, Yamagata, and Murayama in Yamagata prefecture. Production is thought to have begun in Tendo back during the Edo period (1603-1868) and now the city …

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Yamagata cast iron (called Yamagata imono in Japanese) is produced in the city of Yamagata, Yamagata prefecture. At first, metal fittings, Buddhist statues, and daily use items were made. Then, as skills and techniques were developed, iron kettles…

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Suruga bamboo ware (called Suruga take sensuji zaiku in Japanese) is produced in the city of Shizuoka, Shizuoka prefecture. High quality bamboo has grown wild in the basin of the upper reaches of the Abe River in Shizuoka since ancient times. Bamb…

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Oitama tsumugi is a silk fabric produced in the Yonezawa, Hakutaka and Nagai regions of Oitama in southern Yamagata prefecture. The area was well-known for producing and exporting ramie, a tall plant of the nettle family that has been used to make…

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Shinshu tsumugi is a type of silk fabric also known as pongee and produced throughout Nagano prefecture. Each region in the prefecture has their own production styles and techniques. Also, the specific name of this fabric differs depending on the …

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Iiyama Buddhist Altars, called Iiyama Butsudan in Japanese, are made around the city of Iiyama, Nagano prefecture. Iiyama is known for its people being devout to Buddhism since ancient times, which sustains the tradition of altar production. This …

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Miyakonojo Bows (called Miyakonojo Daikyu in Japanese) are bamboo archery bows produced in Miyakonojo, Miyazaki prefecture. The Miyakonojo area is known for growing high quality bamboo and has produced a variety of weapons like wooden swords as w…

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Nibutani Carved Wooden Trays (called Nibutani ita in Japanese) are produced in Biratori, Hokkaido. The origin of the town name, is an Ainu language word for cliff, pirauturu. This craft is known for its patterns like a spiral pattern called moreun…

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Uchiyama Gami is a type of traditional Japanese paper made in the Oku-shinano region of northern Nagano prefecture. As a region that gets heavy snowfall during the winter, papermaking production developed to provide supplementary income. This craf…

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Nibutani Bark Cloth (called Nibutani-attushi in Japanese) is a bark fiber fabric produced in the region surrounding the the town of Biratori, Hokkaido. The term Nibutani originates from niputai which is an Ainu (indigenous people of north Japan) l…

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Shinshu Forged Blades or Shinshu Uchihamono in Japanese, are metalworks produced around Nagano, Nagano prefecture. As this area was formerly a province called Shinano which was also called Shinshu, these blades are known under the name of "Sh…

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Uetsu Shinafu is a textile produced in the area of Sekikawa, Tsuruoka, Yamagata prefecture, and Sanpoku, Murakami, Niigata prefecture. The names of the neighboring prefectures of Yamagata (Uzen) and Niigata (Echigo) are combined and called Uetsu, …

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Nagiso Rokuro Zaiku are completely handmade woodwork items made in the area around Nagiso Town, Kiso-gun, Nagano Prefecture. This traditional craft originated in the first half of the 18th century and is known for a special skilled manufacturing c…

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Suruga Hina Dolls are dolls made in and around Shizuoka City in Shizuoka. Suruga Hina Dolls are larger than other dolls as thick rice straw is used to form the body which is the center of the doll. It is said that rice straw was used because Shizu…

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Yamagata Butsudan are Buddhist altars mainly made in Yamagata City, Tendo City, Obanazawa City, and Sakata City, Yamagata Prefecture, which distinguishes the prefecture as the largest center of altar production in the Tohoku region. Kichibei HOSHI…

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Suruga Hinagu (Hina Doll accessories) are a traditional craft produced mainly in Shizuoka city, Kakegawa city and Yaizu city in Shizuoka prefecture. A distinctive feature of Suruga Hinagu is that every piece of furniture, such as chests of drawers…

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Chiba Artisan Tools are cutlery and hand tools made in the Boso Peninsula of Chiba prefecture, using traditional techniques. Their main products are sickles, hoes, knives and western style scissors. As iron sand was mined in the Boso Peninsula fr…

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