Akazu ware (called Akazu yaki in Japanese) is a form of pottery produced around Akazucho in the eastern part of the city of Seto, Aichi prefecture. This craft is a type of Seto ware, one of Japan's Six Ancient Kilns. Together with Bizen, Tamb…

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Amakusa ware (called Amakusa Tojiki in Japanese) is a form of pottery or porcelain baked in the Amakusa region of Kumamoto prefecture. The name was newly applied when the craft was designated as a national traditional craft. In Amakusa, where high…

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Arimatsu Narumi Shibori is a tie-dye fabric produced in the area surrounding Nagoya, Aichi prefecture. Many of the tie-dye products in Japan are produced here. The tie-dye products are designated as a traditional national craft. Arimatsu Narumi Sh…

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Banshu abacuses (called Banshu soroban in Japanese) are produced in the city of Ono, Hyogo prefecture. Ono, an agricultural area blessed with a warm climate, started abacus production during its off-season. Japanese abacuses are traditional tools…

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Banshu Kebari are fishing flies used as artificial-bait hooks for fishing, produced in Nishiwaki City, Hyogo Prefecture. They are characterized by their exquisitely fine workmanship; bird feathers wound with silk thread around a small 1cm hook, ad…

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Banshu Miki Uchihamono are metalwork produced around Miki City, Hyogo Prefecture. Like Shinshu Uchihamono and Tosa Uchihamono, Banshu Miki Uchihamono is renowned as a craft made using molding techniques. These areas are also known as large product…

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Echizen cutlery (called Echizen uchihamono in Japanese) is produced around the city of Echizen, Fukui prefecture. A double layering technique is used for knives and a rotated steel joining technique for sickles. Double layering is a forging method…

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Echizen lacquerware (called Echizen shikki in Japanese) is produced in the area around the city of Sabae in Fukui prefecture. Lacquer is at the center of life in the Echizen district of Sabae, which is known as the city of manufacturing. The notab…

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Echizen washi is a Japanese traditional paper made in the basin of the Okafuto river of the Echizen region, Fukui prefecture. Washi is made mostly from the inner bark fibers of plants such as paper mulberry, paperbush, and ganpi. Echizen washi fea…

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Echizen Tansu are lacquer coated chests of drawers made around Echizen City and Sabae City of Fukui Prefecture. They are mainly made of Japanese zelkova and paulownia, and decorated with iron fittings and lacquer. Japanese zelkova is a hard wood w…

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Echizen ware (called Echizen yaki in Japanese) is a type of pottery produced in the town of Echizen, Fukui prefecture. This traditional handicraft comes from one of the Six Ancient Kilns of Japan which along with Bizen, Tamba, Tokoname, Seto, and …

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Etchu washi is traditional Japanese paper made in Asahi, Yatsuo, and Taira in Toyama prefecture. Each production area makes their own type of washi which are called Gokayama washi, Yatsuo washi, and Birudan washi. This craft has slight regional va…

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Etchu Fukuoka no suge gasa, Etchu Fukuoka Sedge Hats, are a traditional craft produced in Takaoka, Tonami, Oyabe, and Nanto of Toyama prefecture. The sedges produced in Fukuoka, Toyama are top quality as they survive the severe winters of the Hok…

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Japanese umbrellas are not only used on rainy days or as parasols, but there are also umbrellas used for dancing and larger parasols called nodategasa used for outdoor tea ceremonies. They become very slim and delicate when they are closed, and t…

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Gifu lanterns (called Gifu chochin in Japanese) are produced in the city of Gifu, Gifu prefecture and have a history of over three hundred years. In 1995, their high level of craftsmanship was recognized with a designation as a National Traditiona…

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Hida-shunkei lacquerware is produced around the city of Takayama in Gifu prefecture. The name is said to come from the fact that the articles produced initially had a similar coloring to Hishunkei tea containers. This craft is notable for having …

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Higo Zogan is inlaid metal work produced in Kumamoto, Kumamoto prefecture. This craft was formerly used to adorn the gun barrels or sword guards of samurai. Today, however, the skills are used to make personal accessories or interior ornaments. Th…

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Ichii woodcarvings (called Ichii itto bori in Japanese) are produced in the Hida region of Gifu prefecture, and made only from the wood of ichii (Japanese yew), the prefectural tree of Gifu. The ichii tree gets its name from a scepter made of Japa…

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Iga Braided Cords, called Iga Kumihimo in Japanese, are made in Mie prefecture. Mainly silk threads are used, often in combination with gold and silver threads. This craft is known for rich silk threads, being dyed in a vibrant range of colors, an…

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Iga ware (called iga yaki in Japanese) is a form of porcelain produced in the area around the city of Iga, Mie prefecture. The main production areas of this craft are the sites of Makiyama and Marubashira in the Ayama district of Iga and the excel…

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Inami woodcarvings (called Inami chokoku in Japanese) are produced in the city of Nanto, Toyama prefecture mainly in the form of transoms*, decorative objects, and single-leaf screens**. They are usually made of Japanese camphor, paulownia, or zel…

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The Japanese name of Ise Paper Stencil Printing is Ise Katagami. Katagami means paper stencil. Today this craft is mostly produced in the city of Suzuka in Mie prefecture. They are an important part of textile dyeing. For many years, such stencils…

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Izushi ware (called

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Kaga Embroidery (Kaga-nui in Japanese) is traditional embroidery produced in the city of Kanazawa, Ishikawa prefecture, using a variety of threads such as colorful silk threads, luxurious gold and silver threads, and lacquered threads. Kaga-nui is…

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Kaga textiles (called Kaga yuzen in Japanese) are kimonos produced around the city of Kanazawa, Ishikawa prefecture. This craft is noteworthy because of its use of five underlying tones: indigo, khaki, green, dark reddish purple, and deep red. Kyo…

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Kanazawa Buddhist Altars (called Kanazawa Butsudan in Japanese) are made in Kanazawa, Ishikawa prefecture. In the past, Ishikawa was an incredibly wealthy province called Kaga. This wealth was reflected in the rich Kaga culture of luxurious crafts…

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The word haku means metal leaf and Kanazawa haku is gold leaf produced in and around the city of Kanazawa, Ishikawa prefecture. This craft possesses the dazzling and elegant radiance of gold even after being worked on by craftsmen. A small piece o…

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Kanazawa lacquerware (called Kanazawa shikki in Japanese) is produced in the area around the city of Kanazawa, in Ishikawa prefecture. It was developed for the liking of feudal lords as it had the financial backing of the Kaga domain (present day …

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Kutani ware (called Kutani yaki in Japanese) is a type of pottery manufactured in and around the city of Kaga in Ishikawa prefecture. It is a traditional handicraft that was first produced during the early Edo period (beginning of the 17th century…

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Mikawa Buddhist Altars, called Mikawa Butsudan in Japanese, are made in the Mikawa area of Okazaki, Aichi prefecture. In the region, as it was a custom to place a Buddhist altar in the closet, there were demands to make the pedestal of the altar l…

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