Imari ware and Arita ware are both porcelain produced around the town of Arita, in the Saga prefecture. Imari ware and Arita ware are light and delicate and both have excellent durability because their porcelain is produced from porcelain stone. T…

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Mashiko ware (called Mashiko yaki in Japanese) is produced in the area around the town of Mashiko in Tochigi prefecture. The clay used in Mashiko ware is rich in silicic acid and iron with a high plasticity, making it easy to shape and highly fire…

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Shigaraki ware (called Shigaraki yaki in Japanese) is a type of pottery made around the town of Shigaraki in Shiga prefecture. Clays such as kibushi, mizuchi, or gairome are kneaded to make a strong clay that can be used to make thick and large p…

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Karatsu ware (called Karatsu yaki) is a form of porcelain produced in the Saga and Nagasaki prefectures. This traditional craft has been produced since the 16th century in various forms, including tea bowls. One of the most notable features of Kar…

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Tsugaru lacquerware (called tsugaru nuri in Japanese) is produced around the city of Hirosaki in Aomori prefecture. Lacquerware has been produced in this region since the middle of the Edo period (1603-1868), but it began to be called Tsugaru lacq…

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Aizu lacquerware (called Aizu nuri in Japanese) is lacquerware made in the Aizu region of Fukushima prefecture. During the manufacturing process, the craft is classified into round pieces, such as bowls, and flat pieces such as trays or stationery…

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Tosa washi is a kind of traditional Japanese paper made in Kochi prefecture, both in the city of Tosa and around the town of Ino. In the past, it was used to make a holder for wallets and medicine or paper lanterns. Now it has a wide range of u…

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Obori-soma ware (called Obori-soma yaki in Japanese) is a form of porcelain produced around the town of Namie in Fukushima prefecture. This craft uses blue porcelain enamel which is made from locally collected grindstone. The distinctive feature …

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Aizu-hongo ware (called Aizu-hongo yaki in Japanese) is a traditional handicraft from the region of Aizu in Fukushima prefecture with a history of about four hundred years. This pottery, which is thought to have originated during the Sengoku perio…

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Omi jofu is a textile produced in the region surrounding the town of Koto in Shiga prefecture. It is made with handwoven ramie threads. This craft has chic kasuri* or ikat patterns and a refreshing texture from being woven with fine ramie threads.…

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Sakai traditional blades are hammer-forged knives produced in the cities of Osaka and Sakai, Osaka prefecture. To achieve both strength and cutting quality, this craft is made by combining soft iron and steel. This craft is forged to have a sharp…

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Osaka naniwa pewterware (called Osaka naniwa suzuki in Japanese) is a metalwork produced in and around the city of Osaka, Osaka prefecture. In the past, tin mined in Japan was used, but today it is imported mainly from Thailand and Indonesia. This…

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Tosa cutlery (called Tosa uchihamono in Japanese) are hammer-forged blades produced in the eastern to central part of Kochi prefecture, including the town of Ino and the cities of Kami, Nankoku, Tosa, and Susaki. Kochi prefecture was once a provin…

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Osaka Buddhist altars (called Osaka butsudan in Japanese) are produced in the cities of Osaka, Yao, Higashiosaka, Sakai, and Kishiwada in Osaka prefecture. Along with the standard lacquer-painted, gold-leafed altars, this region is also known for …

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Hikone Buddhist Altars (called Hikone Butsudan in Japanese) are produced in the city of Hikone, Shiga prefecture. Using luxurious materials in altar bodies which are usually larger than 121.2 cm, this craft is synonymous with high-grade Buddhist a…

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Osaka Transoms (called Osaka Ranma in Japanese) are transoms produced in and around the cities of Osaka, Kishiwada, and Suita in Osaka prefecture. In a Japanese-style house, transoms are wooden panels attached between the ceilings and lintels of t…

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Okuaizu Basketry, called Okuaizu Amikumi Zaiku in Japanese, is basketry produced around Mishima Town, Onuma County, Fukushima Prefecture. As this mountainous area in the Okuaizu region has much snow and farmers are unable to work in the fields in …

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Osaka Karaki Wood Joinery, called Osaka Karaki Sashimono in Japanese, are wooden articles manufactured in several cities of Osaka Prefecture. Karaki is wood from trees mainly grown in Southeast Asia, and include rosewood, ebony, Chinese quince, an…

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Osaka Kongo Sudare are bamboo blinds produced in the cities of Tondabayashi and Kawachi-Nagano in Osaka Prefecture. Tondabayashi City lies at the foot of Mt. Kongo, the highest mountain in Osaka, and good quality Japanese timber bamboo growing nat…

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Osaka Senshu Kiri Tansu are wooden chests of drawers made in and around Kishiwada City and Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture. They are made from Paulownia wood, much appreciated for its durability, excellent moisture barrier properties and fire resista…

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Naniwa Honzome Hand Dyeing is a traditional Japanese dyeing method, of which products are mainly produced in Sakai and Kashiwara, Osaka Prefecture. Osaka was a large producing center of Japanese hand towels called tenugui since the Edo period (160…

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Oku-Aizu Showa Karamushi Textiles (Oku-Aizu Karamushi Ori in Japanese) are a textile fabric produced in Showa Village of Ohnuma, Fukushima Prefecture. It is made from ramie, which is an urticaceous plant also known as China grass. Fine hemp cloth …

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