Mino ware (called Mino yaki in Japanese) is a ceramic ware produced in the Tono area of Gifu prefecture. It has a long history and tradition but has adapted to modern life style. A notable feature of Mino ware is its wide variety of pottery. Mino …

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Yuki tsumugi silk is produced principally in the reaches of the Kinugawa River that straddles the Ibaraki and Tochigi prefectures. The Japanese name Yuki tsumugi comes from the name of a feudal lord during the Kamakura period (1185-1333), Yuki. Al…

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Kasama ware (called Kasami yaki in Japanese) is a form of porcelain produced in the area around the city of Kasama in Ibaraki prefecture. This porcelain has long been considered a traditional souvenir of visiting Kasama Inari shrine (one of Japan&…

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Kamakura-bori is a type of lacquer ware made in the area around the city of Kamakura in Kanagawa prefecture. The tradition dates back to the Kamakura period (1185-1333) when Tsuishu and Tsuikoku, thickly lacquered wooden wares, were imported from …

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Hakone yosegi zaiku is a form of marquetry produced in the town of Hakone, Kanagawa prefecture, an area renowned for having the most natural environment in Japan. For this reason, there is a rich variety of tree species found on Mt. Hakone. Such a…

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Mino washi is a type of Japanese paper made in Gifu prefecture. Washi is made from paper mulberry which is a plant that grows in the city of Mino, a place of abundant forests. Ancient manuscripts in the Shosoin Repository* indicate the history of …

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Satsuma ware (called satsuma yaki in Japanese) is a form of porcelain produced in Kagoshima prefecture. There are three types of Satsuma ware: white, black, and porcelain. Then there are six categories: tateno, ryumonji, naeshirogawa, nishimochida…

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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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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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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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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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Kiryu brocade (called Kiryu ori in Japanese) is a woven cloth produced in the city of Kiryu, Gunma prefecture. This area has a lush environment with excellent climate and terrain, helping it to be prosperous in the silk industry for years. Kiryu i…

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Nara brushes (called Nara fude in Japanese) are brushes produced in and around the neighboring cities of Nara and Yamatokoriyama, Nara prefecture. Nara is considered to be the birthplace of brush making in Japan. The oldest existing brushes in Jap…

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Odawara lacquerware (called Odawara shikki in Japanese) is a type of lacquerware that is made in the city of Odawara, Kanagawa prefecture. It features a glossy lacquer finish which highlights the elegant grain of the wood material. While beautiful…

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Honba Oshima Tsumugi is a fabric made on the island of Amami, Kagoshima prefecture. It is one hundred percent plain silk that has been dyed and made on handlooms like shime-bata or te-bata. This textile has deep, muted tones as it is dyed with ye…

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Isesaki Kasuri is a type of woven fabric produced in Isesaki, Gunma prefecture. Mainly used for kimono, this fabric has been admired for its texture since ancient times. Today, neckties and shop curtains called noren in Japanese are also produced.…

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Kawanabe Buddhist Altars (called Kawanabe Butsudan in Japanese) are made in the Kawanabe area of Minamikyushu, Kagoshima prefecture. There is a specific type of altar called gamado that is unique to this craft. Gama means cave in the Kagoshima dia…

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Takayama Tea Whisks, called Takayama Chasen in Japanese, are tea whisks produced in Takayama Town, Ikoma City, Nara Prefecture. Each tea whisk is completely made by hand and they have a top class share in the total Japanese tea whisk market. The t…

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Makabe Ishitoro is the Japanese name for Makabe stone lanterns produced around the town of Makabe in the Ibaraki Prefecture. Production of this traditional craftwork started during the Kamakura period (1185-1333). The stone industry in the Makabe …

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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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Nara Ink, called Nara Sumi in Japanese, is Japanese ink (sumi) produced in Nara, Nara prefecture. It was the second sumi, following Suzuka Sumi of Mie prefecture, to be designated as a traditional craft. There are two types of sumi; shoenboku, mad…

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