Akama inkstone (called Akama suzuri in Japanese) is produced around the cities of Shimonoseki and Ube in Yamaguchi prefecture. A type of stone called akama, an ideal material for producing the inkstones, is used for Akama inkstone. Therefore this …

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Akazu Ware is a form of pottery produced around Akazucho in the eastern part of Seto City, Aichi Prefecture. This is one of Japan's Six Old Kilns, which began from the Heian Period until the Kamakura Period. The characteristic of Akazu Ware i…

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Arimatsu Narumi Shibori is a tie-dye fabric produced in the area surrounding Midori Ward in Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture. Most of the tie-dye products in Japan are produced here. The tie-dye products are designated as a traditional national craft…

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Bizen ware (called bizen yaki in Japanese) is a form of pottery produced in the area around the city of Bizen in Okayama prefecture. Bizen ware is one of Japan's Six Ancient Kilns. Together with Shigaraki, Tamba, Echizen, Seto and Tokoname, B…

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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 the inspirat…

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Hagi ware (called Hagi yaki in Japanese) is a form of porcelain produced mainly in the town of Hagi in Yamaguchi prefecture. Hagi ware is rarely decorated, remaining as simple as possible in order to make the best use of its clay. One of Hagi war…

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Hiroshima Butsudan refers to golden Buddhist altars which are mainly produced in Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture. Hiroshima has always been the land where the Jodo Shinshu sect is widely worshipped since ancient times, prodding sect-recommend…

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Iga Kumihimo are braided cords made in Mie Prefecture. Silk threads are mainly used often in combination with gold and silver threads. Iga Kumihimo hand-braided cords are well-known for their rich silk threads, dyed in a vibrant range of colors, a…

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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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Inshu washi is a handmade traditional Japanese paper made in the former Inaba province, the eastern part of Tottori prefecture. The most famous type of paper is a textured drawing paper that is ideal for calligraphy and ink painting, boasting high…

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The Japanese name of Ise paper stencil printing is Ise katagami, katagami meaning paper stencil, and today this craft is mostly produced in the city of Suzuka in Mie prefecture. They are a much appreciated part of textile dyeing. From the olden t…

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Iwami Ware is a form of pottery produced around Gotsu City in Shimane Prefecture. The characteristics of Iwami Ware are its strength and low water absorbency, with a surface that is resistant to salt, acid and alkali. Large water jugs known as ha…

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Izumo stone lantern is stone lanterns produced in the city of Sakai Minato in the Tottori prefecture, and in the cities of Matsue and Izumo in the Shimane prefecture. They are made of Kimachi stone, fine-grained tuffaceous sandstone quarried from …

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Katsuyama Take Zaiku are bamboo baskets produced in Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture. Bamboo wares are made in many areas across Japan from a variety of bamboos such as mosochiku and hatake; Katsuyama Take Zaiku use madake bamboo growing around Man…

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Kawajiri brushes are called “Kawajiri fude” in Japanese. Kawajiri brushes are mainly used for calligraphy and they are produced in the town of Kawajiri in the east of the city of Kure, Hiroshima prefecture. This town, lying at the foot of Mt. Noro…

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Kumano brushes (called Kumano fude in Japanese) are traditional craftworks produced in the city of Kumano in Hiroshima prefecture, hence the name. They are made from a wide variety of hair including goat, horse, deer, Japanese raccoon dog, weasel…

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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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Mikawa Butsudan refers to Buddhist altars which are made in the Mikawa area of Okazaki City, Aichi Prefecture. In the Mikawa area, the practice of placing a Buddhist altar in the closet has caused a pedestal to be lower for easier everyday service…

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Miyajima Zaiku are wooden articles made in Miyajima Town, Hatsukaichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture. Miyajima Island, one of the Three Great Sights of Japan, has long been regarded as an Island of Gods. More prosaically, Hatsukaichi City is also a co…

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Nagoya Butsudan refers to Buddhist altars which are produced in Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture. A base of an altar usually uses Japanese cypress, zelkova, sandalwood or equivalent. It is characterized by a high platform outfitted with Mitsumakuri (…

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Nagoya Kuromontsuki Zome is a dyed and woven textile produced in the region surrounding Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture. Kuromontsuki is the kimono worn at weddings or funerals and it has been popular since the Edo period in Nagoya among the samurai…

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Nagoya Yuzen is a type of dyed and painted cloth made by a range of unique traditional techniques in the Nagoya City area. Nagoya Yuzen is characterized by its designs such as monotone, color gradations, classical motifs, as well as for its quiet …

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Nagoya Kiri Tansu (paulownia chests of drawers) are masterpieces of traditional woodwork made in an area around Kasugai City and Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture. Nagoya Kiri Tansu are traditional craftwork originating from when Nagoya Castle was bu…

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Okazaki stonemasonry is stone crafts including stone carved lanterns produced in the area around the city of Okazaki in the Aichi prefecture. It is made using traditional masonry skills that were found and developed in the late years of the Muroma…

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Ouchi-nuri Lacquerware is produced in the area around Yamaguchi City, in Yamaguchi Prefecture. It was named “Ouchi-nuri” as it emerged under the Ouchi clan, who boasted significant influence and power in Yamaguchi Prefecture during the Muromachi P…

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Owari Buddhist altar equipment is made in the prefecture of Aichi. More specifically in the city of Nagoya and its suburbs, called the Owari suburbs. Owari Buddhist altar equipment was first founded as a religious craft by the missonaries of the f…

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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 thought the cl…

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Sekishu washi is a traditional Japanese paper produced in the Iwami region of Shimane prefecture. As an ancient craft, it has a history of around 1300 years. The name Sekishu is found in writings from the Heian period (794-1185). There is also a s…

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Seto Sometsuke Ware is a form of porcelain produced around Seto City and Owariasahi City in Aichi Prefecture. Dyeing is generally a technique of decorating porcelain with paint, but in the case of Seto Sometsuke Ware it also includes the applicati…

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Suruga Take Sensuji Zaiku or bamboo ware are produced in the Shizuoka City area, Shizuoka Prefecture. In the basin of the upper reaches of the Abe River in Shizuoka, good quality bamboos have grown wild since ancient times, and bamboo ware has bee…

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