Handwerkerinterviews

Resonance Carved from Sacred Timber: Three Generations of Japanese Wooden Drums by Fukada Wood Works

Article Summary Fukada Wood Works in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, has dedicated three generations to the sacred art of crafting Japanese Wooden Drums (Mokugyo). Working intimately with raw mulberry, c...

1,300 Years of Woven Silk in Modern Motion: The Geometry and Grace of Iga Kumihimo by Michitaka Hirai

Tracing its roots back 1,300 years to the Nara period, Iga Kumihimo from Mie Prefecture represents the pinnacle of Japanese silk braiding. Fifth-generation master Michitaka Hirai of Kumihimo Hirai—...

Where Earth Breathes and Light Resides: 300 Years of Okinawan Yachimun Heritage at Ikutoen

Ikutoen carries forward over 300 years of Tsuboya-yaki pottery heritage in Naha, Okinawa. Led by sixth-generation master Tadashi Takaesu, the studio remains devoted to using local Okinawan clay and...

Handcrafted Japanese Pure Tinware: Inside the Workshop of Master Keiichi Nakamura

Explore the serene, lathe-turned craftsmanship of master tin artisan Keiichi Nakamura at Suzukou. Continuing an ancient legacy used in sacred shrines and Edo-period tea culture, Nakamura hand-craft...

Wearable Masterpieces: How Pagong Crafts Kyo-Yuzen Aloha Shirts

Explore the exquisite hand-dyeing artistry of Pagong, a Kyoto-based brand transforming centuries-old Kimono patterns into high-fashion Kyo-Yuzen Aloha shirts. Utilizing hand-drawn stencils by maste...

Dialogue with Unpredictable Flames: How Masafumi Onishi Breathes Raw Passion into Tamba Ware

Explore the sensual, uncalculated beauty of Tamba ware by master artisan Masafumi Onishi of Tanbungama. Firing in traditional climbing kilns, Onishi surrenders raw clay to flying ash and flames to ...

How Kohta Makino is Redefining Modern Kyoto Urushi Lacquerware for the World

Explore the revolutionary craftsmanship of Kohta Makino, a fourth-generation Kyoto Urushi master. Fusing ancient shrine restoration techniques with modern architectural art, Makino creates unpreced...

Authentic Japanese Traditional Crafts: Four Generations of Soryu Kiln’s Kyoto Ceramic Pottery

Discover Soryu Kiln in Kyoto, where four generations of celadon ceramic mastery meet the geometric pottery heritage of Fukuoka's Koishiwara ware. Handcrafted by master Soryu Wakunami and his wife, ...

Catching the Ancient Fire: The Molten Brilliance of Shigeki Fujimura | Japanese Glass Beads

This article explores the rare artistry of Shigeki Fujimura, Japan's sole remaining artisan practicing Edo-period charcoal-fired methods for Japanese glass beads (tombodama). Creating colored glass...

Authentic Japanese Traditional Crafts: Five Centuries of Kyoyumi Mastered in Kyoto | Kanjuro Shibata & Munehiro Shibata

Delve into the sacred workshop of Kanjuro Shibata, the 21st-generation master of Kyoto bamboo bows (Kyoyumi). Experience how raw bamboo is transformed into legendary archery masterpieces of unparal...