Okuizumo Tatara Iron Bunchin Paperweight: Shimane Steel Craft [2026]
From Okuizumo, the cradle of Japan's tatara ironmaking, a hand-forged black-iron bunchin paperweight that steadies calligraphy paper and…
Stories & Culture
Articles
Editorial features on Japan's regional crafts — the makers, the materials, and the places each piece comes from.
Ani Matagi Fukuro Nagasa Knife: Akita Hand-Forged Hunting Blade [2026]
The Ani matagi's Fukuro Nagasa is a hand-forged Akita hunting knife whose hollow socket handle mounts onto a…
Yanai-jima Kingyo Cotton Pouch: Yamaguchi Goldfish Kinchaku [2026]
Yanai-jima is the yarn-dyed striped cotton of Yamaguchi's old port town of Yanai, home to the goldfish-lantern tradition.…
Takashima Sensu Folding Fan: Where to Buy Lake Biwa’s Fan Craft [2026]
A hand-finished Japanese folding fan built on Takashima senkotsu, the Shiga fan ribs that account for most of…
Kutani Ware Gosai Guinomi: Hand-Painted Japanese Sake Cup [2026]
Ishikawa's Kutani ware is Japan's boldest overglaze porcelain. Here's where to buy a hand-painted gosai guinomi sake cup…
Hizen Vidro Mouth-Blown Glass Bud Vase: Saga Nabeshima Craft [2026]
Hizen Vidro is Saga's mouth-blown glass, born from the Nabeshima domain's 19th-century Seirenkata institute. Soejima Glass still hand-blows…
Oguni Washi: Niigata’s Snow-Bleached Kozo Paper, Where to Buy [2026]
Oguni Washi is Niigata's snow-country handmade paper, its kozo fibers laid on the snow to bleach soft and…
Nagasaki Sarasa Cotton Pouch: Dejima’s Calico Heritage [2026]
Born from Dejima's foreign trade, Nagasaki sarasa puts stencil-dyed calico motifs on a small cotton pouch — where…
Izumo Mingei Washi Letter Set: Handmade Folk Paper, Shimane [2026]
Izumo Mingei-shi washi was born of Japan's mingei folk-craft movement in Matsue, Shimane. A handmade kozo letter set…
Hakata Koma Spinning Top: Where to Buy Fukuoka’s Wooden Craft [2026]
Hand-turned wooden tops from Edo-era Hakata, banded in bright lacquer and balanced on an iron tip — a…
Ryukyu Glass Kara-Kara Sake Server: Okinawa Bubble Glass Decanter [2026]
Born from postwar Okinawa recycling discarded bottles, the Ryukyu glass kara-kara is a hand-blown awamori server with trapped…
Kaga Hamono Hand-Forged Nakiri Knife: Kanazawa Blade Craft [2026]
A double-edged nakiri forged by Kanazawa smiths in the Kaga metalworking lineage behind Japan's gold leaf and inlaid…
Ainu Embroidery Pouch: Hokkaido Nibutani Monyo, Where to Buy [2026]
A cotton zip pouch hand-stitched with Ainu monyo — the moreu spiral and aiushi thorn motifs of Hokkaido's…
Suruga Nuri Geta: Shizuoka’s Lacquered Wooden Sandals Guide [2026]
Shizuoka has been Japan's leading geta producer since its Sunpu castle-town days, finishing paulownia sandals in glossy Suruga…
Miyakonojo Uchihamono Hand-Forged Nata Hatchet, Miyazaki Blade Town [2026]
A full-tang nata hatchet hand-forged end to end by one Miyakonojo smith — Miyazaki's nationally designated blade craft,…
Masamune Kamakura Hand-Forged Petty Knife: Soshu Blade Lineage [2026]
A hand-forged petty knife from Kamakura's Masamune Kogei, carrying the Soshu sword tradition of legendary smith Goro Nyudo…
Katsuyama Takezaiku Bamboo Zaru: Okayama Madake Colander [2026]
Hand-woven from highland madake bamboo in Maniwa, Okayama, the Katsuyama Takezaiku zaru is a sturdy kitchen draining colander…
Tenma Kiriko Cut Glass Tumbler: Osaka Cut Glasswork Where to Buy [2026]
Tenma Kiriko is Osaka's revived cut-glass craft, defined by curved kamaboko grooves that bend light differently from angular…
Sabae Titanium Reading Glasses: Fukui’s Japan-Made Eyewear [2026]
Sabae in Fukui forges over 90% of Japan's eyeglass frames and pioneered titanium eyewear in 1981. Here is…
Kawashiri Hocho Kurouchi Nakiri: Hand-Forged Kumamoto Vegetable Knife [2026]
A hand-forged Kumamoto vegetable knife from Kawashiri, the Higo port town where swordsmiths once served the Kikuchi clan…
Yatsushiro Igusa Hanagoza Rush Placemat: Kumamoto Woven Rush [2026]
Yatsushiro in Kumamoto has grown Japan's finest igusa rush since the 1500s. Here's what sets hanagoza woven-rush placemats…
Yamagata Uchihamono Hand-Forged Nakiri Knife: Where to Buy [2026]
A hand-forged vegetable knife from Yamagata, where a Kyoto swordsmith settled in the 1400s and seeded six centuries…
Echizen Tansu: Iron-Fitted Wood Chest from Fukui, Where to Buy [2026]
Echizen Tansu joins Fukui zelkova and paulownia joinery with hand-forged iron fittings from the same blacksmith town that…
Ryukyu Sanshin Okinawan Three-String Lute: Where to Buy [2026]
The sanshin is Okinawa's three-stringed lute, its neck carved from dense kuruchi ebony and its voice born in…
Gujo Tsumugi Silk Book Cover: Gifu’s Plant-Dyed Woven Pongee [2026]
Gujo Tsumugi is a hand-woven, plant-dyed silk pongee from Gifu's Gujo-Hachiman castle town. This book cover carries its…
Akita Hachijo Plant-Dyed Silk Necktie: Naraya’s Glowing Yellow Weave [2026]
Akita Hachijo is a hand-woven silk dyed with local kariyasu grass for its signature glowing yellow. Woven by…
Tenmyo Imono Cast Iron Trivet: Sano’s Ancient Foundry Craft, Tochigi [2026]
A hand-cast iron trivet from Sano's thousand-year-old Tenmyo foundries in Tochigi — heir to the tea-kettle casting tradition…
Bitchu Washi Letter Set: Handmade Okayama Kozo Paper Stationery [2026]
Bitchu Washi is Okayama's mountain paper, hand-couched from kozo with Takahashi River water—this letter set pairs old paper-mulberry…
Sanuki Rihei-yaki Yunomi: Takamatsu’s Oldest Domain Kiln Teacup [2026]
Sanuki Rihei-yaki is Kagawa's oldest pottery, born when the Takamatsu domain invited a Kyoto Awataguchi potter in the…
Miyajima-zaiku Lacquer Tray: Where to Buy Itsukushima Rokuro [2026]
Miyajima-zaiku lacquer trays are wood-turned on Itsukushima, the shrine island, then finished in clear urushi that reveals the…
Kuma Hanatebako: Hitoyoshi’s Heike-Legacy Camellia Wooden Box [2026]
A hand-painted box from Hitoyoshi in Kumamoto's Kuma valley, the Hanatebako carries bold camellia motifs and an eight-century…
Tosa Hinoki Cutting Board: Tosaryu Shimanto Cypress Board [2026]
A Tosaryu Tosa hinoki cutting board brings the clean aroma and knife-friendly softness of Shimanto-river cypress from Kochi…
Sendai-hira Silk Hakama: Japan’s Finest Formal Hakama Cloth [2026]
Sendai-hira is the silk hakama cloth that the Date domain raised to Japan's formal standard. Hand-woven in Miyagi…
Matsushiro-yaki Yunomi: Sanada Domain Blue-Green Pottery from Nagano, Where to Buy [2026]
Matsushiro-yaki is the ash-glazed pottery of the Sanada clan's castle town in Nagano. Its deep blue-green aoryu glaze,…
Bizen Osafune Hand-Forged Katana Letter Opener: Where to Buy [2026]
Forged in Osafune, Okayama—Japan's greatest sword town since the Kamakura era—this miniature katana letter opener brings centuries of…
Tsugaru-Nuri Lacquer Soup Bowl: Hirosaki’s Kara-Nuri Owan [2026]
Tsugaru-Nuri is Aomori's only designated lacquerware, built from dozens of polished coats. This kara-nuri owan adds marbled, jewel-like…
Miyajima-yaki Osunayaki Guinomi: Itsukushima Sacred-Sand Sake Cup, Where to Buy [2026]
Miyajima-yaki blends sacred sand from beneath Itsukushima Shrine into its clay, an Edo-era pilgrimage tradition. A maple-marked osunayaki…
Mino-yaki Shino Ware Matcha Chawan: Where to Buy a Tea Bowl [2026]
Mino-yaki Shino ware from Gifu was Japan's first white-glazed pottery, born in the Momoyama tea world. A guide…
Kawaguchi Imono Cast Iron Sukiyaki Nabe: Saitama Iron Casting, Where to Buy [2026]
Forged in Kawaguchi, Saitama's Edo-era iron-casting town on the Arakawa, this cast iron sukiyaki nabe holds heat evenly…
Owari Kiri Paulownia Rice Container (Kome-bitsu): Where to Buy [2026]
Owari kiri-zaiku is Nagoya's castle-town paulownia joinery. Its rice container uses paulownia's natural humidity buffering and insect resistance…