Skip to content

Japan Culture Navi 日本語

Crafts

Lacquerware, ceramics, washi paper, swords, origami and the craftsman tradition.

79 entries

Tap a title to open the full entry: three lengths of English explanation, the questions people actually ask, ready-made phrases and audio.

Essential（6）

Standard（45）

ArtsStandard ishidoro to tsukubai石灯籠と蹲踞the stone furniture of a Japanese garden
ArtsStandard mokuhanga木版画the woodblock printing behind ukiyo-e
ClothingStandard kasa笠a traditional Japanese hat, often woven from sedge or bamboo
CraftsStandard gamaguchiがま口a clasp purse that opens wide like a toad's mouth
CraftsStandard mashiko yaki益子焼rustic, thick-walled pottery from Mashiko in Tochigi Prefecture
CraftsStandard yosegi-zaiku寄木細工Hakone wooden marquetry made from woods of different natural colors
CraftsStandard kyusu急須a small Japanese teapot with a side handle
CraftsStandard magewappa曲げわっぱa bentwood box made from a thin sheet of cedar
CraftsStandard kiridansu桐箪笥a traditional chest of drawers made of paulownia wood
CraftsStandard nishikigoi錦鯉ornamental koi carp bred for color, once called swimming jewels
CraftsStandard kutani yaki九谷焼colorful overglaze-painted porcelain from Ishikawa Prefecture
CraftsStandard shibori絞り染めJapanese tie-dyeing, where cloth is tied or stitched before dyeing
CraftsStandard netsuke根付a small carved toggle once used to hang a pouch or case from a kimono sash
CraftsStandard sashiko刺し子Japanese running-stitch embroidery, first used to strengthen and warm work clothes
CraftsStandard maki-e蒔絵lacquer decoration made by sprinkling gold or silver powder onto wet lacquer
CraftsStandard shikki漆器lacquerware
CraftsStandard yakimono no sanchi焼き物の産地the pottery towns that each make a distinct kind of ware
CraftsStandard tatami shokunin畳職人the maker of tatami mats, a shrinking trade that still measures every room by hand
CraftsStandard shokunin職人the craftsman, as an identity
CraftsStandard Shigarakiyaki no tanuki信楽焼のたぬきthe ceramic raccoon dog statues from Shigaraki, often placed at shop entrances
CraftsStandard ningen kokuho人間国宝a Living National Treasure, a state-certified master of a traditional art or craft
CraftsStandard mizuhiki水引decorative cord on gift envelopes
CraftsStandard sensu扇子folding fan
CraftsStandard kumiko組子geometric wooden lattice patterns assembled without a single nail
CraftsStandard uchiwa団扇a flat, round hand fan that doesn't fold
CraftsStandard hariko張り子Japanese papier-mache made by layering paper over a mold
CraftsStandard chochin提灯paper lanterns
CraftsStandard toishi砥石a Japanese whetstone for sharpening knives and tools
CraftsStandard tojiki陶磁器Japanese pottery and porcelain
CraftsStandard nihonto日本刀the Japanese sword
CraftsStandard bizen-yaki備前焼unglazed pottery from Bizen in Okayama
CraftsStandard binchotan備長炭a very hard, high-quality white charcoal
CraftsStandard Mino washi美濃和紙Mino washi, traditional handmade paper from Gifu Prefecture
CraftsStandard furin風鈴wind chimes
CraftsStandard Aritayaki to Imariyaki有田焼と伊万里焼Japan's first porcelain, and the export port that gave it a second name in the West
CraftsStandard aizome藍染indigo dyeing
CraftsStandard wagasa和傘a traditional Japanese umbrella made of bamboo and oiled paper
CraftsStandard washi和紙traditional Japanese paper
CraftsStandard wabocho和包丁Japanese kitchen knives, many of them sharpened on one side only
Home & LivingStandard kawara yane瓦屋根the tiled roof
Home & LivingStandard gasshozukuri to kayabuki合掌造りと茅葺きthe steep thatched farmhouses of the snow country
Home & LivingStandard mokuzo kenchiku木造建築why Japan builds in wood
Home & LivingStandard mokuzo jutaku木造住宅why Japanese homes are rebuilt, not resold
Modern JapanStandard shokuhin sanpuru食品サンプルthe plastic food in restaurant windows
Work CultureStandard shokunin no kokeisha busoku職人の後継者不足the shortage of successors for traditional craftspeople

Advanced（28）