Traditional Crafts of Japan

245 crafts — ceramics, lacquerware, textiles, paper and more, with history, techniques and places to visit.

Ceramics37

Agano WareFukuoka Aizu Hongo WareFukushima Akatsu WareAichi Arita WareSaga Banko WareMie Bizen WareOkayama Echizen WareFukui Hagi WareYamaguchi Hasami WareNagasaki Hizen Yoshida WareSaga Iga WareMie Imado WareTokyo Iwami WareShimane Izushi WareHyogo Karatsu WareSaga Kasama WareIbaraki Koishiwara WareFukuoka Kutani WareIshikawa Kyoto Ware / Kiyomizu WareKyoto Mashiko WareTochigi Mikawachi WareNagasaki Mino WareGifu Ohi WareIshikawa Ohori Soma WareFukushima Onta WareOita Otani WareTokushima Raku WareKyoto Sanshu Onigawara (Demon Roof Tiles)Aichi Satsuma WareKagoshima Seto WareAichi Shigaraki WareShiga Shodai WareKumamoto Takatori WareFukuoka Tamba Tachikui WareHyogo Tobe WareEhime Tokoname WareAichi Tsuboya WareOkinawa

Lacquerware24

Aizu LacquerwareFukushima Echizen LacquerwareFukui Hida Shunkei LacquerwareGifu Hidehira LacquerwareIwate Joboji-nuri (Joboji Lacquerware)Iwate Kagawa LacquerwareKagawa Kamakura Bori Carved LacquerwareKanagawa Kanazawa LacquerwareIshikawa Kawatsura LacquerwareAkita Kishu LacquerwareWakayama Kiso LacquerwareNagano Murakami Kibori Taishu (Murakami Wood-Carved Lacquerware)Niigata Negoro-nuri (Negoro Lacquerware)Wakayama Nibutani Ita (Ainu Carved Tray)Hokkaido Nikko Bori (Nikko Carved Lacquerware)Tochigi Odawara Shikki (Odawara Lacquerware)Kanagawa Ouchi LacquerwareYamaguchi Ryukyu LacquerwareOkinawa Takaoka LacquerwareToyama Tsugaru LacquerwareAomori Wajima Chinkin LacquerwareIshikawa Wajima LacquerwareIshikawa Wakasa LacquerwareFukui Yamanaka LacquerwareIshikawa

Textiles56

Aizu MomenFukushima Ashikaga OriTochigi Awa Shijira WeavingTokushima Banshu OriHyogo Chichibu Meisen SilkSaitama Chita MomenAichi Echizen Habutae SilkFukui Enshu MenputsuiShizuoka Gujo TsumugiGifu Hakata WeavingFukuoka Hitoyoshi Kuma TsumugiKumamoto Hon-ShiozawaNiigata Ise MomenMie Isesaki KasuriGunma Kawagoe TozanSaitama KihachijoTokyo Kijoka BashofuOkinawa Kiryu OriGunma Koshu OriYamanashi Kumejima TsumugiOkinawa Kurume KasuriFukuoka Mikawa MomenAichi Miyako JofuOkinawa Moka Momen CottonTochigi Murayama Oshima TsumugiTokyo Musashino OriTokyo Nagahama ChirimenShiga Nanbu SakioriIwate Nibutani AttusHokkaido Nishijin WeavingKyoto Noto Jofu Hemp ClothIshikawa Ojiya ChijimiNiigata Ojiya TsumugiNiigata Omi Jofu Hemp ClothShiga Oshima TsumugiKagoshima Ryukyu KasuriOkinawa Saga NishikiSaga Shinshu TsumugiNagano Shiozawa TsumugiNiigata Shuri OriOkinawa Tajima ChirimenHyogo Takashima ChijimiShiga Tama OriTokyo Tanba NunoHyogo Tango Chirimen CrepeKyoto Tokamachi Akashi ChijimiNiigata Tokamachi KasuriNiigata Tsugaru OriAomori Ueda TsumugiNagano Ushikubi TsumugiIshikawa Yaeyama JofuOkinawa Yomitan-son HanaouiOkinawa Yonaguni OriOkinawa Yonezawa WeavingYamagata Yuki Tsumugi SilkIbaraki Yumihama GasuriTottori

Dyeing17

Arimatsu-Narumi Shibori Tie-DyeAichi Edo KomonTokyo Edo ShishuuTokyo Ise Katagami StencilMie Kaga Nui EmbroideryIshikawa Kaga-Yuzen DyeingIshikawa Kyo Kanoko ShiboriKyoto Kyo ShishuuKyoto Kyo-Yuzen DyeingKyoto Nagaita Chukata DyeingTokyo Nagoya Kuro MonfukiAichi Nagoya Yuzen DyeingAichi Nanbu ShikoneIwate Ryukyu BingataOkinawa Tokyo Dyed KomonTokyo Tokyo Tegaki YuzenTokyo Tokyo Yuzen DyeingTokyo

Metalwork21

Banshu CutleryHyogo Bizen Osafune CutleryOkayama Bungo Takada Metal FilesOita Echigo Yoita Forged CutleryNiigata Echizen Forged CutleryFukui Gifu CutleryGifu Higo ZoganKumamoto Kyo KinkoKyoto Nambu IronwareIwate Osaka Naniwa SuzukiOsaka Owari CloisonneAichi Sakai Forged CutleryOsaka Sanjo UchihamonoNiigata Shinshu Forged CutleryNagano Shonai CutleryYamagata Takaoka CopperwareToyama Tokyo SilverwareTokyo Tokyo UchihamonoTokyo Tosa Forged CutleryKochi Tsubame Hammered CopperwareNiigata Yamagata Cast MetalYamagata

Washi Paper12

Echizen Washi PaperFukui Hida Washi (Hida Handmade Paper)Gifu Hosokawa Shi (Hosokawa Handmade Paper)Saitama Inshu Washi PaperTottori Mino Washi PaperGifu Nashio Washi (Nashio Handmade Paper)Hyogo Nishinouchi Washi (Nishinouchi Handmade Paper)Ibaraki Ozu Washi (Ozu Handmade Paper)Ehime Sekishu Banshi PaperShimane Tosa Washi PaperKochi Uchiyama Washi PaperNagano Yoshino Washi (Yoshino Handmade Paper)Nara

Wood & Bamboo17

Akita Sugi Oke Daru (Akita Cedar Tub and Barrel)Akita Beppu Bamboo CraftOita Edo Sashimono FurnitureTokyo Hakone Yosegi MarquetryKanagawa Kamo Kiri TansuNiigata Kasukabe Kiri TansuSaitama Kyo SashimonoKyoto Miyajima ZaikuHiroshima Nara Sumi (Nara Ink Stick)Nara Narakiso Rokuro Zaiku (Narakiso Lathe-Turned Wood Craft)Nagano Odate MagewappaAkita Ogatsu Suzuri (Ogatsu Inkstone)Miyagi Osaka Karaki SashimonoOsaka Sendai Tansu (Sendai Chest of Drawers)Miyagi Shogawa Hikimono KijiToyama Suruga Take Chikusen Bamboo CraftShizuoka Tendo Shogi Koma (Tendo Shogi Pieces)Yamagata

Dolls & Kokeshi18

Edo Isho Ningyo (Edo Costume Dolls)Tokyo Edo Kimekomi DollsTokyo Edo Sekku Ningyo (Edo Seasonal Festival Dolls)Tokyo Fushimi Ningyo (Fushimi Clay Doll)Kyoto Hakata Ningyo (Hakata Doll)Fukuoka Iwatsuki Ningyo (Iwatsuki Doll)Saitama Kamo Ningyo (Kamo Doll)Kyoto Kanazawa Ningyo (Kanazawa Doll)Ishikawa Konosu Hina Ningyo (Konosu Hina Dolls)Saitama Kyo Ningyo (Kyoto Dolls)Kyoto Miharu Ningyo (Miharu Doll)Fukushima Miyagi Traditional KokeshiMiyagi Nagoya Sekku Kazari (Nagoya Festival Dolls)Aichi Nara Itto-bori (Nara Single-Knife Carving)Nara Otsu Hariko (Otsu Papier-mâché)Shiga Sagara Ningyo (Sagara Doll)Kumamoto Sendai Hariko (Sendai Papier-Mâché)Miyagi Shimokawara Tsuchi Ningyo (Shimokawara Clay Doll)Aomori

Buddhist Crafts16

Hikone Butsudan (Hikone Buddhist Altar)Shiga Hiroshima Butsudan (Hiroshima Buddhist Altar)Hiroshima Iiyama Butsudan (Iiyama Buddhist Altar)Nagano Kanazawa Butsudan (Kanazawa Buddhist Altar)Ishikawa Kawabe Butsudan (Kawabe Buddhist Altar)Hyogo Kyo Butsudan (Kyoto Buddhist Altar)Kyoto Kyo Butsugu (Kyoto Buddhist Implements)Kyoto Mikawa Butsudan (Mikawa Buddhist Altar)Aichi Nagano Butsudan (Nagano Buddhist Altar)Nagano Nagasaki Butsudan (Nagasaki Buddhist Altar)Nagasaki Nagoya Butsudan (Nagoya Buddhist Altar)Aichi Niigata Butsudan (Niigata Buddhist Altar)Niigata Osaka Butsudan (Osaka Buddhist Altar)Osaka Tokyo Butsudan (Tokyo Buddhist Altar)Tokyo Yamagata Butsudan (Yamagata Buddhist Altar)Yamagata Yame Fukushima Butsudan (Yame Buddhist Altar)Fukuoka

Other Crafts27

Akama SuzuriYamaguchi Awa Ningyo Joruri PuppetTokushima Banshu Soroban (Banshu Abacus)Hyogo Bekko ZaikuTokyo Boshu UchiwaChiba Echigo JofuNiigata Edo GlassTokyo Edo KirikoTokyo Edo SensuTokyo Gifu ChochinGifu Iga KumihimoMie Koshu Crystal Gemstone WorkYamanashi Koshu IndenYamanashi Koshu Tebori Insho (Koshu Hand-Carved Seal)Yamanashi Kumano FudeHiroshima Kyo Hyogu (Kyoto Mounting Craft)Kyoto Kyo SensuKyoto Kyo UchiwaKyoto Marugame UchiwaKagawa Nachiguro Ishi Kogeihinn (Nachiguro Stone Craft)Mie Sanuki Kagari TemariKagawa Satsuma KirikoKagoshima Suruga HinaguShizuoka Toyohashi FudeAichi Tsugaru Kogin Zashi (Tsugaru Kogin Embroidery)Aomori Unshu SorobanShimane Wa RosokuKyoto