Japanese Crafts

We are introducing Japanese traditional crafts. Numberless traditional crafts are remaining in every region in Japan. We are happy to introduce these things to people in abroad.

Kimono
- Select Kimono
- Wear Kimono
- Take Care of Kimono
- Kimono Accessories
Ceramic Wares
- History
- Styles
- Arita Yaki / Imari Yaki
Glass Wares
- Satsuma Kiriko
- Ryukyu Glass
Traditional Crafts Map
47 Prefectures Travelers' Links

Kimono

Kimono is traditional clothes in Japan, and there are a variety of fabrics in each region.

It is beautiful, even if you can not wear a kimono, just diplay it on your living room. A kimono will become established decoration of your room.

When you are satisfied to see a kimono as an art, simply fling it on. Texture on the back fabric of a kimono is as pleasant as using for a gown.

Manners of wearing a kimono are difficult even for Japanese ladies. On our site, you can study the methods. We hope that you are interested in a kimono, and enjoy it at home, parties and so on.

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Select Kimono

When you select a kimono, there are some points such as "Used or New", "Type", "Fubric", "Production Area", and "Size". Read more on Select Kimono.

Wear Kimono

There is a range from casual ones to formal ones in the types of kimono. Methods of wearing kimono are also depending upon those types of kimono, and the situation you will be in. Read more on Wear Kimono.

→How to wear a kimono 1 2 3

→How to tie an obi 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

→How to tie an taiko musubi 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Take care of Kimono

Usually a kimono is made of silk. So once it gets dirty, it takes much time and money to clean it up. In Japan, people send a kimono to laundries dealing in kimonos or kimono shops.

However, if spots are small you can take them by youself, using benzine for kimono cleaning. And there are also synthetic-fabric kimonos like slik ones that you can wash by yourself. They are sold at reasonable prices.

To fold a kimono neatly is very important to remain it good condition. After you wear a kimono, clean out the dust and hang a kimono inside house to dry it for half a day or one day. And then fold it by the following way.

→How to fold a kimono 1 2 3

Kimono Accessories

You can learn how to use supporting accessories for wearing a kimono, such as Erisin, Susoyoke, Datejime, Waist Belt, Corinbelt (Kitsukeyobelt), Maeita (Obiita), Obimakura, Obiage, and Obijime (Obidome) from the following page.

How to use kimono accessories

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Ceramic Wares

In Japan, there are many production areas of ceramic wares over the country, and numerous potteries. All the production areas have their tradition, and continue to make large efforts to improve their crafts. When you visit Japan, any local area you come on, we can surely say that the local area has their own specific and wonderful ceramic wares.

History

First in the million years ago, Japanese people made potteries that had overflowing energy of antiquity. It is called Jyomon Doki. Jyomon Doki has ornamentation and uniqueness, which are not in daily wares, but in the works of art. Read more on History of Japanese Ceramic Wares.

Styles

Usages and figures of Japanese table wares are sophisticated for Japanese manners. However uniformed usages are not haighly valued. You can enjoy Japanese table wares by your own idea. And it will make surprising changes to your dinner table. Read more on Styles of Japanese Dishes.

Arita Yaki / Imari Yaki

All the other Japanese porcelains started by following Arita Yaki methods. Arita Yaki started in the early 17th century, learning the methods of Jingdezhen that is the oldest production area of porcelain in China. Read more on Arita Yaki / Imari Yaki

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Glass Wares

Satsuma Kiriko

Satsuma Kiriko is a traditional glass handicraft, made in Kagoshima prefecture, Japan.

Real Satsuma Kiriko is extremely expesive and rare, because Satsuma kingdom made this glass handicrafts, only less than twenty years at the end of the Edo period.

Satsuma kingdom is the leading player of Meiji-modern revolution in Japan, so Japanese people can feel all the romance of Japanese modernization in Satsuma Kiriko.

In recent decades, from 1985, Satsuma Kiriko started to be reproduced by its descendants. Read more on Attraction and Features of Satsuma Kiriko.

Ryukyu Glass

Ryukyu Glass is a traditional glass handicraft, made in Okinawa prefecture, Japan.

Ryukyu Glass started from postwar days. At that time, because of shortage in glass materials, craftsmen used varieties of waste glass like bottles of Coca-Cola thrown out from U.S. bases. Read more on Attraction and Features of Ryukyu Glass.

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